Concept:
Dirt 2's isn't just a grimy rehash. It's a sexy facelift with back-tensing races and a slew of race fan fodder - videos, real driver voiceovers, RVs! There are more ways and places to race this time, so the deciding factor, the do you or don't you buy this game lynchpin, is down to how does it feel. Long short of it: good.
Keep:
-The look. Dirt 2 is handsome - from the broad vistas to each car's finer details. In fact, it's these small touches that ground Dirt. Your wheels kick up mud and stain cement; light flares and reflects off the steel shell, and steam rolls out from under the carriage.
-Rally X. Long lonely drives through the desert with no one but your Garden State Soundtrack and the road ahead are fine - if not a little vulnerable. But that's not why I play racing games. I want bumper-to-bumper battles. Rally X exemplifies the cutthroat close quarters races with it cars adjusting their methods on fly. Plus, the demo pits these races in Shibuya and London's Battersea Power Station, making them all the more fantastic.
Correct:
-The insides. The first Dirt wowed with its collection of detailed car interiors. They're still here but something feels absent. Or perhaps regurgitated. We'd like to see more detail and more unique interiors. Hopefully they're part of the final build
It is worth noting cars are quite customizable. Maybe if I was better at the game, I could unlock a better set-up.
Cut:
-The Pontiac Solstice. Pee-yew!
Conclusion:
A clean and polished racer, Dirt 2 is anything, but a mess. What we've played is only a slice of the mud pie, so expect more details as the title approaches the finish line, including a hands-on preview of the PSP tile tomorrow.
