The DiRT series got its start almost two decades ago with the original title Colin McRae Rally, a pure rally racing simulation. Since then, the game has evolved to include other types of events, both the interesting (Gymkhana) and the odd (Zombie Infestation). A recent early access title on Steam simply called DiRT Rally seeks to bring the series back to its roots.

Gameplay

DiRT Rally’s singular focus is admirable, and relatively unique in the racing genre. This approach should allow developer Codemasters to make a very accurate rally sim instead of devoting time to other modes or events. However, if you don’t like rally racing, there’s not much here that will hold your interest.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a modern rally title, DiRT Rally is probably worth investing in, even in its early access state. The driving model is really tight, forcing you to balance speed and braking as you navigate courses spread across three real-world locations. DiRT Rally leans hard into the sim category so finishing with no mistakes trumps a fast run with lots of crashes and restarts. To put it another way, the driving assists that can be enabled are about the only thing remotely "arcade" about the driving.
 

Your co-driver and the iconography are clear, and outside your own experience, those two elements are the only way you know what’s ahead. Damage, which you will experience early and often, is well-modeled not only visually but also in how it impacts performance. If you leave the track, you are given a limited amount of time to return before you automatically recover and receive a hefty penalty.

Visuals

DiRT Rally is a beautiful title. The courses and track-side scenery are exquisitely detailed; vegetation, weather effects and spectators combine to create dynamic atmospheres. Nighttime and rain are especially nice to look at (though they are difficult to drive in).
 

There are three locations, including Wales, Monaco and Greece. They have unique features and terrain (a hill climb stage up Pike’s Peak was recently added). Mud, lush forests and rain in Wales force a different driving style than Monaco’s snowy alpine stages.

I am able to run DiRT Rally with the ultra-graphics settings on a new mid-level gaming PC with only the slightest frame rate drops a few times per race. Dropping it down to the very high setting results in perfect performance for me.

Cars/Modes

For now, the number of cars (17) is a bit disappointing, though that total should increase as the game nears release. The cars are broken up into classes based on model year so you can choose from vintage or modern rally cars.

All of the cars look great, both from the outside and in the cockpit. Again, damage is represented well; I’ve mashed many fenders and even lost an entire wheel. There is also a noticeable difference in handling among the varying cars, though again, the small number of cars does limit some of the appeal.
 

The main mode is a pretty standard career mode, which is a bit menu and stat heavy -- though a nice tutorial system does guide you as you get started. Unique team, repair and upgrade management elements are included, but otherwise this career mode sticks to a pretty standard formula: start with limited funds, race, buy new cars, etc. However, standard in this case also means streamlined. You will spend your time tuning and racing rather than watching cutscenes or modifying paint jobs.

There are also some interesting online options, including leagues and asynchronous play.

Final Thoughts

At this early stage, I’m really impressed with what Codemasters has provided. This is a hard and punishing sim-style game that rewards the serious driver.

If you are looking for a pure rally racing game, DiRT Rally provides that and does it with beauty and excellence. It’s a bit limited in scope, for better or worse, but it will be interesting to watch what’s added as the game develops.