What sets us apart is the skin to start almost from the seats the stunningly good-looking graphics. Realistic environments, full of atmosphere and at different times of day shining landscapes can fold down an almost jaw. Add to this the many details of the cars and especially the great special effects. Reflections, dust, smoke and the Rally-typical Backfire of souped up engines and exhaust systems chasing an almost scared, and we have the feeling to be in the middle of the rally route. Cleared would therefore also that Dirt 3 looks better again like Dirt 2. New in the new Dirt are also weather effects and night race that simply look wonderful and makes the purely visual side of the game again interesting and varied. The PC version is one step ahead, what needs to be pushed on the remaining hardware of consoles currently in terms of appearance. Like many multi-platform titles, the graphics of the Xbox 360 version looks a bit better as the PS3. This is due to the slightly better anti-aliasing and the textures of the 360 version.
Promise not quite kept
In addition to the graphics that can absolutely convince is the game content that can not keep quite what was promised. Most certainly we have us a hint: so far pleased .. the biggest Dirt. This advertising is in my opinion wrong, Dirt 3 brings namely little more distance or Auto diversity as its predecessor. For example, there are only 4 countries in which purebred rally may be driven: Norway, Kenya, Finland and Michigan. Disappointing, especially also because is constantly resorted to the same stages in different ratios or change of direction. In return, but now it must be mentioned that Codemasters has managed to build in total more variety in the game. In addition to the rally still disciplines like Rally-Cross, Land Rush, Trail Blazer, Head 2 Head and the newly added Gymkhana offered. The Gymkhana, a brutal type rally cars that have been beefed up to monsters to hunt stunt course on a kind. Here are sequentially surrounded by pylons, down donuts, drifts and jumps strung together, the succession to thanks multipliers to achieve everything as quickly as possible high scores.
The driving behavior and force feedback
DiRT 3 offers rally cars from 40 years of racing history and must gradually be unlocked. As seen in the predecessors the cars not only look good, but can be due to damage model and realistic drive to scrap. The ride was designed in total a little more realistic. It is no longer so easy to master narrow curves with drifts and fast straight on uneven surface has become more demanding. But do not worry: casual gamers may turn the assists on enough so that Dirt 3 beginners a lot of fun. Also back in the game: The Flashback feature that provides the opportunity for a crash to make the final seconds to try and undo the last corner again. Professionals access to your force feedback steering wheel set, the difficulty level all the way up, the driving aids and the force feedback effect to 100%. The feeling then to heat with a 500 horsepower rally cars on the slopes is breathtaking realistic and insanely fast. Different weather conditions and soil conditions affect completely on driving and you have to be extremely careful if you have to turn on an asphalt road plötlzlich on a forest track at 200 km / h because the lands cart quickly destroyed in the deepest forest.
Splitscreen is back!
In Multiplayer Dirt 3 has not done anything wrong, it is all available online which can be selected in Single Player. Codemasters donated us even a split-screen mode, so we may drift directly on the sofa to race with friends. With many new racing games one way belongs to the past, but the game robs one of the biggest fun factors.
Conclusion
Clearly: The predecessors were surpassed, handling, graphics and sound have been improved, and you want what's hot at the beautiful routes and the gameplay of Dirt 2. The mere game content could not quite deliver what was promised. Dirt 3 is only in certain respects greater than Dirt 2. The environment number of rally events is too low, otherwise the scope remains unconvincing. The new gymkhana mode is fun and with the steering wheel a real challenge. Also in multiplayer mode could Codemasters go one better, so get the best racing game of the last few months loose 4 stars.