Despite what the title may lead you to believe, Dirt Rally 2.0 is most certainly not Codemasters’ second foray into Rally racing simulation games. With a long line of Rally games to their name, fans of their titles were certainly expecting a lot from this latest iteration. After more than a few hours tearing around courses both dusty, muddy, track and everything in between, I can safely proclaim that any expectations leading into Dirt Rally 2.0 have most certainly been met.



Right off the bat, it must be stated just how good looking Dirt Rally 2.0 is. Each car - from the most beloved classic in the Mini, all the way to the modern RallyCross cars - have been beautifully recreated, both inside and out. From the external details, such as the exquisite livery and bodywork to the inside of each cockpit (the first-person position of the driver’s seat even matching the make of the car), captures every small, excruciating detail.

Each car - from the most beloved classic in the Mini, all the way to the modern RallyCross cars - have been beautifully recreated, both inside and out.

Considering the more hardcore bend of the series, one can also expect to marvel at the little details as your car bites up damage across the course, with the body deforming as expected, and the smashed windscreens being of particular detail that I was always amazed at after a particularly nasty spin-off. But if you’re racing a bit better, you can expect to see the build-up of dust, mud and, well, all kinds of dirt on your car as you powerslide your way around any number of detailed tracks. Of particular joy was first seeing the way that water slicked off of the first-person view on a given drenched run, the slow build-up of mud in areas of the windscreen, and the flicker of my lights catching and responding to all the details around as one would expect in a very realistic fashion.



While alluded to above, I must also bring some attention to the handling of the cars, both naturally in comparison to one another but also as they pick up any damage along the track. Each car has its own feel while going around a given course, with each reacting as you would expect given the factors of where its power is being driven from (rear, front or all four wheels), the power to weight ratio, or other factors like your classic rally cars not having turbos. This brings character to each and while classes need to be fairly similar, you can feel the character of each car within to be able to pick a favourite for yourself.

That said, while drifting around a difficult hairpin which you end up cutting a little too fine and you pick up a puncture on a tire, you will feel it exactly as you would expect it to affect your handling for the rest of the race if you do not deal with it. And in this subtle yet very impactful way, the authenticity of the race is elevated completely. You will find this throughout no matter if it is the difference of the surface that you are changing, to you, unfortunately, knicking something on the track as you set a time for RallyCross.

for anyone coming in from the more arcade racers out there... Dirt Rally 2.0 is very unforgiving...

This level of realism is amazing for any purists, with those who own racing wheels in for a real treat, but may be quite the leap for anyone coming in from the more arcade racers out there. In this way, Dirt Rally 2.0 is very unforgiving and I would highly suggest giving the 'racing through the ages' a try in the arcade mode before making the leap into your chosen career (being traditional or RallyCross). From this mode, you have a much more forgiving reset and a good slow build-up of the more complex rally driving techniques. A good lookout for some streamers or Youtubers to guide you through the basics would also set you in the good books and have you ready to go sideways through most corners at competitive speeds.



While on the topic of the arcade modes, there is any number of small to involved daily, and weekly challenges against both real life and computer opponents to keep your interest going as you build up your racing skills. Performing well in these can lead to faster progress in unlocking power and driving upgrades to your cars, as well as helping you to get used to the layouts of any given track, and the setup that you should be using in each.

With a large variety of tracks and terrain and the welcome inclusion of RallyCross stages to test your driving mettle in a much more intense quick burst, there is a lot to bite into within Dirt Rally 2.0. Any enthusiasts or those looking for a realistic take on the Rally driving genre, Dirt Rally 2.0 is definitely be a must-buy.