DIRT 4

A RALLY RACING SIM THAT’S AS FUN FOR CASUALS AS IT IS DETAILED FOR THE HARDCORE. $99.95 | PC, PS4, XO | www.codemasters.com

Any studio hoping to set the world ablaze with a rally sim needs to work extra hard nowadays. Titles such as Forza Horizon 3 and The Crew are huge racing sandboxes that include not only rally racing but every other type of four-wheel racing under the sun. But Codemasters is a veteran studio, and the Dirt series a much-cherished institution. And despite the odds against it, it’s safe to say that, even for casual racers repelled by the hardcore sim elements of last year’s Dirt Rally,

Dirt 4 has much to enjoy. Set across five different regions — including Australia, the US, Spain, Sweden and Wales — with a huge amount of track and terrain variation,

Dirt 4 is a hell of a lot of fun. It’s possible to play it as either a casual arcade-style racer or as a sim, and while fans of the former style will still find some aspects of Dirt 4 unforgiving, this package is a whole lot more focused than those bloated sandbox offerings mentioned earlier. The inherent risk/reward rhythm of rally driving and the game’s blistering speed, make for a game both stressful, meditative and very moreish.

In addition to the usual career mode, you’ll also be able to create your own courses. This isn’t a track editor per se, but rather a tool which lets you determine the start and end points, as well as the racing conditions, on the pre-existing stretches of road. But even if that’s not your style, the huge variety of vehicles — ranging the usual rally fare and also buggies — in addition to the vast array of challenges will be enough to keep you occupied before the inevitable fifth instalment. Couple that with ongoing competitive challenges and the frankly baffling level of car customisation and optimisation available, and Dirt 4 is a game that will please casual and hardcore rally enthusiasts alike.