You're spoilt for choice if you're looking for a new racing game to test your skills on the PS4 or Xbox One. Games like GT Sport, Forza Horizon 4, and Need For Speed Heat offer up a delicious buffet of exotic tracks and high-performance vehicles. But where do you head if you like your races drowning in mud rather than burning up the tarmac?
If you’re looking for the best rally game on PS4 and Xbox One, there's no doubt that you'll want to go for Dirt Rally 2.0.
Why is Dirt Rally 2.0 the best rally game?
Dirt Rally 2.0 is a must-have for both driving-sim and rally fanatics. It’s a fully licensed World RX title, providing you with access to the best real-life tracks and Group B vehicles the series has. Codemaster’s excellent driving physics give the game a hugely satisfying mechanical feel, and the visual clarity on both cars and landscapes are stunning.
Is Dirt Rally 2.0 hard?
On occasion, Dirt Rally 2.0 gets a bad rap from players who have had a tough time with its driving physics, stating they are too unforgiving.
While it might seem like this at first, it's not the case - the physics are just more realistic than arcade-like racers. If you boot the game thinking that you're the next Carlos Sainz and jump straight into an Audi Quattro S1, you’re going to have a bad time.
If you load up the game and find yourself struggling, the best thing to do is take your time and be patient as your skill improves. We recommend starting with the Historic game mode, which moves from the near-stock rally-racers of yesteryear, like the Lancia Fulvia HF and Opel Corsa, through to the more powerful modern-day beasts which demand an experienced helmsman.
Once you've gotten into the groove, you'll begin to see how hugely fun and rewarding the gameplay can be.
Is Dirt Rally 2.0 available in VR?
The answer is yes. Like so many other racing games, DirT Rally 2.0 also got the VR treatment back in 2019, available for purchase now on the Oculus store and features OpenVR support on Steam. Dirt Rally 2.0 was a huge hit for the VR racing community as it was the first time a rally game brought to the platform. The experience is immersive and visceral, but be sure to take it easy at first - many have reported the experience is so intense, it's led to subsequent motion sickness.
Do you need to use a racing wheel with Dirt Rally 2.0?
Working through the rally stages is a real test of your skills. Here, as in reality, the focus is less on your ability to max out the engine and more on your finesse and understanding of the car and track. Because of this, Dirt Rally 2.0 pairs particularly well with a racing wheel. With a racing wheel, the finer details of the steering mechanics.
This is not to say that using a controller is out of the question. Dirt Rally 2.0 is 100% playable on a controller. However, because analogue sticks aren't as precise as a wheel, we recommend switching on some of the minor assist options to help to balance out the experience.
By stark contrast, the Rallycross mode requires you to disregard the precision and caution demanded by the rally stages. In this mode, you need to put your foot down and just go for it - it’s all about testing your mettle and risking it all in high-stakes hairpins and loose-surface sprints.
So, it's good - but how does the car damage look?
In a simulated world, it's pretty fun to test all possibilities. This includes smashing your car to see how it looks and behaves when damaged. In Dirt Rally 2.0, the crash detailing is as pleasing as it is gut-wrenching - in no small part to the fact you now have to pay for repairs. Plus, there's always a chance that something starts to malfunction in the car, injecting a little of the real-world mechanical frustrations that can make rallying the unpredictable and thrilling sport that it is.
Driving-sim fans and diehard motorsports enthusiasts will find that Dirt Rally 2.0 has a lot to give.
William Lobley is a Content Writer and reviewer for WhatsTheBest, specialising in technology, gaming and outdoors. He also writes for Empire Online.
Subscribe to the What’s The Best Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews and recommendations from the What’s The Best team.