DiRT

It touches on moments of sheer brilliance and is one of the best racing experiences irrespective of platform. But its adherence to realism is also sometimes its biggest enemy. [Issue#158, p.86]

It’s not that DiRT isn’t an amazing game, because it is, but more because rally racing just doesn’t appeal to as many people as street racing or exotic car racing.

Excellent graphics, sound and handling make this a great choice for newbies and purists alike. [Oct 2007, p.64]

Nothing short of spectacular.

DiRT is one of the prettiest and most accessible racing games you’ll ever lay hands on.

DiRT is a great game and stands as arguably the best racer on the PS3 to date.

Beyond that, it is pure dirt racing womderment that serious sim fans will relish in and more casual players will want to push themselves to become more skilled at. [Dec 2007, p.85]

It not only piles on an extensive list of race types in addition to the rally courses Codemasters has become famous for, but heaps on new kinds of vehicles and manages to pull it off with some of the best presentation I've ever seen in a racing game.

As a graphical showpiece, DiRT is an unbridled success. It also happens to be an entirely enjoyable rally racer.

For fans of rallying, who have been spoiled for choice in previous years, this is the first really good rally simulation on a next-gen system and as such is pretty much a must-have.

If only every aspect of DiRT matched the graphics and presentation, Codemasters would have a must-buy racer on its hands. DiRT still hasn't fixed Colin McRae's longtime use of a central pivot for turning and the racing feels floaty at times.

DiRT is plenty deep, and has a bevy of race modes, tons of tracks, good replay value, in addition to some pretty solid car customization. Not all is super, though; as the online experience is lacking, the visuals have some sore spots here and there, and gamers will have to dig a bit in order to obtain the cars they really want to roll around with.

It’s gorgeous, fun, and is easily one of the very best racing games available for the console.

All in all, this is the game that just might finally put the name Codemasters into gamer's minds that haven't enjoyed their past successes like Colin and Pro Race Driver. DiRT isn't too simish or arcady but finds that nice blend that goes down smooth everytime.

Buy DiRT for the single-player mode. Buy it for the excellent graphics, amazing camera angles, destructive environments, and damage modeling. Buy it because it's a fun arcade racing game. Don't buy it for any other reasons, and you won't be disappointed.

Online issues aside, Colin McRae: DiRT is a fantastic driving game in so many ways.

Slightly flawed in some spots -- its Career mode, for example, is a pyramid of increasingly challenging events rather than a glimpse into a racer's life -- DiRT is nevertheless a big, beautiful game that goes places previous McRaes have not. It's quite simply one of the finest driving-centric titles to hit the still-new PS3 world.

The Neon-powered rally sim finally gets its airing on its original platform (reportedly with a little bit of help from Sony) to become the definitive version despite its lengthy delay: DiRT is a great game with masses of options and modes, with stunning presentation, sharp sound effects and mostly impressive graphics throughout. For petrolheads it's a must-have.

Easily one of the greatest racers on PS3 to date, both in terms of addictiveness and broad, crowd-pleasing appeal. [Oct 2007, p.98]

The cars lack weight and the multiplayer mode needs more content, but overall, players should enjoy this attractive and intense racing experience.

DiRT is the best racing game on the PS3 thus far.

Dirt is an excellent counterpoint to the shallower, more arcade-y MotorStorm, offering serious racing fans a full-bodied game replete with HD-gen graphics, physics, sound, and a great depth of off-road racing types.

Despite its limited focus, Dirt’s single-minded pursuit of racing serves the game well and creates a strong foundation for the future. I guess I can’t blame it for tuning out the rest of the world while it whips around dusty tracks at scary speeds. As we know, getting dialed into the zone is everything.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of DiRT is the poorly implemented multiplayer portion of the game. Instead of allowing you to try some of the head-to-head events that are included in the single-player game, like the Rally Raids or CORR events, you're limited to single-car hill climbs and rally events against times being uploaded by other players in your session.

The graphics are clearer and the framerate is steadier on the PlayStation 3, and the approachable gameplay is intact from the Xbox 360 version. It sure would've been fun to actually play against some real, live gamers online, though.

It’s packed with replay value, solid objectives, a stellar vehicle lineup, and dozens of individual races. The faux multiplayer mode brings the game down a half-point, but overall, you won’t find a better next-gen rally racer.

Sure, some of Codies tactics in 'going mainstream' are a tad irksome, but in the main the game succeeds by not only being exceptionally good fun to play, but being unquestionably one of the finest looking racing games on the market too.

DiRT is by no means for everyone. Most racing games are difficult at first, but you eventually master them. In DiRT, you are always on the verge of totaling your car. There's never a moment to screw around, because you will crash.

A solid and often spectacular effort from Codemasters. The core racing is thrilling yet accessible and the amount of content on offer will keep players enthralled for some time.

Overall, this title has bucket loads of quality and a game structure that should keep you happily driving for many hours. It is a shame that multiplayer didn't make it in somewhere (even in online, it's all time trials).