With DIRT 5, Codemasters once again prove that they are the kings of rally (maybe even driving in general) games. If you enjoyed DIRT 4, it goes without saying that you are going to fall in love with this latest offering in the series. It stands out as the best racing game of 2020.
How to Download DIRT 5
To download the game for your gaming platform, click on the Download button at the end of the review Check out also our review of DiRT 2.0, the previous game in the series.
The Game Review
The first thing I have to talk about is the actual driving itself. DIRT 5 is a game that manages to be accessible to players of all skill levels. If you are a hardcore fan of the series, you can jump in and test your driving skills right off the bat. Those a little more “arcadey” or new to the franchise have options too.
You can turn on different driving assists in this game. You can make it so the traction and handling are near perfect. You can even have it so that the AI will handle breaking for you! It is very impressive how many control methods they were able to put into this game which ensures everyone who plays it is catered for.
DIRT 5 is a truly amazing looking game and I am saying this having only played it on the Xbox One. I assume that it is going to look and move even better than it already does on the Series X/S and PlayStation 5. As you would expect there is a ton of variation to the vehicles ranging from your rally cars, sprint cars, and these badass off-road buggy type cars.
The different countries of which there are 10 all look very diverse and high-quality. You can race on ice, on mud, off-road tracks, and even through the forest. There is a ton of different tracks in this game and the different race modes that are on offer ensure that you will not get bored quickly.
Rally Raid is probably your most basic racing mode where it is getting from point a to point b as quickly as you can. The Ice Breaker racing mode is fun and trick as you are racing on ice and it is all about mastering drifting. The PathFinder racing mode is all about getting off-road and taking your time and reading the bumpy terrain. Land Rush throws a ton of stuff your way as you the terrain can change and you have challenges to do!
DIRT 5 has one of the most fun career modes I have ever played in a racing game. Career Mode has you making use of many different cars, all of the race modes, all of the countries, and so on. Each chapter has its own races and you earn money and XP for how well you do. The game adds extra challenges in certain races such as keeping a certain speed for a set amount of time or getting really close to other drivers.
You do not have to do all of the races in a chapter, you can do the bare minimum. However, you are rewarded for the more that you do. The game has a story that is actually very well done and is about the rivalry of two drivers, one voiced by Nolan North and the other Troy Baker so the delivery is truly excellent and you do care about the story as a result.
The single-player content in DIRT 5 is fantastic, but the multiplayer is no slouch either. While this game does have online multiplayer, it is the up to four-player split-screen local co-op that got me excited. Playing this sitting on the couch with your buddies is an absolute blast and it is probably one of the best local co-op experiences I have had in 2020.
There is also a course creator mode in the game which is fun for those who are into that kind of thing. You can create a crazy stunt course with jumps over busses and huge rings of fire and other crazy stuff like that. This along with the way you can tinker with the designs of the cars is great for those with a creative streak.
I will admit that going in I knew more than likely I was going to like this game. Even with that thought, DIRT 5 completely blew me away. It is a fantastic racing game and a great way to close out the series on this current generation of consoles. I am very excited to see what Codemasters has instore for the upgrade on the next-gen consoles.
