DiRT 3

 PC
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 547 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 281 out of 547
  2. Mixed: 194 out of 547
  3. Negative: 72 out of 547

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  1. sinadoom
    Oct 25, 2012
    9
    Graphically, this game is extremely inefficient. DiRT 2 on Ultra is equivalent to this on High without Ambient Occlusion. The Medium preset in DiRT 3 is what the Xbox 360 version looks like. My PC crashed within 2 minutes of track time on Ultra, which doesn't happen after 2 hours on BF3 on High! Anyway, the only graphical difference between the 360 version and PC is the more consistentGraphically, this game is extremely inefficient. DiRT 2 on Ultra is equivalent to this on High without Ambient Occlusion. The Medium preset in DiRT 3 is what the Xbox 360 version looks like. My PC crashed within 2 minutes of track time on Ultra, which doesn't happen after 2 hours on BF3 on High! Anyway, the only graphical difference between the 360 version and PC is the more consistent environmental textures. Cars look no different really, apart from more reflections. The green tint can be annoying as well. However, that's the only downside to this game. Achievements are good, career is of perfect length and variety and multiplayer is even more rewarding than DiRT 2, and more balanced and polished. This really is an ultimate package. I'm glad that there is now full controller support for PC. You can navigate menus easily and most controllers will work with the game. This is a racing game for everyone. There is rally, rallycross, gymkhana, hillclimb, one-on-one crossovers and landrush. You really can't go wrong. There are now assists so you can cater the experience to suit you. Vehicle set-ups are simplified like in DiRT 2 but now the game will automatically choose the optimal even if you don't change anything. Only gear ratios are constant, but they're more personal preference. Anyway, apart from the inefficient and taxing EGO 2.0 game engine, which quite evidently isn't very good given how demanding games like this, F1 2011 and F1 2012 are for very little eye candy gain, it's still just as good on PC as it is on 360. The lack of improved graphics is dissapointing, but that shouldn't be enough to stop you buying this amazing game. You can read my 360 review of why this is the case if you want to know more. In short, it's the variety of game modes, variety of cars, complete and near-perfect multiplayer and a well-paced DiRT tour along with polished time trial leaderboards. What more could you want?!… Expand
  2. charlie412
    Nov 14, 2011
    8
    This is a very good game but if you have played dirt 2 it just doent feel as "high octane", there is a lot a new and different cars, the tracks are dirrerent and varied the game looks a lot better than dirt 2 but theres no more fireworks exploding when you jump or music in the menus which made the game feel a little more exiting, that being said i would say this game is much better forThis is a very good game but if you have played dirt 2 it just doent feel as "high octane", there is a lot a new and different cars, the tracks are dirrerent and varied the game looks a lot better than dirt 2 but theres no more fireworks exploding when you jump or music in the menus which made the game feel a little more exiting, that being said i would say this game is much better for racing than dirt 2, most of the recing styles are present from dirt 2 such as rally cross, truch races and land rush but the rallying seems a lot better, i also like the new assistance, eventhough at first it looks a bit annoying it helps a lot, its a line in the track which shows the suggested line and also glows orange or red when you need to brake, if you have played forza 3 or f1 2011 its the same as those assistance methods, the only annoyance i have is that in multiplayyer people tend to bash you out of the way in corners to get in front but i suppose thats the whole point of the game,crashing and bashing each other, an xbox controller is a necessety aswell as youl find this difficult with keys on the keyboard… Expand
  3. orion89
    Jun 4, 2011
    8
    This really is a great game but I just can't say I enjoy it as much as Dirt 2. The poorly kept RV that traveled around the world with you in Dirt 2 was such a charming idea for what was essentially the menu screen, which was always set in the middle of a huge crowd with music blaring and the scenery of the location you decided to race in looming in the background. Dirt 3 ditched that forThis really is a great game but I just can't say I enjoy it as much as Dirt 2. The poorly kept RV that traveled around the world with you in Dirt 2 was such a charming idea for what was essentially the menu screen, which was always set in the middle of a huge crowd with music blaring and the scenery of the location you decided to race in looming in the background. Dirt 3 ditched that for a much more simple menu that, while streamlined and stylish, is just kinda boring, unless rotating golden pyramids are your thing. The gameplay is fantastic of course, the cars handle wonderfully and the sense of speed is spot on. However, I didn't get the same sense of excitement, the rush I got when I played D2. Watching a replay of my speedy little Ford Cosworth zipping through the Finnish wilderness in its beautifully rendered glory was cool and all but the techno-pop track that played in the background simply didn't fit. At all. It didn't hold a candle to watching the replay of my Mitsubishi Evo X tearing ass through canyons in Utah while My Delirium blasted from my speakers in D2. The music list in general adds to D3's somewhat sterile presentation. I've heard mostly techno oriented tracks so far and it's just so quiet, so subdued and when you mix that with the games (overly) simplified, calm presentation, it kinda comes off as just another race sim. Compare this to D2 which was constantly noisy and flamboyant with its presentation, which was good because it's rally racing. It's supposed to be noisy and dirty and fast paced, not quiet and clean with a bunch of friggin triangles. Graphically the game is better than its predecessor but not by leaps and bounds. This isn't a bad thing though, far from it in fact. The Dirt series is known for being beautiful and Dirt 3 doesn't disappoint. There's too much to mention in a little review like this, you really just have to play it, but the one thing I want to stress is the performance. I run these games on a 2007 iMac.... ya. Despite the fact that it's very underpowered by todays gaming standards, I run Dirt 3 perfectly fine on high settings. The Ego engine is just so well made, you get marvelous detail and performance even on lower end tech. One area they skimped on a bit was the driver detail. They sit as rigid as crash test dummies, hardly ever moving and the overall detail put into the models is lacking compared to D2. In D2 replays the game never shied away from showing your driver struggling with the vehicle, all the animations reasonably smooth and realistic. Hell even your co-driver would turn their head to look at you once or twice, a small insignificant detail but that's what made me surprised and happy to see it. There was a person next to you not a dummy. The only other downside other than the presentation is one.... single... race type.... Gymkhana. Some people may like it and that's fine. I don't hate it, it's fun to watch, but God almighty it can be a pain in the ass. Despite the games wonderful controls Gymkhana is just flat out hard and, at times, confusing. I zoom out into the arena and my first thought is "What the f*ck do I do?" I decide "Ok, I'll spin around this pole and maybe smash those blocks. Perhaps then I'll drift under that thing and make a futile effort to connect it to the donut I'll do over there." Unless you're pretty good and I wouldn't be surprised if there were those who are, it just ends up being kind of a mess and a bit frustrating. I've never once felt like I was doing one of those events for any reason other than getting it out of the way. It doesn't help that I'm a bit of a purist I guess, I absolutely love the rally events and trailblazing and thank God Codemasters really emphasized them this time around. There's also your little "HR Rep" I guess you would call him, he is annoying as all hell. He's always calling you ridiculously cheesy nicknames like "amigo" and "muchacho", it's flat out painful to hear him talk. I even found myself unconsciously hitting the mute button on my keyboard when he started to speak, it's that bad. Speaking of voice work. What happened to driver chatter? Where are the big name racers? Why aren't Katie Justice or Ken Block congratulating me on a good race? Where is Foust to be a douche when I come in second and he's first? It kills the immersion! Overall, I strongly recommend this game to racing fans. It's a strong racer. Just be prepared to be put off by the achingly sterile presentation if you were a big fan of Dirt 2 like I am, it damn near ruined the game for me. That sense of occasion, of pure excitement, is simply lost. I know I keep referring to it but it really does make a huge impact on the game.… Expand
  4. PinkPanther
    May 25, 2011
    10
    Great Game! Finally the controls behave almost realistic and are very responsive. I almost feel like I'm in a real car. This is a major improvement over DiRT2 and makes DiRT3 the best rally game at this time for my taste!
    Also I like the streamlined menus which make navigation and continuing races much quicker than in DiRT2.
    And the music is pretty good too and together with the voice    Great Game! Finally the controls behave almost realistic and are very responsive. I almost feel like I'm in a real car. This is a major improvement over DiRT2 and makes DiRT3 the best rally game at this time for my taste!
    Also I like the streamlined menus which make navigation and continuing races much quicker than in DiRT2.
    And the music is pretty good too and together with the voice acting makes for a relaxed atmosphere, much different from the macho touch in DiRT2.    … Expand
  5. twelvebass
    May 25, 2011
    10
    I caught myself laughing joyfully while racing an old Toyota down a sandy road into a kenyan sunset. Not many games can do that. This one let's me know again why I play games. Yes, it is a bit sad they abandoned the festival style menus and neutralized the atmosphere from Dirt 2 , but it's not all bad because the menus are now much quicker to navigate through. All the trolls are cryingI caught myself laughing joyfully while racing an old Toyota down a sandy road into a kenyan sunset. Not many games can do that. This one let's me know again why I play games. Yes, it is a bit sad they abandoned the festival style menus and neutralized the atmosphere from Dirt 2 , but it's not all bad because the menus are now much quicker to navigate through. All the trolls are crying about it... and the graphics... and the controls but honestly, it's still the same engine as in grit and dirt 2! it handles exactly as you're used to from codemasters race games, which is formidable. if you can't handle it, try another car or turn on some of the various help functions. And it looks brilliant: the raceway with tessellation textures, the spectacular lighting, the water looks better and the new weather effects fit in perfectly. This is the Crysis of Race Games: untouchable. On the downside are the usual too easy and monotonous career mode and the high rate of course recycling (night/day, weather, backwards).
    But all in all: the best race game since Dirt 2. If you're a NfS Driver or GT5 and annoyed, stick to the engine you know and don't come here flaming. It's in the end always a matter of taste and preference. But Codemasters made my summer for sure :)    … Expand
  6. SimonOverlord
    Nov 14, 2011
    9
    Once set up properly everything about this game is incredibly excited, Dirt 1 and 2 did not give me that much excitement, but this one is just crazy. With a proper wheel and setup then you are ready to rock, or be rocked, either way is fun in Dirt 3. The flashback feature is entertaining as well, especially when you are driving with your friend. I have to stop here now and go back to getOnce set up properly everything about this game is incredibly excited, Dirt 1 and 2 did not give me that much excitement, but this one is just crazy. With a proper wheel and setup then you are ready to rock, or be rocked, either way is fun in Dirt 3. The flashback feature is entertaining as well, especially when you are driving with your friend. I have to stop here now and go back to get some DiRT!!… Expand
  7. ganglartoronto
    May 25, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. People giving this game a bad review based on options that they can change, should go away.

