Dirt 4: PS4 Review

Dirt 4: PS4 Review

Developed by Codemasters
Platform: PS4

The rallying genre does pretty well on the console.

But it rarely strays from the format that's so obvious from beginning to end. Be it racing though dirt or building up skills on a practice track, it's a formula that's become solid and dependable yet never exceptional or unmissable.

Thankfully, Dirt 4, from spiritual home of racing Codemasters, manages to traverse a line between both, gifting both the usual dynamics with a degree of flair of execution.

Spanning five locations from Australia to the glamour of Wales, the game's simple MO is to deliver immersive driving which pays off with practice and a learning of general skills. Largely due to the Your Stage tool, which gives you control over the weather, time of day to name but two and which allows you to drive how you want to, thanks to custom tracks. And if you don't like it, you can change it - to infinity. It's a rally drivers' wet dream made real.

Along with multiplayer and online challenges which update daily, there's plenty to ensure that fans of the genre are satiated. And with personalisation that hits very extreme basics, there's more than enough to get you tinkering under the hood of the game.

But it's the execution of all of this which makes Dirt 4 so playable. With slick polished graphics and a control system that rewards daring, the game's desire to keep you engrossed is what helps the simulator rise above. Sure, it can be tough if you don't know the dynamics of within, but by taking the practice and actually learning, Dirt 4's mechanics pay off.

Ultimately, the thrill of the off-road race is there to explore - but it's in its smaller details that Dirt 4 rises above your usual rally simulators and becomes something to sink your teeth into.