I spent a good deal of my internet-less weekend playing some single player games that have, quite frankly, got the shaft in my library. Good stuff that I got for free like Enslaved, and other games I just never even cracked open like inFamous 2. But the one game that I spent the most time with was the one that I had already experienced; Dirt 3.

I’m a lover of cars. I’m also a lover of various forms of racing. While my true love lies with Le Mans, a close second has to be awarded to the World Rally Championship. Back when I was in high school and Colin McCrae was still alive and destroying the competition, it amazed me that cars not only could go that fast on dirt and snow, but that they could somehow be controlled. It changed my thought process of what a good car was. While I still have a boyhood lust for muscle cars and an adult salivary gland devoted to sleek super cars, something about a hot hatch or coupe designed to be thrown at the harshest conditions just seems so amazing to me.

I was already a big fan of the Dirt series. I’d played many of the games even back before it was called “Dirt” and was just Colin McCrae Rally. I will admit that Dirt 2 was the first in the line that really seemed to push the game into a more mainstream light by mixing a broader band of racing under one roof, but it was at a minor cost to its rally heritage. The gain, of course, was that it seemed to pack more game for my hard earned dollar and that’s not a bad thing.

Like Dirt 2, Dirt 3 packs the disk to the brim with a wide array of off-road racing goodness, but with this iteration we get another addition to the offerings with Gymkhana. As Ken Block becomes more of a household name amongst racing fans, so does his unique form of extreme (EXTREEEME! shoot me) competitive car sport, so it made sense that it be included seeing how much he’s tied to the project. I wasn’t sure going in if I enjoyed the idea of a stunt car sport shoehorned into a game with “actual” automotive racing, but it’s really quite fun. It comes in various flavors from time attack to an open parking lot filled with obstacles in which to practice your skills on, but I’d say the time when it really shines is the open track “freestyle” competition. The best way I can describe it is if you were to take a Tony Hawk Pro Skater game and replaced the skateboard with a car.

What I loved about Dirt 2 (apart from the fantastic feel and brilliant physics engine) was how everything was presented to the player. They went out of their way to make it seem as though you were in the game. From moving in and out of your personal trailer to how you browsed your car (or truck) choices, it was immersive to say the least. Dirt 3 completely abandoned this design. Instead what you get is, albeit sleek and elegant, a pretty standard menu UI.

But even though I dislike the interface overhaul, it’s all but forgotten when you’re actually racing. This aspect of the game still feels tight and fun as ever. Scandinavian flicks are able to be done with ease, but don’t feel boringly simple. The speed, regardless of which era of car you drive, feels fast enough to keep you looking a turn ahead in an attempt to try and line yourself up right. This can be a challenge, so to aide you, Codemasters has taken a note from the competition and added a driving line. And, yes, if you’re a purist you can turn it off.

By the way, that’s not a knock. I consider myself a purist but I can’t seem to bring myself to turn the thing off. It’s so scary fast!

I actually think Dirt 3 feels a bit faster than its predecessors. The speed has actually forced me to use the rewind feature more times than I’m proud to admit. The personal negative of this speed is the fact that it seems to be too much for me to take while using my Logitech steering wheel. I find that my hands can only survive short sessions due to the death grip I need to maintain on the wheel. It’s more fun in a sense, but also turns out to make me drive a bit awful when compared to using a gamepad.

Overall the game is just as fabulous as Dirt 2 and I don’t regret my purchase in the slightest. Though if I was to request one change to the game’s format, it would be to allow the player a choice in what style of racing they want to concentrate on. While I enjoy so many options, I could really give a crap about TORC style Protruck racing. For that matter, even while Gymkhana is a pleasant surprise, I’d probably just skip it if I could focus just on a WRC rally season.

What’s it worth: 40 bucks

if you’re a fan of off road racing

Steve "Slurms" Lichtsinn

Blogger and Podcast host for Multiplaying. All viewpoints in my words whether written or spoken are my own, and do not reflect the views of the community I am a part of. I don't do this for a living, and it shows!