    The game is a step forward from dirt 2 in terms of graphics, sound, physics, and handling. The cars have weight shift unlike dirt 2 where you just drift to the side. The cars will react to different surface and weather types(in snow you have to step on it on turns or you'll just get stuck in the snow mid-turn). The motion-blur is a nice add-in when driving fast, games just look goofy without it now, in my opinion. The new modes are a hoot. Gymkhana takes a ton of practice and getting used to, WITHOUT the assists, obviously. Transporter, also capture the flag, is a blast in the whole DC compound. Cat n Mouse is where up to 8 people, and depending on teams(lets say 4v4), you'll have 2 mini coopers, and 6 Audi quatro's or high bhp cars to try and spin out the enemies', or protect your mini cooper all the way to the finish line of a long trailblazer course. I won't get into the other modes now because they are self explanatory, but this game is a definite buy for PC.    … Expand
  8. fl3shy
    May 26, 2011
    9
    If you actually read these comments, you'll find these players are complaining about very strange things. Not enough graphical upgrades? It's beautiful, don't kid yourself. Not enough simulation? Turn off the assists- it handles brilliantly. Too easy? There are 5 levels of difficulty, crank it up and tell me it's still too easy (I doubt it). This game is a lot of fun. The multiplayerIf you actually read these comments, you'll find these players are complaining about very strange things. Not enough graphical upgrades? It's beautiful, don't kid yourself. Not enough simulation? Turn off the assists- it handles brilliantly. Too easy? There are 5 levels of difficulty, crank it up and tell me it's still too easy (I doubt it). This game is a lot of fun. The multiplayer portion is fantastic and provides hours of enjoyment beyond the single player portion. The car models are fantastic, the music is fitting, the sound and graphics are excellent. If you're a fan of the previous Codemasters titles, you'll enjoy this game.… Expand
  9. Tommo11
    May 25, 2011
    9
    Great game so far. love it. well worth the wait! Make sure your TV is set to game mode so the handling response is at its best. I noticed a big difference after changing this.
  10. Ebayers
    Apr 15, 2012
    9
    Quite short really but I really enjoyed it. Not a game for playing to complete but the perfect game to dip in and out of casually. Driving genuinly enjoyable. I find few games that are enjoyable as a casual player and this is definitly one of them. , nothing quite beates drifting through norway in a mini :)
  11. Liquidlizard
    Jun 3, 2012
    10
    Great racing sim. Plenty of different environments and different tracks to race on. Gymkhana is a bit over-emphasized in my opinion. I prefer DiRT 2 better.
  12. jerrypatel_07
    Oct 17, 2012
    9
    The only problem with this incredible racing game is the the gymkhana part which disrupts the career mode......but my gosh what beautiful graphics....maybe the best i have experienced. especially the kenya and snowy regions
  13. Ziostag
    May 25, 2011
    10
    Best racing game since Mario Kart Wii! PROS - The physics feel great, although it's probably a bit easier then DiRT 2. But I really think that it feels very realistic and I personally like it better then DiRT 2. - Singleplayer is awesome and you have a lot of nice cars and different game types - Multiplayer is also awesome as far as I can tell for now. They even have some kind of rankingBest racing game since Mario Kart Wii! PROS - The physics feel great, although it's probably a bit easier then DiRT 2. But I really think that it feels very realistic and I personally like it better then DiRT 2. - Singleplayer is awesome and you have a lot of nice cars and different game types - Multiplayer is also awesome as far as I can tell for now. They even have some kind of ranking system, but I didn't play that much online so far. - Menu is easier and more practical then in DiRT2 - IT HAS SPLIT SCREEN! YAY! - Graphic looks pretty good, but I'm not a specialist there - I like the sound too, but it has maybe not that many songs CONS - takes a bit long to load a map - windows live (it's not that bad, but well....it's windows live) - no map editor so far? Cmon I need to tell something negative too I would give it a 9 because a 10 is impossible. But since some smartasses are giving disproportionate low ratings because they are buthurt, I give it a 10 :p… Expand
  14. Silverblade
    May 25, 2011
    9
    "If you want to buy a good and challenging racing game this year i would suggest you to grab Shift 2 Unleashed." - If you're writing that at the end of a review, you should probably realise that racing games aren't for you. I agree with most of the other reviewers that it's a little easy; turning everything but ABS off and setting opponent skill to 5/6 still enables me to win most races"If you want to buy a good and challenging racing game this year i would suggest you to grab Shift 2 Unleashed." - If you're writing that at the end of a review, you should probably realise that racing games aren't for you. I agree with most of the other reviewers that it's a little easy; turning everything but ABS off and setting opponent skill to 5/6 still enables me to win most races without much of a fight, but it's still a fun game. The physics make handling a little twitchier than DiRT 2, but for an 'arcade' game they're very well rounded, unlike those in the aforementioned Shift 2 which are appalling (if you want 'simulation', go play Gran Turismo 5, not Shift 2). The one thing i don't understand is why they've narrowed down the locales so much. I really miss the old, true rally games that had events in around ten different countries. The main thing that impresses me about this game is how well optimised it is; i get a steady 40~50fps at 1080p, max settings, max AA + supersampling on my Q6600 and GTX260 which are getting a little long in the tooth by all accounts. Whilst it's not running in DX11 mode, it gives you an idea of how well new cards will breeze through this game.… Expand
  15. TwoCans
    May 26, 2011
    9
    TL;DR: I'm completely baffled by anyone holding up Dirt2 as superior, either in graphics or gameplay. Dirt3 isn't dramatically better on either point but it is a step forward for both. If you enjoyed Dirt2 you should get your money's worth from Dirt3--though there do appear to be a few who manage to disagree.

