DiRT Rally 2.0 - Review Thread

[tbtstt 2,387]

To save wading through the Gossip thread if you want to check out the reviews, I thought I'd put them all on place (gives me something to do while I'm waiting to play):

Cubed3 (Written Review) - 9/10 (90%)
Game Informer (Written Review) - 8.75/10 (87%)
Game Reactor UK (Written Review) - 7/10 (70%)
Game Reactor Norway (Written Review) - 9/10 (90%)
Game Reactor Sweden (Written Review) - 7/10 (70%)
Gaming Bolt (Written Review) and (Video Review) - 8/10 (80%)
Gaming Nexus (Written Review) - 8.8/10 (88%)
IGN (Written Review) - 8.5/10 (85%) 
Next Gen Base (Written Review) - 9/10 (90%)
PC Gamer (Written Review) - 87/100 (87%)
PC GamesN (Written Review) - 9/10 (90%)
Player 2.net (Written Review) - A
PlayStation Enthusiast (Video Review) - 9/10 (90%)
PlayStation Lifestyle (Written Review) - 8/10 (80%)
Push Square (Written Review) - 9/10 (90%)
Screen Rant (Written Review) - 4/5 (80%)
Square XO (Written Review) - 10/10 (100%)
Stevivor (Written Review) - 7.5/10 (75%)
The Sixth Axis (Written Review) - 9/10 (90%)
Twin Finite (Written Review) - 4/5 (80%)
Videogamer (Written Review) - 7/10 (70%)
Way Too Many Games (Written Review) - 8/10 (80%)
We Got This Covered (Written Review) - 4.5/5 (90%)
WCCF Tech (Written Review)- 8.5/10 (85%)
X-Box Tavern (Written Review) - 8.5/10 (85%)

[SirPhilMcKraken 279]

2 minutes ago, tbtstt said:

To save wading through the Gossip thread if you want to check out the reviews, I thought I'd put them all on place (gives me something to do while I'm waiting to play):

Push Square (Written Review) - 9/10
Screen Rant (Written Review) - 4/5
Gaming Bolt (Video Review) - 8/10

Why is that Gaming Bolt one driving at mobility scooter speeds??

[tbtstt 2,387]

Haha, no idea! 

I'm clearly out of touch with gaming websites because, other than Push Square and Screen Rant, I haven't heard of any of the other sites that are showing results for reviews! 

Original list updated, will add more as I see them. 

[PJTierney 4,910]

https://opencritic.com/game/7087/dirt-rally-2-0

Opencritic averages at 86 (14 reviews) at the time of posting this message.

[tbtstt 2,387]

Added a few more reviews to the original post. Still missing a few of the bigger gaming websites, but the general consensus seems to be very positive thus far. 

[bogani 756]

Gamereactor Sweden(same review as Gamereactor UK) was full of factual errors within the text that I just had to contest in the comments. 

[Dytut 89]

Yeah, swedish gamereactor review was weird. 

[SirPhilMcKraken 279]

Just read the UK one...

"Most of the new stages are taken directly from Dirt 4 with somewhat redesigned graphics, which feels disappointing."

Well that is just factually incorrect right off the bat. Some of the foliage assets maybe but not the actual stages. Meks meh mad!

[Rallystu2 715]

On 2/18/2019 at 9:55 AM, SirPhilMcKraken said:

Why is that Gaming Bolt one driving at mobility scooter speeds??

I was wondering that, it was like he'd forgotten to take the handbrake off.

[SirPhilMcKraken 279]

17 minutes ago, Rallystu2 said:

I was wondering that, it was like he'd forgotten to take the handbrake off.

I just had another look and that video has been taken down and they've uploaded another saying:

"We apologize for the re-upload. We have updated the video with proper gameplay footage. Please enjoy 🙂"

That sounds like "we gave the intern a job of getting the gameplay footage and he was pathetic so we got someone better"

[Rallystu2 715]

1 hour ago, SirPhilMcKraken said:

I just had another look and that video has been taken down and they've uploaded another saying:

"We apologize for the re-upload. We have updated the video with proper gameplay footage. Please enjoy 🙂"

That sounds like "we gave the intern a job of getting the gameplay footage and he was pathetic so we got someone better"

Haha yea I couldn't bear to watch. Made the game look like farming simulator or something. I'll give it another go now.

