DiRT Colin McRae PS3 Review: DiRT for the Playstation 3 by Codemasters has been a much awaited release for racing simulator fans everywhere. Codemasters is perhaps the leading maker of well crafted racing simulators for the true hardcore motor racing simulation enthusiast. Colin McRae DiRT PS3 is the latest edition in the Colin McRae series that kick started a huge surge in rally style gaming several years ago. Since the release of the PlayStation 3, Codemasters now have a shiny new high powered platform to explore the limits of console racing simulation. 

Codemasters seem to have an uncanny knack for getting the physics model of their racing simulators tuned perfectly to reflect realistic car handling characteristics in all their games. I have been fortunate enough to have played most of their titles throughout the years and from a strong beginning they have built upon this excellence in simulation with each new release. While their games are accessible to all types of gamers, it is clear that the detail and development in their racing games is more aimed at the serious motor sports enthusiast.

DiRT for the PS3 couples the coding talents of Codemasters with the unrivaled graphic capabilities of the Sony PlayStation 3 console. It was clear from the DiRT PS3 preview trailers and screen shots on the Codemasters' website that DiRT was to be a stunning rush of racing adrenaline that provides gamers with a wide variety of racing experiences. From buggies to fully blown WRC style racing machines, DiRT PS3 provides a taste of everything when it comes to the challenging task of piloting cutting edge dirt racers along ribbons of gravel, asphalt and dust.

FULL DiRT PS3 REVIEW: It is with some degree of sadness that DiRT for the PlayStation 3 hit the shelves only days after Colin McRae's tragic passing. Colin was a master behind the wheel and a professional sportsman all around and will be sadly missed.

We have been putting DiRT for the PlayStation 3 through its paces and because I know so many of you are eager to know if this game is a "buyer" or just a "renter", I'll cut right to the main points of the review.

Graphics & Sound: We tested DiRT for the PS3 on a brand new Sony X Series FULL HD screen and were pleasantly surprised by the visuals of the game. With more and more full HD 1080P screens out in the market, I would have loved to have seen this game developed to support full 1080P, but I suspect that frame rates would have dropped to a painful pace. The long and short of it is that DiRT for the PS3 is currently a 720P game and the graphics reflect that in some areas.

Overall the graphics are fairly smooth, but we did notice some chunckiness here and there. There were no obvious background pop ups that would be distracting to the player, but on a number of ocassions the frame rates did drop to a noticeable chug, especially when in a multiple car race event.

Sound for DiRT on the PS3 was average, with a little more work needed in the engine noise areas perhaps. I have played all the games in the Colin McRae series and I would have to say that the choice of co-driver voice overs in DiRT for the PlayStation 3 is definitely not my favorite. The "dude" they have you paired up with is....well...let's just say he sounds like he's been into the whacky weed. I always thought that the voices of people like Nicky Grist from previous Colin McRae titles tended to give the game a bit of class and realism, but I do understand that the developer needs to make the game more accessible to the North American market.

Gameplay: The real value of a game like DiRT is the feel of the cars and tracks through the controller. I have always been impressed with CodeMaster's ability to get the car physics pretty much perfect in all their titles. DiRT on the PS3 does a fairly good job of keeping up that degree of realism, but I do get the sense that things have become a little bit more "arcade" in nature to appeal to a wider gaming audience. For example, in the initial stages of the Career Mode, the handling of some of the cars is just way too jerky and digital in nature. This does tend to smooth out a bit in other vehicles, but overall I would say that there needs to be some improvement in the control sensitivity settings. Perhaps a patch for the game that would allow you to adjust steering sensitivity would go a long way to smoothing things out, but I would not hold my breath for that. Compared to other typical arcade style racers though, DiRT does deliver a more serious simulation feel, just maybe not as much as previous releases in the Colin McRae series.

The effort to make a Colin McRae rally title that is more appealing to a larger market than just hardcore WRC fans does pay off in the variety of vehicles and tracks available. Career Mode for example, will quickly put you into the driver's seat of off-road trucks, rally cross hatchbacks, traditional rally cars and a host of other machinery all in a matter of minutes. This is a big departure from previous Colin McRae games, which pretty much followed the traditional WRC event format. There are a number of game mode choices including Career Mode, Championship Mode, Rally World and of course Multiplayer. All these game style choices combine to make DiRT for the PS3 a big value for the player. There is a ton of re-play value in this game and as with most racing genre games, you will get a lot of hours of enjoyment for your hard earned cash.

Colin McRae DiRT PS3 Review Summary:

The Good: Tons of vehicles and tracks to enjoy. Full configurability of car setups. Lots of game mode choices with strong multiplayer support. Appeals to the rally enthusiast and the casual racing gamer.

The Not So Good: Control action and physics are way too sensitive in some vehicles. Voice-overs can become annoying. Would have been cool to see 1080P output.

Verdict: If you are a hardcore rally gamer and own the PS3 then you pretty much have to get this game as there is not much else out there right now that will satisfy your urge to rip up some dust. If you are not a die hard racing sim gamer, then maybe rent this game and see if it appeals to your style of gaming. This is not another arcade Ridge Racer style game, so be prepared to spend some time getting the feel for the game.

Update: We have been playing DiRT Colin McRae for the PS3 for a while now and the game seems to get better and better the more you play it. Access to better cars, tracks and race types as you progress through the game really makes the DiRT shine! This game really is a stunning piece of gaming art. DiRT for the PS3 is a must have!

Official Codemasters DiRT Website

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