    Graphics--the Good: It's the Dirt2 engine with environmental effects on top.    TL;DR: I'm completely baffled by anyone holding up Dirt2 as superior, either in graphics or gameplay. Dirt3 isn't dramatically better on either point but it is a step forward for both. If you enjoyed Dirt2 you should get your money's worth from Dirt3--though there do appear to be a few who manage to disagree.

    Graphics--the Good: It's the Dirt2 engine with environmental effects on top. There's a bit of polish all around--the cars look appreciably nicer, and the water is better--but nothing dramatic. Kudos to Codemasters on optimizations though--while everything looks nicer, I get the same frame rate I did in Dirt2.
    --The Bad: The overall color palette and set pieces are more subdued--compared to Shibuya or London in Dirt2, Finland's forests look bland and repetitive. Given that there are fewer locations there's less variety in the atmosphere that the added environmental effects don't entirely make up for--they lost a bit of the spice from the previous game.

    Content--the Good: All the racing types from Dirt2 are here, though Rally and Gymkhana have a bit more prominence than the other modes. Between driving in rain/snow having more cars to choose there's a goodly bit more variety in driving conditions.
    --the Bad: sure there's more spice in the driving options, but less areas to drive in.I don't mean the tracks--there's definitely more road to drive on--but they've been crammed into fewer locations. The menu navigation isn't nearly as neat as the trailer from Dirt2 but that's not a dealbreaker. Gameplay--the Good: with the difficulty set to advanced, the handling is almost identical to Dirt2. The myriad of driver assists they added made this game way more accessible--for kicks I had my grandpa play it on casual, and to my surprise he enjoyed it. The new weather conditions are a blast to drive in. Gymkhana plays out like Tony Hawk with cars and is a fun addition to the franchise. The flashback system no longer has a delay when activated which makes it much more fluid to use.
    --the Bad: I'm struggling to think of things they've made worse. Load times are as frequent and as long as in Dirt2--anyone making claims to the contrary has their rose-colored glasses on. Difficulty occasionally too random--I've seen the fastest CPU time fluctuate as much as 7s between playthroughs of the same track. If you're getting this expecting a simulation you might be disappointed, but as a fan of the Dirt series they've raised the bar in nearly every category.

    Dirt3 isn't a big upgrade, but they took kept the fun from the previous game and added some new modes, content, and weather twists. It doesn't have the wow factor for a perfect 10, but it's certainly got enough improvements to be worth my money.    … Expand
  16. WillKill
    May 27, 2011
    9
    After playing Dirt 2 for over 70 hours both online and off, I was very excited for Dirt 3. I must say, I am not disappointed. Dirt 3's visuals are a step above its predecessor and its physics are also a great improvement. I played this game with a Logitech Drive Force GT with 540 degrees of rotation. Though the game just game out, it runs great and is very stable. There are still plenty ofAfter playing Dirt 2 for over 70 hours both online and off, I was very excited for Dirt 3. I must say, I am not disappointed. Dirt 3's visuals are a step above its predecessor and its physics are also a great improvement. I played this game with a Logitech Drive Force GT with 540 degrees of rotation. Though the game just game out, it runs great and is very stable. There are still plenty of annoying bugs which Codemasters will probably address (though they usually stop fixing things after a while like F1 2010's 7 month old pit issues). I do not like the new menu styling. The old walking around menus like that of Dirt 2 and F1 2010 were far more immersive. There is also less interaction between you and your AI couterparts apart from your boring teammates. It was fun talking to real American rally drivers in Dirt 2, but in Dirt 3, you really only talk to Ken Block (haters gonna hate).

    Criticisms aside, Dirt 3 is a step in the right direction. The tracks are not real ones, but Codemasters did a great job with the custom tracks they did make. Although, the tracks are quite wide which may be great for less skilled players, but hardcore WRC sim fans want slimmer and longer tracks (longer tracks run around 3:00). The physics are much better than Dirt 2. You can actually spin out and lock your brakes. However, it seems like the cars brake and grip the road too much compared to their realistic counterparts.

    Verdict: You liked Dirt 2, get Dirt 3. If you like rally, get Dirt 3. Do not expect it to be a sim, but it does have great physics and a lot of fun.    … Expand
  17. JohnR
    May 27, 2011
    9
    Great graphics, sound, interface design, game play solo and multiplayer, and last but not least, the price is right. What's not to like? It's not a sim. Translation equals NOT BORING. It's fun!
  18. Michu
    May 29, 2011
    9
    Addictive fun game! Beautiful graphics, awesome sound and music, multiplayer modes, customizable difficulty settings. Many cars and tracks you can choose from. There is no option to turn of tutorial voice messages (which is very annoying) and triangle theme menus are little strange but rest of the game is truly excellent. Great arcade racing game which every casual player will appreciate.
  19. Bekenel
    Jun 1, 2011
    9
    Massive amount of variety in terms of car choice, tracks, locations and events, so much available for anybody to practice their skills on. The graphics are incredible, even though I play the game on a 800x600 resolution. Gameplay, top class, very highly engaging, although I do find car control tricky at best at some moments. Despite this, i find so much fun in hurtling down narrow passesMassive amount of variety in terms of car choice, tracks, locations and events, so much available for anybody to practice their skills on. The graphics are incredible, even though I play the game on a 800x600 resolution. Gameplay, top class, very highly engaging, although I do find car control tricky at best at some moments. Despite this, i find so much fun in hurtling down narrow passes and drifting round tight bends. An excellent game and well worth the time and money.… Expand
