I have never traditionally been a big fan of rally racing games. Haven't liked one, to be honest, since the Saturn's Rally game. I didn't even much like the original DIRT game.
So it was with some trepidation that I tried this one.
And, for whatever reason, it really clicked with me. In a major way.
The tracks are all over the world and all look different. Morocco doesn't look like Malaysia or Baja. Malaysia doesn't look like China or London. Each area, while having only one real track, all look distinct from one another. It does prevent the game from getting the vibe of being nearly identical, which is a historical problem for this genre.
Also, the different surfaces feel different. Road and gravel feel vastly different. Sand and grass feel vastly different. And the cars you drive on the assorted substances feel vastly different as well. You have to learn the quirks of your current rides' control and it something you'll grab within a minute.
There is also one of the better progression systems out there. Rather than the somewhat linear structure these games have, DIRT 2 offers you a massive collection of possible races and you unlock new ones by gaining experience points. It gives you more control over how your game progresses which is a great deal of fun.
Visually, it is a stellar game. Absolutely stunning. And the audio works just fine. You have a lot of "famous" drivers (famous being quite a relative term here) who race alongside you. It is a legitimately beautiful game.
I really cannot find a great deal of faults with it. It's the best rally game I've ever played.
