Racing games can be very mono-focal. They throw you into a specific class of car, length of race, or style of driving. DIRT 5 is set to smash that framework.
The latest product from British developers Codemasters, DIRT 5 has something for every driver thanks to its massive array of game modes and race types.
Spoilt for choice
DIRT 5 takes the modes we love from a variety of games and throws them all into one package.
Want to mix terrains and risk some crossovers on your circuit? Ultra Cross is for you. What about wild off-road races with mud and rocks waiting to slow you? Then take on Stampede! Want to leave any idea of a “track” behind all together? Forge your own path to a target with Path Finder.
Officially, DIRT 5 has nine race types. Each of them offer something different, from surfaces to changeable weather to oval racing and rallying.
Circuit or point-to-point
Not many games feature both circuit racing and a good deal of point-to-point stages, but DIRT 5 does.
The game takes all parts of the racing genre and gives you the chance to try, and eventually perfect, it.
It’s not just laps or stage times that you need to worry about. DIRT 5 blends classic modes too.
The Dirt series has its roots deep in Codemasters’ history of rally games, but DIRT 5 is breaking that mould by giving you wide-open rally stages that have a full grid of cars racing on it at the same time.
You can still race the clock with time trial events and modes like Path Finder, or turn your rally stage into a circuit with Land Rush.
DIRT 5 is breaking down the barriers between racing genres and creating events few have ever considered.
Express yourself
DIRT 5 isn’t just about taking the fastest route to the finish though. It’s also about style.
If you like a little more flair in your driving then DIRT 5 has you covered too.
Icebreaker puts you on a pure ice/snow course, giving you the chance to chain drifts together through sweeping bends.
The new sprint cars are specially designed for drifting round dirt ovals. With massive wings and odd-sized wheels these things are more at home going sideways round a bend than in a straight line.
And then there is Gymkhana…
Forget racing entirely and play Tony Hawks with cars! String drifts, jumps, and precision driving together to rack up points.
DIRT 5 takes the racing game playbook and slices it up into something that promised to deliver a game like nothing that has come before it.
How to get DIRT 5
The new off-road title lands on 6 November for PS4, Xbox One, PC. It comes with a free upgrade to the next-gen consoles, but bear in mind that discless consoles will require a digital entitlement to upgrade.
With that free upgrade comes some terrific features, like a 120fps option, stunning graphical fidelity, and lightning-fast load times.
You can buy DIRT 5 here!