  20. WRXChris
    Jun 24, 2011
    10
    Same half-@$$ coding as all of CodeMasters' recent games. Major glitches that frequently cause the program to stop responding, and even more frequently stops interfacing correctly with my Logitech G27. Furthermore, it doesn't save my control configuration, so every time I launch the program I have to select the G27 as my controller. It seems that the stability of every codemastersSame half-@$$ coding as all of CodeMasters' recent games. Major glitches that frequently cause the program to stop responding, and even more frequently stops interfacing correctly with my Logitech G27. Furthermore, it doesn't save my control configuration, so every time I launch the program I have to select the G27 as my controller. It seems that the stability of every codemasters release is worse than the last, while the graphics are slightly better. I said I would stop purchasing codemasters games after losing 20+ hours of my time after a Dirt 2 save file corruption, and then another 20+ hours after an F1 2010 save corruption. I've had it up to here, and will no longer be supporting this crap-fest company that doesn't know how to do their job. Just another milked franchise by a sold-out development team.… Expand
  21. Certate0
    Apr 30, 2012
    9
    Really fun driver to get in a have a blast. Dirt 3 does not take itself too seriously and is a little more arcade than simulator - this means more fun, less frustration. Driver assist means less competent drivers can still enjoy it. Visuals are great and sounds are good. I played with a 360 controller which worked well. Gymkhana can be a little frustrating but turns out fun when you getReally fun driver to get in a have a blast. Dirt 3 does not take itself too seriously and is a little more arcade than simulator - this means more fun, less frustration. Driver assist means less competent drivers can still enjoy it. Visuals are great and sounds are good. I played with a 360 controller which worked well. Gymkhana can be a little frustrating but turns out fun when you get the hang of it. Maybe would be better if it wasn't required to progress though. Highly recommended… Expand
  22. AbhayD
    May 24, 2012
    10
    This is an amazing looking game. You can't be failed to be impressed with the graphics on the PS3, and I'm guessing that stays true across all platforms.
    Not only are the environments totally interactive and destructible, but the vehicles also take a serious and detailed beating.
    Looking forward to the lauch of Dirt Showdown. I've been participating in the contests over at AMD Facebook    This is an amazing looking game. You can't be failed to be impressed with the graphics on the PS3, and I'm guessing that stays true across all platforms.
    Not only are the environments totally interactive and destructible, but the vehicles also take a serious and detailed beating.
    Looking forward to the lauch of Dirt Showdown. I've been participating in the contests over at AMD Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/AMD/app_370166086361523 and on http://www.facebook.com/RelianceHVG . You guys should check it out, they've got some cool giveaways.    … Expand
  23. Mephic
    May 28, 2011
    10
    Honestly - If anyone says this game is less realistic/uglier/shorter than Dirt 1 or Dirt 2, he never played that game. Dirt 3 gave me a lot in the matter of car racing. 1) Rallies which are awesome and there is much more emphasis on them in this part. Off course, some of them are short, but that just encourages me to make videos from them and brag. Graphics - outstanding! This is the bestHonestly - If anyone says this game is less realistic/uglier/shorter than Dirt 1 or Dirt 2, he never played that game. Dirt 3 gave me a lot in the matter of car racing. 1) Rallies which are awesome and there is much more emphasis on them in this part. Off course, some of them are short, but that just encourages me to make videos from them and brag. Graphics - outstanding! This is the best looking PC racing game in the matter of environment effects and lightning. Some people say that graphics are not that good - well, I play this game at 1920x1080, DX 11, 8xCSAA, everything set to ultra or high (if it can't be set to ultra) -> game looks purely great. Handling: set your wheel how it should be set! Not only in game, but in profiler too. I did that and now it is much more realistic than Dirt 1/Dirt 2, You just have to know what You're doing with your hardware. Forget about pads and keyboards if You expect realism - don't be a hypocrite! Sounds of the engines could be a bit better, but for me that's the only flaw of the game. The variety of cars, tracks and locations is just about right for having months of fun. You can't tweak your car too much (there are only five settings) but they have huge impact on how the car is driven (that's the second thing people who demand realism should set right, you won't get a proper handling out of the box and that's actually good, cause it forces you to tweak). All in all this game is really amazing, I had no problems installing it, I don't see any bugs, I have 45 (constant and stable!) FPS when playing on settings which I already mentioned and value which is comfortable to play here is around 33-35 FPS. All of this make this game best optimized game ever plus a great and beautiful racer for all WRC fans, but also for people who love too see crazy drifting and barrell jumps. Everyone can find something for themselves here - I did too. You just have to keep looking and know how to set certain things. 9,5 out of 10 with hopes for 10/10 after some sound mod is made :)… Expand
  24. Meteorix
    May 31, 2011
    8
    This game is a better version from Dirt2 indeed, tracks are very detail, conduction is great and the game is not heavy for most PC configurations, if you liked Dirt2 this game definitively is your kind of game, it is a fun game.
  25. V8VANTAGE
    Jun 23, 2011
    9
    I love cars and racing games. The Colin McRae series of games were a long standing franchise that went from strength to strength. Codemasters did not kill off the rally game entirely when Colin McRae passed away, and now the game is focused towards the Gymkhana legend Ken Block.

