DiRT 5

DiRT 5 marked a significant shift for the series away from pure simulation toward more arcade-like, visually spectacular fun aimed at a broader audience. Codemasters decided to build the game around show elements – fire effects at the start, a commentator accompanying the races, and stylized graphics with bold colors were meant to evoke a festival-style motorsport spectacle rather than a serious rally simulation. A number of disciplines were on offer, from classic rallycross through ice circuits to freestyle jumps, which set the game apart from its narrowly focused predecessors and also attracted players who had skipped earlier installments of the series because of their difficulty.

The career mode was accompanied by a story told in podcast form, which commented on the player's journey through the world of motorsport and tied individual races together into a more coherent whole, supplemented by interviews with both fictional and real motorsport personalities. The game offered split-screen for local multiplayer as well as online races, an increasingly uncommon approach for racing titles at the time, appreciated especially by players who preferred playing on one screen with a friend. The vehicle roster included a wide range of cars, from rally specials through buggies to iconic off-road machines, with a physics model tuned more for a flashy, accessible driving style than the hardcore simulation the series had offered before.

On Xbox One the game ran with slightly reduced graphical quality compared to the newer consoles, yet it retained its distinctive visual style with bold sky color transitions and flashy replays capturing the best moments of the race. Reception at the time was mixed – reviewers praised the fun factor and variety of content but criticized technical shortcomings and less refined handling compared to earlier installments of the series. Even so, DiRT 5 found an audience among players looking for a lighter, visually appealing alternative to traditional rally simulations.

Why play it: Anyone looking for a lighter, visually appealing alternative to traditional rally simulations will appreciate DiRT 5's colorful style and variety of content, even though technical shortcomings and weaker handling are noticeable.