Dirt Rally

[JasonM]

So, who here has Dirt Rally and/or a wheel? Because I do.

After wondering whether I should get it for a while, I have finally bit the bullet and bought the game for PC. And the game is an absolute rush to play, especially with a wheel/pedals.
A bunch of cars from the 60s onwards, a bunch of different stages that tackle various styles of rallying (Fast paced Finland/Germany, super-technical Wales, etc.) And phenomenal pacenotes that really help you drive the right line whilst racing through a forest at 120mph

Started out with the 60s Renault Alpine, which was the first RWD I got and it was immediately a chore to go from a super-fast mentality to a technical mentality, as driving fast without skill landed me upside down in a ditch or bent around a tree. Instead you gotta focus on driving and the car, whilst listening to your co-driver bark out the notes and make sure you drive fast but clean at all times.

It's challenging as hell, came in second in my first championship (which should be the easiest one), and used my earned credits to get the 80s Renault 5 Turbo, and that thing is a whole different beast compared to the 'simple' 60s cars.

Can't wait to get my hands on a Group B monster and probably wreck it all the time.

Easily the most fun and exciting racing game i've ever played.

[Chris2K]

I've been thinking of getting it (PS4, no wheel) due to the praise its received, haven't yet though as I can't really afford to buy a brand new game at the moment. I'll probably go for it when it's reduced though.

I'm glad they're becoming a bit more rally-centric, I loved Dirt 1 and 2 but found 3 a bit too gimmicky and (seemingly correctly) didn't bother with Showdown.

[JasonM]

Dirt Rally is easily the best rally game since the old richard burns games. It's obviously not ultra simulation, but it's damn tough to get the hang of it and the game isn't holding your hand either with flashback's or whatever. You can reset the car, but it'll cost you 10+ seconds on your stage time, you can restart the stage but it'll cost you credits, you can repair after every two stages, but you have a very limited window of time to really get anything done.

So you really need to take care of your car and drive smart rather than just balls to the walls fast, and you need to learn your car's tendencies to really get the most of it because else you're just going to fail a lot. Example the Alpine A110 was very squirrelly and light, but under controlled driving you could fly through corners. Now the 5 Turbo is a lot more stable and weightier, but you really need to throw the thing into tight corners because it understeers like a truck (it has a turning radius of a bus).

But when you get it all clicking and you're confident and 'in the zone', it's just such an exhilarating experience to fly across crests and slide into the next one like you're the second coming of Loeb... Then it all comes crashing down and your confidence flies itself into a tree because you didn't listen to your co-driver.

After the crappers that were Dirt 3 and Showdown, this really is a 'true game' for racers. Minimal gimmicks, and just fully concentrate on rallying rather than silly Gymkhana bullshit.

From what i've heard, it's also pretty damn playable with a controller as opposed to a wheel.

[Cactus Drags]

I enjoyed Dirt 3 and Showdown, but then I wasn't necessarily looking for a true rally game with them. Picked up Dirt Rally on launch, and its incredible, but it's really tough. I love that it's not a given that you'll win out the first few races without much effort like in every other racing game. But I cannot do hairpin turns to save my life, and I've had to look up a lot of things on the unofficial subreddit. I really think they should have put a driving school type mode in, the instructional videos are very informative, but I've found it really difficult to out what I've learned into practice. 

[JasonM]

Came in fourth in the clubman championship with the Renault 5 Turbo, and personally i'm not a fan of that car at all. It's fast but it turns like a boat when you go into slow speed corners, sometimes you just turn off the cliff rather than onto the road even if you take the corner as wide as possible...

So instead of going crazy and taking a Group B monster, I've taken a step back and went with an F2 Kit Car... And boy are they FUN! They're just such joyful little speed demons, and on tarmac they just shine with responsive and quick cornering and some pretty good speed on top of that with their six speed gearboxes. Off-Road they're a bit heftier, due to the FWD, but they're still a load of fun to drive... It just feels so great flying through Germany, getting to a hairpin, and being able to throw it into the corner with only a little dab of handbrake, and then be able to fly right off into the sunset with a bit of wheelspin.

Kit Car's might not be as monsterous as the Group B cars, or as technically glorious as the modern cars. But man are they a hoot to drive! I'm currently shared first in the standings after two events (Germany and Sweden). So hopefully in four more events i'll continue to love the Seat Ibiza, and give me a much better time than the Renault ever gave me.