[RodgerDavies 933]

What on earth is the Game Reactor one on about?

https://www.gamereactor.eu/reviews/733883/Dirt+Rally+20/

"The United States, Poland, and New Zealand are the new countries that have been added to this sequel ... This has to do with Codemasters being smart by recycling material from Dirt 4, which is noticeable. Most of the new stages are taken directly from Dirt 4 with somewhat redesigned graphics, which feels disappointing."

"Codemasters has some problems with finding the same type of variation and flow compared to real-world stages in WRC. Compared to the reality-based stages in WRC 7 it's easy to tell the difference. Codemasters new content in Dirt Rally 2.0 is not even close to the real-life versions that Kylotonn Games so carefully re-created"

 

"For example, we feel that the New Zealand and US stages in Dirt Rally 2.0 are far too slow in terms of sense of speed, this due to the narrowness and the sheer amount of hard corners they feature."

 

"One of the talking points in the marketing of this game has been the dynamic real-time weather and the fact that the routes change while driving on them"

 

---

 

6 paragraphs and they're all completely factually inaccurate.

[Rallycameraman 241]

9 minutes ago, RodgerDavies said:

What on earth is the Game Reactor one on about?

https://www.gamereactor.eu/reviews/733883/Dirt+Rally+20/

"The United States, Poland, and New Zealand are the new countries that have been added to this sequel ... This has to do with Codemasters being smart by recycling material from Dirt 4, which is noticeable. Most of the new stages are taken directly from Dirt 4 with somewhat redesigned graphics, which feels disappointing."

"Codemasters has some problems with finding the same type of variation and flow compared to real-world stages in WRC. Compared to the reality-based stages in WRC 7 it's easy to tell the difference. Codemasters new content in Dirt Rally 2.0 is not even close to the real-life versions that Kylotonn Games so carefully re-created"

 

"For example, we feel that the New Zealand and US stages in Dirt Rally 2.0 are far too slow in terms of sense of speed, this due to the narrowness and the sheer amount of hard corners they feature."

 

"One of the talking points in the marketing of this game has been the dynamic real-time weather and the fact that the routes change while driving on them"

 

---

 

6 paragraphs and they're all completely factually inaccurate.

That is complete and utter nonsense, and i'm assuming someone got paid for that?

[Evilsmurf 90]

And this is why I have never used review sites 😂

I'm sure some are good, but most are ducking clueless 

[RodgerDavies 933]

13 minutes ago, Evilsmurf said:

And this is why I have never used review sites 😂

I'm sure some are good, but most are ducking clueless 

Problem is that people rely on these. There are plenty of valid criticisms of the game, so getting obvious details wrong and then basing a review of the game on them is ridiculous. I've left some comments on there and, all credit, they've promised to pass them to the reviewer.

[Evilsmurf 90]

Think the last review I read was for Colin McRae Rally 5 😆

And in all fairness, that was only because the magazine came with a free demo disc that had the demo version of CMR5 on it.

[tbtstt 2,387]

Been working off site today, so haven't been near a computer all day: will update the original list tomorrow! 

[MaXyMsrpl 281]

at first, a review cannot be even close to be objective without spending tens of hours playing. In an hour reviewer can judge gfx, sound and menus. Nothing more. Potential bugs and issues while should affect final score will simply remain unnoticed. Also some mechanics (like multiplayer) require a lot of effort to verify expected experience. I doubt reviewers go such deep.

At second, watching videos, some kind of repetitiveness in scenery and even in road configuration is noticeable. Due to this I can understand why it's being compared to D4. 

at third, if negative reviews are paid, in turn it means CM didn't paid enough. As simply as this. I don't know if it is how it works, but if so, you shouldn't be surprised, you cannot change it, CM knows the best how to manage it. At the end it's part of the business.

