DiRT 2

DiRT 2 is a racing game focused on rallycross, buggies, trucks, and other off-road disciplines, in which the player, as a member of a fictional rally team, races exotic tracks from London through Croatia to Malaysia and Morocco. Compared to the first DiRT game, the series shed some of its seriousness and added a colorful, energetic presentation with commentary, a musical score, and friendly rivalry among drivers, including real rally star Ken Block, making it feel more accessible to a wider audience and less like a pure rally simulation aimed only at a narrow circle of fans.

The PlayStation 3 version launched simultaneously with Xbox 360 and PC in late 2009 and offered the same tracks, the same vehicles, and the same career mode as the other platforms — no version received exclusive extra content or different disciplines. The controls were adapted to the DualShock 3, including the ability to use the analog sticks' sensitivity for fine throttle and brake control, which is crucial in a racing game for handling slides on gravel, mud, or sand.

Technically, the PS3 version ran at a comparable resolution to Xbox 360, online multiplayer ran over the PlayStation Network instead of Xbox Live, but otherwise it was an equivalent experience without noticeable differences that reviewers would highlight. Compared to the PC version, the PS3 version naturally lacked the option for custom graphics settings beyond what the console offered, and players were limited to a gamepad instead of the optional steering wheel and pedals that PC owners could connect to their computer for a more precise feel of the track. The career mode, with its gradual unlocking of new disciplines, vehicles, and sponsors, was just as long and just as structured on PS3 as on Xbox 360, including the same voice-over theme and driver conversations between races.

Why play it: Rallycross fans will be pleased that the career mode on PS3 is just as long and structured as on Xbox 360, just with multiplayer over the PlayStation Network instead of Xbox Live.