    Now in its 3Rd instalment, I'm happy to report that Dirt3 is now my favourite rally game of all time. First of    I love cars and racing games. The Colin McRae series of games were a long standing franchise that went from strength to strength. Codemasters did not kill off the rally game entirely when Colin McRae passed away, and now the game is focused towards the Gymkhana legend Ken Block.

    Now in its 3Rd instalment, I'm happy to report that Dirt3 is now my favourite rally game of all time.

    First of all, let me tell you about the graphics. I've played the PC version of the game, and I have to stay that its absolutely stunning. Whilst it isn't exactly a step up from Dirt 2 in this department, its not exactly ugly either. The game has beautiful lighting, the cars are well modelled and very good textures throughout. Just to show the attention to detail, on the Battersea DC Compound, even the buildings surround it are accurate to its real life counterpart. Only on rare circumstance did I notice a couple of poor textures here and there but unless you are standing still next to it, you won't notice.

    Sound is very good too. Engine sounds are varied and there is a wide variety of music on the soundtrack. The guy and girl that help you throughout the tour can get a bit annoying at times but the positives outweigh the negatives.

    Game play wise there isn't much to complain about. There's a wider choice of events than ever and a wide variety of vehicles to drive. Everything from a 60's Mini Cooper to an insane Pikes Peak car and pretty much everything in between. The handling is decidedly arcade for what the developers claim to be finely tuned by Mr Ken from the Block himself, but heck at least the cars don't handle terribly. If you are after a simulation rally game, this isn't for you and you should stick to Richard Burns Rally for that.

    I am happy to report that I've played this game several times, sometimes up to 3 hours at a time and it hasn't crashed once. This is in Direct X11 mode, not using the Rapture3D audio and using the Steam version of the game. It also runs consistently above 60 frames per second and this is with all settings on their highest. So far theres little reason to buy the DLC unless you love your cars. Often the cars available for DLC aren't the best ones to race with.

    I haven't played any on-line features yet so I cannot tell you from my own experience what its like. However this game offers the usual race modes as well as game modes associated with First Person Shooters such as Capture the Flag and Infection.

    Hope you've enjoyed this review and I give this a 9 out of 10.

