Review: DiRT 4 (PlayStation 4)

DiRT 4 puts you at the wheel of the most powerful machines ever made as you face the toughest roads on the planet in rally, rallycross & landrush.

Pros:

• Really nice graphics especially the detailing on the cars, The stages look photo realistic.
• 35.18GB Download size.
• Platinum trophy.
• Two control styles- Gamer or Pro. For a more relaxed arcade approach you go gamer whilst pro is a more simulation/realism approach.
• Four difficulties- Racer, Pro, Champion and fearless.
• Rally driving, Rally cross racing, Historic rally driving and Land rush gameplay.
• Officially licensed cars.
• Online leaderboard support, Choose to have PlayStation 4 only or share your score multi platform for more of a challenge.
• Controls- Tight as ever, If there is one thing Codemasters know well, And that is how to make every car feel individual and responsive.
• Daily, Weekly and monthly events.
• Academy- Learn techniques and disciplines.
• Freeplay- Setup and share championships.
• Career- Race in championships, Unlock and earn new licenses to take on more events and other disciplines. Set up your team, Buy cars and so much more.
• My team- Buy staff to aid you, Install and upgrade facilities to attract higher grade staff, Improve efficiency and earn more money. You can also set up your team name, Come up with a paint scheme to apply to your cars and set up sponsorship deals.
• Earn EXP and level up to increase your rank and unlock new facilities/races.
• Joyride- Set up fun events like skid pans, Slalom and time trials around the training facility.
• Opening tutorial to teach you the basics of rally driving.
• Multiplayer- Join or host games including private and invite system.
• Whats this button on every menu to break down what is what on screen.
• Four disciplines- Rally, Land rush, Rally X and Historic rally events.
• Difficulty settings- Adjust these to increase/decrease your potential earnings. Settings like launch controls, Camera view, Assists etc.
• Very atmospheric from the noises of the crowd to smashed up wrecks on the side of the road, The game really makes you feel like you are there.
• Weather- Rain, Snow, Fog and sun are there as well as night time driving.
• Easy to get into.
• A lot of fun to play.
• Can rebind controls to how you like.
• Controller setup with dead-zone sliders and has support for steering wheels.
• Views-Cockpit, Bumper, Bonnet, Close and far away.
• Replay mode.
• Authentic real engine sounds.
• Shop- Buy new cars from the dealership or browse the classifieds for a bargain or rarer cars. More cars unlock as you upgrade your team.
• All the modes come together and play well off each other.
• Quick loading times.
• Clear easy to read UI.
• Cars can be tuned and upgraded as well as repairs in between events.
• Sponsorship deals add additional side objectives for bonus money.

Cons:

• Graphics whilst very very good are not as good as the Dirt rally game, This one feels a lot more bright and game-y as opposed to Dirt rally’s grubbiness.
• Very generic simple career.
• Music has a selection of songs that don’t quite suit.
• The whole stop at the Marshall at the race end is a nice touch but soon loses its appeal after the 50th race.
• Difficulty spikes.
• Some of the crowd look a bit pixel zombie dead.
• Cheap AI tactics.
• You can save and quit mid championship but you can then only continue from that championship. In other words you cannot have multiple events going at once.
• The Land rush races are fine in short bursts but high lap counters really make them more of a chore than fun.