The game modes, tracks and the NEON game engine
Those familiar with the series will be accustomed to the customary features in Dirt, including the co-driver who barks out orders giving you advance notice of upcoming jumps, corners and junctions as well as the standard set of game modes. In Colin McRae: Dirt there are three offline game modes as well as an all-new online mode. Career mode takes the form of a pyramid and offers increasingly difficult courses the further you progress up the tier. At the end of each race you're awarded points and cash and then the money can be spent on purchasing new cars and over 180 liveries. In Rally championship you compete on tracks in different countries, competing in the European, International and World Championships and finally, Rally World allows you to pick and choose cars and tracks that you’ve unlocked in career mode. At first glance it appears that three modes may not be enough to keep you interested for a long period of time, but the variety and number of tracks and cars will be enough to keep you coming for more.
Click for larger image
Click for larger imageIt's not just the diverse selection of tracks and vehicles that make Dirt stand out from the crowd, but it's also the realism of the stunning locations that you race across. Glance over the side of a mountain track (not recommended if you're traveling over 75mph) and in the distance, as far as the eye can see, you'll witness a great depth to the landscape, with accurately recreated mountains and lush farmland. Descend down a steep incline, in a hill climb event, and you'll be treated to panoramic view of the countryside, ladened with trees and rich foliage. Among many of the graphically elegant sights that you'll see in Dirt are tarmac surfaces that glisten in the rain, real-time shadowing and lighting techniques, such as rays of sunshine that pierce through gaps in the trees, onlookers that line up at the side of the track and react to the race by egging you on, gravel which shifts realistically under the weight of your vehicle, smoke which billows out of your exhaust and reacts to the implemented real-time wind system and trees which splinter and warp under the weight of any impact with your vehicle.
The debut of Codemaster's new NEON game engine has successfully breathed life into the rolling hills and the surrounding environments, as well as the vehicle models, which show concave damage and pick up every scratch and bump along the way. Something which is also worth mentioning is how the different terrain not only has a different effect on the way you need to tackle a course, but also feels notably different to drive on. Race across light gravel and then switch over to a tarmacked road and you'll feel a distinct difference under your wheels and therefore need to change your racing technique accordingly. At high speeds the more powerful cars are difficult to handle across mud or gravel, meaning you'll have to be even more accurate at pulling off power-slides or handbrake turns around hairpin bends, but across tarmac you’ll feel a noticeable shift in speed and the smoothness of the surface becomes apparent. There are a number of tracks that blend two types of terrain into one course and you constantly need to be on your guard for these shifts in surfaces and give each race your full attention. The balance needed to create a challenging game, yet one that can still be mastered without being practically impossible, has been achieved with great success, making Colin McRae: Dirt more accessible than previous iterations.
