DiRT 2 demo impressions

by Kyle LeBlanc

If the actual game stays true to the demo, DiRT 2 will be a fun, albeit over-stylized and typically sensitive, ride across the countryside.

In case you haven’t already noticed, the demo for DiRT 2 has been released on Xbox Live and Playstation Network. The original DiRT was quite a good game, but it had a few major issues that held it back from truly standing out in the crowded racing videogame genre. Codemasters is taking another shot at this franchise, and for the most part, they seem to be doing a pretty good job.





The demo available has a couple gameplay modes available to try out. There are two single-player races, one pitting you up against 7 other racers, and the other letting you race through a time-trial course, both playing out about how you would expect out of any racing game. But one thing I found a bit strange is that while racing against computer opponents, the opposing drivers will start talking to each other and carrying out a conversation. This felt pretty strange considering these drivers were racing upwards of 100 miles per hour on DiRT roads. But as for the driving itself, it feels a lot like the original DiRT. It still has that floaty, super sensitive feel, which I can’t say I’m personally a fan of. But regardless, the driving is still a lot of fun. Drifting around corners at high speeds is just as thrilling as ever.

If you remember the original DiRT, you probably remember how ridiculously visually stunning it was. And in no way does DiRT 2 suffer in this category either. The cars look amazing with various lighting and reflections bouncing off them and the environments look just as great. Sadly, all of these crisp visuals are covered in advertisements and endorsements, but I guess that’s being true to the real-world feel. In the original DiRT, one of the game’s major flaws was its inability to hold a steady framerate. Well, if the entire game plays like the demo, DiRT 2 will be running at a very consistent, smooth framerate.

One other thing worth mentioning is the menu system. Basically, the menu is your first-person view of a mobile trailer, and each menu option moves you towards a particular point of interest. So for example, say you want to check out your garage of cars, you have to navigate your way outside, and then find where your car is placed. This whole menu system may sound cool, and it truly is at first, but it quickly gets old when you just want to navigate your way to a race, yet you are forced to watch your avatar look at the scenery before entering the indoors, and then finally looking down at the map on the table. This, along with many other small details in the demo gives off a “style before functionality” vibe, which is a pretty big bummer.

But in the end, what really matters in a racing game is the racing itself, and the DiRT 2 demo proves that its racing is a lot of fun. Whether or not the style of the game gets less annoying over time is still up in the air, DiRT 2 looks like it’s going to be another fun driving experience either way.