At a Codemasters event in NYC last week, one of the playable games I saw was Dirt 2. Someone from Codemasters asked if I had played the first Dirt, and I innocently replied that I had. This wasn’t an intentional lie; I just mixed up all of the monosyllabic racing games in my head, and forgot which one Dirt was. As soon as I sat down to play, though, I felt completely out of my element, and far away from the usual over-the-top racing games that I usually enjoy. I soon realized that I was in unfamiliar territory, and in fact, had never played Dirt. Oops.

I wouldn’t describe myself as a hardcore racing game fan. It’s a genre I have been known to dabble in, and occasionally enjoy. However, when it comes to driving, I want to be encouraged to crash, cause damage, and essentially do all of the things I would never actually do in a vehicle in real life. Dirt is not quite that kind of game. It’s an extension of the long-running Colin McRae racing series, which is known for being a realistic rally franchise. This is great for fans of more realistic racers, but it took me a little getting used to. During my first race, I fell into last place at the very beginning and never recovered—never even came close. I hit a wall or spun around every five seconds, damaged the hell out of my car, and lagged behind everyone else. The second time, I managed to hold my own for the first half of the race, but then tried to take a shortcut that turned out to not be a shortcut and found myself in last again. At that point, Joe stepped in to show me how it was done, although I’m not sure that he fared much better.



I don’t blame the game for my lackluster performance, because I’m pretty sure it was my own inexperience with the game’s handling that sealed my fate. Dirt 2 certainly didn’t make me want to ditch Burnout in favor of a more realistic racing experience, but from what I can tell, it looks like it’s going to be exactly what every fan of Dirt wants. Add in new courses, new racers, tons of cars, and an RV that will become increasingly decorated to measure your progress, and it looks like Codemasters has a well-rounded sequel on their hands. The game also pays tribute to the late McRae, who passed away shortly after the first Dirt came out in 2007, which seems fitting.

Dirt 2 isn’t a game that is easy to jump right into. For those used to a more arcade-like racing experience, the rally racetracks will definitely take some getting used to. Does that mean it’s a bad game? Absolutely not. In fact, it looks great, and I really think that racing game fans are going to be elated when Dirt 2 comes out in September. Expect a full review (by someone not continually in last place, hopefully) in the coming months.