[bogani 756]

12 hours ago, RodgerDavies said:

What on earth is the Game Reactor one on about?

https://www.gamereactor.eu/reviews/733883/Dirt+Rally+20/

"The United States, Poland, and New Zealand are the new countries that have been added to this sequel ... This has to do with Codemasters being smart by recycling material from Dirt 4, which is noticeable. Most of the new stages are taken directly from Dirt 4 with somewhat redesigned graphics, which feels disappointing."

"Codemasters has some problems with finding the same type of variation and flow compared to real-world stages in WRC. Compared to the reality-based stages in WRC 7 it's easy to tell the difference. Codemasters new content in Dirt Rally 2.0 is not even close to the real-life versions that Kylotonn Games so carefully re-created"

 

"For example, we feel that the New Zealand and US stages in Dirt Rally 2.0 are far too slow in terms of sense of speed, this due to the narrowness and the sheer amount of hard corners they feature."

 

"One of the talking points in the marketing of this game has been the dynamic real-time weather and the fact that the routes change while driving on them"

 

---

 

6 paragraphs and they're all completely factually inaccurate.

Funny thing is that this reviewer in particular gave Dirt Rally 10/10 and absolutely loved it. 

 

In the first text he also states that Paul Coleman left and never worked on the game and that the team that made DR was a different team than the one responsible for D4 and DR2. I pointed that out and he said he would change that. 

[tbtstt 2,387]

Added the IGN review and a few others to the original post. 

I thought the Game Reactor (EU) review was a bit off, but the other two seemed better written (even through Google translate!)

[SirPhilMcKraken 279]

16 hours ago, RodgerDavies said:

Problem is that people rely on these. There are plenty of valid criticisms of the game, so getting obvious details wrong and then basing a review of the game on them is ridiculous. I've left some comments on there and, all credit, they've promised to pass them to the reviewer.

He has only responded to some of the stuff and has completely disregarded the most important factual errors lol

[Lexrax_VR 6]

Looks to me like most of the reviewers dont and cant get their facts correct. It saddens me as this could put people off buying Dirt Rally 2.0 I would of happily reviewed it on Youtube and Twitch.. How ever, i dont work for any of these sites. So,  I am guessing, you guys will have to wait, untill at least the beginning of March, after ive brought it and given it a total thrashing

[PJTierney 4,910]

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-02-21-dirt-rally-2-0-review-a-marked-improvement-on-a-modern-classic

 

Good review here by Eurogamer, both in terms of score and writing  

 

 

Quote

The career mode, too, doesn't quite sit right - here, under the My Team banner, you can hire and fire engineers and purchase cars to develop over time, and while it provides a throughline it feels at odds with the pared-back authenticity elsewhere.

It's also mostly redundant when every car and stage is available from the off in freeplay, so I'm not entirely sure why you'd want to other than to have some tools at your disposal for the daily and weekly challenges that are also part of My Team. 

This I can agree with from my playing experience so far.

The "important" Championships are located within Freeplay with a progression system, whereas My Team and its Championships are merely a place to own your cars and use them in Daily/Weekly challenges. There are solo Championships within My Team but to me they merely seem to be a way of earning CR to buy cars. I think My Team's main purpose is to give you a sense of ownership over the cars you use in Daily/Weekly Challenges.

You can complete all of the Championships (including FIA WRX) without ever having to buy a car.

[Voidhawk 73]

1 hour ago, PJTierney said:

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-02-21-dirt-rally-2-0-review-a-marked-improvement-on-a-modern-classic

 

Good review here by Eurogamer, both in terms of score and writing  

 

 

This I can agree with from my playing experience so far.

The "important" Championships are located within Freeplay with a progression system, whereas My Team and its Championships are merely a place to own your cars and use them in Daily/Weekly challenges. There are solo Championships within My Team but to me they merely seem to be a way of earning CR to buy cars. I think My Team's main purpose is to give you a sense of ownership over the cars you use in Daily/Weekly Challenges.

You can complete all of the Championships (including FIA WRX) without ever having to buy a car.

Are all the championships in free play also available in “my team” or just some of them?

[KingOfCoins 286]

I think the reviewer are talking about the historic championships which are in freeplay