    Postives: Less use of the 'X' Games Career mode is at least half rally based Good graphics, Good sound

    Negatives: Handling is not for people who like simulators Graphics are pretty but not a step up from Dirt 2 The guy and girl that talk in career can get quite annoying

    Test system:
    Intel Core i5 2500k 4.0ghz, 8GB DDR3 1600 MHz, Nvidia Geforce GTX 470, Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit    … Expand
  26. Snipe3000
    Jun 14, 2011
    10
    Great Game, one of the best rally games available.
  27. potenheck
    Oct 3, 2011
    10
    Es el primer juego de rally que juego y me parece exelente, con una jugabilidad muy parecida a la de Grid lo que lo hace muy atractivo para personas que jueguen con controles analogos. Tambien es de destacar la gran mejora grafica con respecto al Dirt 2

    Lo recomiendo
  28. Turbobutts
    Jun 25, 2011
    8
    Alright, where do I start? Overall I'm glad they somewhat got away from the Ken Block style gimmick make up in Dirt 2. This feels more like a grown up racing game again, not like some 12 year old's kiddy game. The graphics are simply stunning, making Dirt 3 what might be the best looking racing game of all time. The controls are fine on keyboards and gamepads and allow for a wide range ofAlright, where do I start? Overall I'm glad they somewhat got away from the Ken Block style gimmick make up in Dirt 2. This feels more like a grown up racing game again, not like some 12 year old's kiddy game. The graphics are simply stunning, making Dirt 3 what might be the best looking racing game of all time. The controls are fine on keyboards and gamepads and allow for a wide range of difficulties by disabling driving aids. The car line up is just brilliant and I don't know what else I'd add. The tracks are super pretty and super fun to drive. The thrown in Gymkhana games are a real hassle though and just feel completely out of place. The career in general is okay, might become a bit boring at some point though (but what racing game career doesn't?). Multiplayer wasn't played yet, the infection and capture the flag modes sound like proper fun though. All in all a really solid game and experience, and probably the best of racing games this year. Great variety of cars, tracks and modes. Handling feels good. The Dirt series still needs to find its identity (again) though. This mix of old school Group B rallying and gimmicky new age Ken Block style drifting stuff don't go well together, and this is kind of a bummer regarding the atmosphere. One point off for that, and one point off for those animated menus (why not simply some good old static ones instead of drifting cars and rotating pyramids?) and unskippable instructional videos.… Expand
  29. kevin4479
    Jun 14, 2011
    8
    I exprected a little more from graphics, but i know they have to limit the improvements because of the compatibility with console's hardware. Gimkhana is funny though
  30. MangoJango
    Aug 7, 2011
    8
    A pretty damn good racing game, and a little more polished than Dirt 2. I love all the locations and the numerous cars available, although I wish there was more of both. Overall, the game has stunning, optimized PC performance, meaning that it runs smooth as butter, and it looks great. There are A LOT of races in the Dirt Tour series, and some of the events get tiring, as you strive toA pretty damn good racing game, and a little more polished than Dirt 2. I love all the locations and the numerous cars available, although I wish there was more of both. Overall, the game has stunning, optimized PC performance, meaning that it runs smooth as butter, and it looks great. There are A LOT of races in the Dirt Tour series, and some of the events get tiring, as you strive to repeat them over and over again, to get the highest finish or to complete the bonus objectives, for more driver rep points. I play it on a keyboard though, and although it's very drivable, a wheel would offer a great advantage in precision and game immersion. The events are fun, and I like all the extra goals and quirks that the developers added, as well as what they left out, from Dirt 2. Everything is more streamlined and more pretty, while still keeping the great rally car racing genre intact. I'd say this arcade-like racing game trumps all others in shear fun and playability. If you're looking for a driving sim, look elsewhere, get Di3ty !… Expand
  31. kippy32
    Jun 2, 2012
    8
    This is the first DiRT game I've managed to play, as I got a voucher for it with my AMD GPU. It's very unlike the old Colin McRae games (the last one I played was 2005 on the PS2), however that said it really isn't his game anymore. But Regardless, I've really enjoyed the experiences I've had with this game, the new game modes added are a lot of fun, particularly the head to head races,This is the first DiRT game I've managed to play, as I got a voucher for it with my AMD GPU. It's very unlike the old Colin McRae games (the last one I played was 2005 on the PS2), however that said it really isn't his game anymore. But Regardless, I've really enjoyed the experiences I've had with this game, the new game modes added are a lot of fun, particularly the head to head races, and even the standard rally phases are a blast. The visuals of this game are also fantastic when ran at maximum which gives a super sharp picture. However the only problem with the PC version is the awkwardness of the keyboard controlls, but luckily I have a game pad which does the trick. Another downside to this game is the mass amounts of paid DLC required to unlock cars and rally stages which I feel should have been included into the game in the first place.

