Colin McRae: DiRT 2 Review - Xbox Gaming in South Africa

With Forza 3 and Need For Speed Shift looking to overtake Codemasters' dominance of the racing genre, it's time for Colin McRae: DiRT 2 to hit the track and show them how to drive.

There are two types of driving fans: the gamers who want the game to be as close as possible to the real thing and worship Top Gear and the Stig; and gamers who want to jump into a car and do nothing but smash into walls and have fun. Codemasters have become the masters of straddling both groups by making driving games that are both fun and realistic at the same time without being too easy or difficult to master.

With the first DiRT game they managed to make a rally game that still stands up to this day with graphics that looked as realistic as could be and a driving model that was close to perfect. DiRT 2 aims to take that solid foundation and build upon it with some refinements to the driving model and a new take on the game's career mode.

The first thing you'll notice when you pop in DiRT 2 is the menu which takes the form of a RV, as well as a paddock area where you can check out your current car or browse leader boards. It's probably the slickest menu system I've yet seen in a game and already you'll know that DiRT 2 is not holding back at all. The menu system also forms part of the new career mode which sees you travelling around the globe in your RV going from race to race and trying to become the world's top rally driver. Rather than the quiet and sedate rallies from the first game you'll find yourself part of a global X-Games style race circuit that is very much aimed at a different racing audience from the first game. Other real life rally drivers will constantly be quipping at you during races or calling you to tell you about new events, and for certain races, they'll also join you to take on team events.

Speaking of events, gone are the hill climbs from the first game and the point to point rally events are now also in short supply with the majority of the races being rally cross, trailblazers or the new gate crasher events, with a few of the CORR and buggy races from the first game rounding off the selection of races on offer. Along with the fact that there are fewer rallies is that many of the races are extremely short with hardly any of them being longer than four minutes. While that's perfect for quick bursts if you're in the mood for some racing action it also means that you can drive your way through the game in no time flat. There are a few highlight events with three variations of the X-Games giving you the chance to impress rival drivers with your skills in a tournament format. It's loud, it's brash and it's great fun.

The online game modes have received a much needed overhaul from the first DiRT and now let you take on your friends in any game mode in much the same way as with GRiD. An added bonus is that there is little to no lag when playing with other local gamers, so it's definitely a great way to test your rally skills against your friends.

The actual driving in DiRT 2 is where the game really shines. Each car has an individual driving style as I found out when trying to drive a Ford Escort Mk 2 through the jungles of Thailand in a similar style to my usual 4 wheel drive, Subaru Impreza, and finding that it's not so easy to powerslide around corners in the old, yet powerful rear wheel drive Ford. The handling has seen an improvement over the first game with the cars feeling far less like they are floating over the track and more like giant metal vehicles that need skill to be coaxed around the bends. It's amazing that Codemasters has managed to improve this much on the first game's driving mechanics. Experimenting with the different cars until you find the one that suits your own driving style will keep you busy for a good couple of hours.

DiRT 2 is the finest looking driving game I've yet seen on the Xbox 360 with car models and environments that make you wonder just how much more they can coax out of the little beige console without it exploding from the strain of pushing pixels. The sound is also top notch with each car having a distinctive roar as well as the a great selection of light rock tracks that play during replays and menus.

Codemasters seem to have a knack for making great racing games, with every one of their releases managing to appeal to all gamers and not just petrol heads. And the trend is continuing with DiRT 2. While I do miss the hill climbs and pure rally events from the first game I still found myself addicted to DiRT 2 and telling myself that I'd just drive one more race before going to bed, and next thing you know, several hours would have flown by. If you're looking for a driving game that aims to provide you with hours of fun as well as a challenge, then DiRT 2 should find its way into your gaming garage as soon as possible.

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