1. nopoles

   10

   I was never a fan of simulation racers (I prefer Arcade) until I played DiRT2. The interface and world look beautiful, and the game is challenging and fun. The ability to roll back time after making a mistake in a race is super cool. I'd highly recommend playing with an analog controller or some kind (I use an Xbox360 controller on PC), since you need precise analog controls to maintain control.… Expand

   • Helpful? 11 of 11 users said Yes.
2. dkerpal

   8

   Dirt 2 is an insanely fun game, whether you're playing on a keyboard or a controller. The graphics are excellent and I find it very delightful to drive, not only in a fast manner, but also a flashy one, just so I can watch how well I can perform tricks and how awesome they look in the replay. The controls on the keyboard are just fine. They are twitchy and fast, and that's how you want them: you control how much you steer by how quickly you tap the keys. There are a few problems, however, like the fact that there is too little rallying, and to many other events. There are also very few cars and customization is regrettably limited. Sure, you can have a hula girl in your dash and some pimp fluffy dice hangin' from the mirror, but if you like to tune your performance properly you'll be disappointed. Characters and the whole mood of the game are seemingly hyperactive, but this is a racing game: just drive and listen to the music.
   In conclusion, in terms of content the game is lacking, but when it comes down to it few things are as thrilling as drifting your way through turns or dipping into water, having your windshield all covered up in it and being unable to see until the wipers have done their job, so this game scores big time on fun. And in the end, why else do we play games, if not for fun?… Expand

   • Helpful? 2 of 2 users said Yes.
3. denekrad

   7

   Graphics: The graphics are just perfect, the tracks and the cars are beautiful. You need a good graphics card for this one. (10) Sound: The soundtrack (this is very subjective and depends on tastes) is brilliant, and, if your tastes are like mine, you'll be searching the internet for the full soundtrack in a couple of hours of gameplay. The crowd noises, engines, etc are good, each car has its distinctive sound. (9) Gameplay: I bought my XBOX 360 controller for PC specially for this game, and I don't regret it. The controls are smooth with a gamepad, and with a little practice, your car responds exactly as you'd expect. About flashbacks... I'm not a fan of flashbacks, it feels like you don't pay for your mistakes (in games like F1 flashbacks should be a crime), but the chances of crashing in the jungle or similar difficult stages are quite high if you aren't careful, so it's not that bad. Loading times are correct and spiced with several stats. (8) Fun and replayability: The game's main flaw. There's a shortage of stages to play in, and most of them are reverse versions of others, some races are just higher difficulty versions of previous ones, and the interesting Gate Crasher and Domination game modes almost disappear when you move to the Pro races. There are no classic, stage-based rally races, and, in the end, you'll feel like "meh" and probably won't complete the 100 available races. It's impossible to play with a friend in split-screen, you only have Online mode when it comes to multiplayer. To sum it up, repetitive and dumbed down. (4)… Expand

   • Helpful? 3 of 3 users said Yes.
4. LeahR

   3

   A gorgeous, polished, lovingly-crafted game that is hamstrung by insanely twitchy controls and awkward, floaty, slippery vehicle physics. After spending a great deal of time trying to tweak the numerous steering sensitivity settings, as well as car tuning options, I was unable to find a comfortable setting for either keyboard or gamepad play. It's a shame, because reportedly the game is great fun with a USB steering wheel...I just found it to take far too much work to make it feel like I had any control over my vehicle. Fighting the controls = not as fun as fighting opponents. The car handling and physics are in a weird limbo realm where they're not quite arcadey, yet not realistic, either--the slightest turn of the wheel can cause you to slide out even with all sensitivity lowered, yet you can often freely careen off other cars and walls. I really wanted to enjoy Dirt 2, as its graphics, presentation, game modes, and various details show meticulous polish by developer Codemasters...but the controls are even twitchier and floatier than previous Codemasters racing titles. What am I missing? Are these games really only meant to be played with wheels?… Expand

   • Helpful? 5 of 12 users said Yes.

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