    Overall, A good game with nice visuals.    … Expand
  32. biggranny
    Jul 27, 2012
    8
    I've put over 200 hours into this game. It never gets old. The graphics are amazing. The car models look great, and my favorite: The landscape is gorgeous. The damage engine works fine, it just doesn't go "Deep" with damage. The physics are pretty close to realistic. It's pretty fun. The tracks feel a little dull, too much dark color and there isn't many variety of colors. The sound isI've put over 200 hours into this game. It never gets old. The graphics are amazing. The car models look great, and my favorite: The landscape is gorgeous. The damage engine works fine, it just doesn't go "Deep" with damage. The physics are pretty close to realistic. It's pretty fun. The tracks feel a little dull, too much dark color and there isn't many variety of colors. The sound is very good, the engines sound realistic, you hear the crowd, you hear the tires, you basicly hear everything that is going on. The Dirt Tour was great, but although a tiny bit short but wasn't bad. If you finish the Dirt Tour, you can all ways play the multiplayer which will take a long time to reach max level. Another bad thing is the tracks are very short. 1-3 minutes for every track, there is only one that is 4 minutes. Some textures, especially the engine and inside car parts are a bit blurry. The rest of the textures are very clear and look nice. Another thing about the damage engine, you can pop your tires, and the engine can take damage and start smoking, which slows down your acceleration and top speed. There are over 50 cars and each car has a few designs. Although landrush is only 2 vehicles, buggy and truck. There is a variety of things to do in Dirt 3, Rallycross, Rally, Trailblazer, landrush, etc. You can drive classic cars all the way to new cars and trucks and raid vehicles. One of my favorites things about this game is watching the car build up mud, dirt, and snow. The interior of the cars is beautiful. The rain (Especially the interior) is very pretty and looks realistic. There is also a variety of weather options. In night your car has lights and it looks really cool. Overall I give the game a 8/10. A few cons and a lot of pros. Not perfect, but decent. If you like racing, and offroad, give it a try. If you have a friend, splitscreen will be very fun.… Expand
  33. AWG
    Jul 27, 2013
    8
    A great game experience (Rally, Showdown, City track... this game certainly doesn't lack game mods) ruined or at least crippled by the continuos YouTubeTwitterFacebook requests, and DLCs offers.
    My vote is the average between the game itself (a solid 9), the graphics engine (a perfect 10) and the "let's try to be appealing to the 13 years old boys" containers and menus (barely a 4).
  34. Mandula
    Jun 9, 2013
    9
    Codemasters did a very great job on this title. Graphics are awesome, I like the gameplay too. FF is awesome. I always loved rally games. It's a bit over-advertised (Monster energy and stuff). I think it should be more rally than rallycross and landrush things. I think it's the best racing simulation so far. Who said that this is a Colin McRae game? It isn't in the name. Waiting for DiRT 4!
  35. SwitSwat
    Sep 28, 2013
    10
    (My Xbox 360 review available as well) First off, let me say that I am also one among many that hate the 'Windows Live' log in just so you can save your game and actually get stuff done. But it's a small step back for how fun this game is. Yes, there isn't a lot of traction and more often than not you'll slide off the track and crash into a tree. But, that's just part of challenge,(My Xbox 360 review available as well) First off, let me say that I am also one among many that hate the 'Windows Live' log in just so you can save your game and actually get stuff done. But it's a small step back for how fun this game is. Yes, there isn't a lot of traction and more often than not you'll slide off the track and crash into a tree. But, that's just part of challenge, besides, it's a rally racing game, so it has to be at least somewhat realistic. Overall, nice graphics, cool cars, and addicting challenges all over. 10/10… Expand
  36. lach1223
    Nov 1, 2013
    8
    A great rally game with many options and different tracks. The single player mode is well voiced and you will face many challenges in rising to the top. The actual menu screen however, is a bit cumbersome, with the whole triangle interface being very pointless and annoying. Games for Windows Live DRM is also very annoying, but lets hope this game drops that soon, as other games (such asA great rally game with many options and different tracks. The single player mode is well voiced and you will face many challenges in rising to the top. The actual menu screen however, is a bit cumbersome, with the whole triangle interface being very pointless and annoying. Games for Windows Live DRM is also very annoying, but lets hope this game drops that soon, as other games (such as Bioshock 2) have recently dropped it.… Expand
  37. iddqd4
    Mar 19, 2018
    8
    Этот текст здесь для того что бы оценка отобразилась в моем профиле.
  38. Lewa
    Jan 2, 2014
    9
    What a great game! The gameplay so fun! The graphics are great, and so are the menus. The dirt tour is really fun, too! This game also does multiplayer very well! Split screen so fun, and doing a joyride with a friend is unimaginably fun! The only flaw I found that this game is that once the dirt tour is over, there's really not that much fun in playing anymore.
  39. mevsthevoices
    Feb 29, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a great game, easily one of the top 10 racing games ive ever played, and certainly one of the best released in recent years. Considering it came out 5 years ago, it really holds up, the graphics are clean, the controlls are nice and snappy. Never did work with my wheel all that well, but, my wheel is a piece of crap so, not gonna judge it on that account, great game… Expand
  40. Marick
    Oct 18, 2015
    9
    You can not say that Dirt 3 is a bad game, but over time you see that repetition is this very significantly .
  41. XDavidX
    Nov 23, 2015
    10
    The game is just amazing. I love play this game. For me this game is amazing ! Nothing more to comment because this game is amazing ! I rate this 10/10
  42. ghzghost
    May 25, 2016
    8
    First, let me talk about the things I love:

    I LOVE the car selection. I am a huge fan of vintage rally cars, and there are a lot of great ones here from Lancia, Opel, Ford, Audi, and more. I like the tracks. They look nice and the designs have enough variety to keep me interested. I like the variety of race types. Visually, it is still really nice even now 5 years later. I    First, let me talk about the things I love:

    I LOVE the car selection. I am a huge fan of vintage rally cars, and there are a lot of great ones here from Lancia, Opel, Ford, Audi, and more.

    I like the tracks. They look nice and the designs have enough variety to keep me interested.

    I like the variety of race types.

    Visually, it is still really nice even now 5 years later.

    I think it's cool that the narrators use my actual name. Neat little touch.

    The biggest problem I have with Dirt 3 though, is Gymkhana. I **** DESPISE the Gymkhana levels. I hate them. They do not work well in this game, but being the completionist I am I can't resist the urge of playing them over and over and over trying to get all the medals. These things are SO frustrating.

    Other than that, it's a great game.    … Expand
  43. Melgacius
    Mar 30, 2017
    8
    1 – GENERAL

    Saying that Dirt 3 is a Rally simulator it's an understatement. This is probably the most complete arcady style rally game that I've played ever and it's amazing that the game was launched in 2011. The graphics are completely amazing. Ofc we can spot bad textures here and there, but most of the time everything is in place. Weather effects, lights, day and night tracks,    1 – GENERAL

    Saying that Dirt 3 is a Rally simulator it's an understatement. This is probably the most complete arcady style rally game that I've played ever and it's amazing that the game was launched in 2011.

    The graphics are completely amazing. Ofc we can spot bad textures here and there, but most of the time everything is in place. Weather effects, lights, day and night tracks, snowy tracks. It's impressive I have to say.

    Every car has his own sound and we can clearly suspect the amount of horsepower that each one has. It's different to drive a Mini from the 60's, or a B group car from the 90's.

    2 – GAMEPLAY

    You start with a 4 years contract and that’s it. You have then to start grinding reputation for new teams offers, and points so you can access new events.

    The reputation system becomes annoying since one of the offers is always way better than the others, so you tend to choose that over all the other and, with that, you will not experience most of the cars available. And there are a lot of available cars... believe me, a lot!

    There's so many content in the game that I'm afraid I forget some of it. We have several disciplines:

    Traditional rally;

    Rallycross;

    Trailblazer (a rally with much more powerful cars);

    Landrush (rallycross with trucks or buggies);

    Head 2 Head (most of the time is the event final);

    Gymkana (where you test your skills performing several tricks).

    So and what about the gameplay? The game can offer a lot, but if it handles bad it isn't worth it. Fortunately it handles quite well. It's not a perfect simulator. It has a lot of an arcade feeling, but the driving is still accurate and precise, just not unforgiven.

    You can choose from a lot of difficulty levels of the AI, and you can choose the level of assists that you want. I found medium level to be adequate to my level of driving.

    With the flashback system you can go back in time and make that perfect corner that you've missed. You can only do that 5 times per race. It's more than enough.

    I have a big issue with the game. The massive loading screens. We have a lot of those, and they take a lot of time to go, so that take away some of the immersion, and I do not like that.

    3 – CONCLUSION

    I've had so much fun with this game... I play with a controller and it was more than enough for me. I do not know why you cannot find this game on Steam anymore, but if you find it somewhere just get it. I think I got it for free during some giveaway, I do not know where. Well worth it! Great game.    … Expand
  44. The1Verse
    Dec 13, 2016
    9
    I believe this to be a fantastic game visually and as a simulation. No, it is not perfect. No, you cannot customize anything. To all of the negative reviews on here regarding the previous points, pessimistic much aren't we? Look at the good. The graphics are beautiful. The game is challenging (after you crank up the driving level of course). It is intuitive and the feeling of immersion isI believe this to be a fantastic game visually and as a simulation. No, it is not perfect. No, you cannot customize anything. To all of the negative reviews on here regarding the previous points, pessimistic much aren't we? Look at the good. The graphics are beautiful. The game is challenging (after you crank up the driving level of course). It is intuitive and the feeling of immersion is incredible. Go into this game with a positive state of mind, and I promise you will enjoy yourself.… Expand
  45. GreenSkullRider
    Jan 31, 2017
    9
    Codemasters lo vuelve a hacer con este titulo, mejorando todo los aspecto en relación con el anterior, mayor numero de vehículos, pistas, pruebas, mejoras de sonido y gráficos, una delicia. digno sucesor de lo que fue alguna vez Colin McRae Rally. Muy Recomendado
  46. alexfsmw
    Jun 11, 2017
    8
    This is one of the best racing games I've ever played, if not the best. The graphics is smooth and beautiful. I love the variety of the types of races, tracks and cars available in this game. Overall it's a very entertaining game and quite worth playing.

    I wish though they designed more tracks as halfway through the Dirt Tour you get tired of them repeating over and over. And as for    This is one of the best racing games I've ever played, if not the best. The graphics is smooth and beautiful. I love the variety of the types of races, tracks and cars available in this game. Overall it's a very entertaining game and quite worth playing.

    I wish though they designed more tracks as halfway through the Dirt Tour you get tired of them repeating over and over.

    And as for the DC Compound missions, better save your time and nerves and consult the Internet as most descriptions are not quite clear and you can easily waste a lot of time doing something and later find out that's not what was meant. The missions are pretty easy but it's really frustrating when you have to spend a lot of time just trying to find where and what on earth you are actually supposed to do.    … Expand
  47. Panica3643D
    Jun 17, 2018
    8
    Классные гоночки с поразительной графикой. Картинка действительно радует глаз.
  48. gold
    Aug 28, 2021
    8
    Теперь эта часть смесь GRID и Colin McRae Rally 04 - 2005 по настроению. Это значит хуже второй. Но графика лучше. Разговоры персонажей убрали - это минус. игровое меню в виде отдельной локации (хаба) из второй части заменили на пирамидки - большой минус.
    Итог: 8.765/10    Теперь эта часть смесь GRID и Colin McRae Rally 04 - 2005 по настроению. Это значит хуже второй. Но графика лучше. Разговоры персонажей убрали - это минус. игровое меню в виде отдельной локации (хаба) из второй части заменили на пирамидки - большой минус.
    Итог: 8.765/10
  49. NotBanMePLZ
    Jan 27, 2019
    8
    Очень крутая физика, очень крутой геймплей. Очень атмосферно, в прямом смысле, погода делает ошеломляющую атмосферу. Я фанат серии DiRT и это одна из моих самых любимых.
  50. SentryFastRacer
    Nov 22, 2021
    10
    This is the Greatest rally arcade. Whenever multiplayer worked in this game. True physics, awesome grafic, famous GYMKHANA events...
  51. The_D4RknesS
    Jun 22, 2022
    8
    it's not a bad game but 2 gives this one a beating. not counting gymkhana mode which is super difficult and monotonous. The motorcycle noise of each car has almost no difference, it's ridiculous for you to use a car from the 80's and one from the 2000's both with the same noise
  52. Erikons777
    May 26, 2023
    10
    Best game ever I think I got a little addicted to this game because I was better than my friends

    I wish there was a mobile game like this

Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Best PC Game of 2011
50
#50 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
44
#44 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Absolute Games
    Jul 26, 2011
    67
    Looks like Codemasters really struggled with DiRT 3, piece by piece cutting everything that could have saved this game from going off the cliff.
    Read full review
  2. PC Gamer
    Jul 14, 2011
    85
    Tremendously fun and mostly pothole free, this gorgeous and flexible off-roader has something for every driving fan. [Sept 2011, p.70]
  3. PC Format
    Jul 12, 2011
    86
    Not quite the inspired sequel we had all hoped for, but there's still enough in DiRT 3 to bring the fans back. [Aug 2011, p.96]
See all critic reviews »