Anyone else think Dirt 2 is better?

[Ferrari458Italia]

So I've never played Dirt 1. But I have played both Dirt 3 and Dirt 2. Anybody else think Dirt 2 > Dirt 3 besides me?
I don't know why but I thoroughly enjoyed Dirt 2 WAY more than Dirt 3. Not just the navigation menu in Dirt 3 was bad, but I thought the graphics weren't as good as Dirt 2 either. Dirt 3 was really bland for me.

Anyone else agree with me? share your opinions please. I sold Dirt 2 before Dirt 3 hoping that it would be a much better game, but it wasn't and I sold Dirt 3 couple weeks ago. But now I REALLY want a rally game again for my PS3 and so I'm going back to buy Dirt 2 again.

edit: But I did LOOOOOOVE the head-to-head rally races! they were so much fun!

 

[Antonisbob]

No, #2 is my least liked in the series, #1 is my 2nd and #3 ended up being my favorite. It was still a great game! But did have enough classic rally cars for my liking. I really enjoyed the '80s Toyota Stadium truck but even then there wasn't any true stadium tracks to race it on.

 

[Ferrari458Italia]

I also REALLY hated the main menu. I felt like I had to be high to enjoy the main menu lol.
the content of the game was nice, there were some nice cars in #3 but the quality in general was pretty poor imo.

But in Dirt 2 I FELT like a rally driver (even though Dirt 2 isn't a pure WRC game). The main menu was really nice and unique and they still had some cool cars in there.I just wish head 2 head was in Dirt 2

 

[Wiegert]

So I've never played Dirt 1. But I have played both Dirt 3 and Dirt 2. Anybody else think Dirt 2 > Dirt 3 besides me?

Having had the same experience as you when it comes to the DiRT series, I've actually come to the same conclusion. 2 was much more enjoyable that 3, especially when it comes to online racing. I know DiRT 3 has more Rally-oriented events which I do enjoy, but there just isn't as much replay value as there was with DiRT 2. I mean, Gymkhana Mode never bowled me over, plus I didn't particularly enjoy those events even though I tried to.


DiRT 2 may have moved towards track events as opposed to regular rally racing, but that never bothered me. I liked pretty much every mode in the game, plus the online racing was a lot of fun. 3 may have similar online modes, but the thrill that I got from it just wasn't as pronounced.


As a whole, I have to say that I definitely prefer 2, which surprises me to be honest. I'm not saying 3 is bad at all, but it never captivated me in the same way 2 did a few years ago.

 

[Ferrari458Italia]

Having had the same experience as you when it comes to the DiRT series, I've actually come to the same conclusion. 2 was much more enjoyable that 3, especially when it comes to online racing. I know DiRT 3 has more Rally-oriented events which I do enjoy, but there just isn't as much replay value as there was with DiRT 2. I mean, Gymkhana Mode never bowled me over, plus I didn't particularly enjoy those events even though I tried to.


DiRT 2 may have moved towards track events a opposed to regular rally racing, but that never bothered me. I liked pretty much every mode in the game, plus the online racing was a lot of fun. 3 may have similar online modes, but the thrill that I got from it just wasn't as pronounced.


As a whole, I have to say that I definitely prefer 2, which surprises me to be honest. I'm not saying 3 is bad at all, but it never captivated me in the same way 2 did a few years ago.

Well put. There was nothing that really grabbed me in Dirt 3 other than head-to-head racing. But Dirt 2 was phenomenal. Honestly, I never played a dirt game and I saw the demo for Dirt 2 on the PS store and after playing the demo I literally dressed, went to best buy and bought the game. It was an awesome experience for me and I really miss it

 

[nhlkaiser]

I love all 3 games in their own way and still own them all. Difficult for me to prefer 1 above the others, although I really like the atmosphere of 2.

 

[ELmarcotuff]

I like DiRT2 better

 

[Zero7159]

I have all three and enjoy each. They are very different and so it's hard for me to prefer one over the others.

 

[jimftr]

All 3 games have their pro's and cons, and i enjoy all of them. It's a shame that dirt 3 is lacking in content, I hope dirt 4 has more rally's such as GB, Wales, Portugal etc.

 

[mathieub33]

Codemaster game... menu and option very similar to F1 2010, time trial mode are similar

I would like to see Poliphony Digital get the license for F1, Nascar and a Rally game!

 

[museumsteve]

DiRT 2 is my fav by a long shot. I particularly love the Rallycross races in Japan, they are really exciting and edge of your seat at times..

 

[SuperShouden]

*raises hand* Dirt 3 is fun and some cool stuff...but...Dirt 2...is just REALLY fun...and has some very cool and unique cars and events.

 

[Enzo_Guy]

Since I own both I'll throw in my couple pennies and say I love them both (way to really settle that issue). I don't think either was "better" in the sense that one clearly outdid the other, instead each had something it did that made it a good game. Bear in mind these are arcade-style games, however it's the little things that make both stand out against GT5. It's the track layouts, point-to-point races, dips, puddles, the lack solid walls in most spots, random rocks and stumps along the edge that will throw your airborne, and a host of small details that make GT5 rally feel dull and lifeless. The GT5 dirt/snow tracks feels as if they're nothing more than a flat race course with a loose media covering tarmac, decent enough for some fun online racing in oddball cars, but the Dirt series brings the sense of a white-knuckle death ride that GT5 simply doesn't capture. And that feeling of dodging certain death by a margin so close you don't even want to think whether it was luck or skill that kept you alive, that is the essence of FUN rally racing and the thing GT5 fails to simulate.

Dirt 2:
This game, in a quick summary, is carnage of many flavors. It may lack the more realistic physics of Dirt 3, but I personally don't find myself ever really missing them. I like the track design in Dirt 2 a bit better, it feels more chaotic and frankly just downright scares me more. There was always something special about taking an overpowered RWD pickup truck blasting through Utah or doing a Baja-class race on Tokyo. Whether it's running a desert prerunner through a high-speed canyon pushing over 75mph average speeds (and OH MY GOD does it sound good with surround sound hearing that V8 bounce its angry war cries off those canyon walls) or mixing it up on a rallycross track with a Dodge Power Wagon against a Toyota FJ Cruiser. Carnage of all varieties! There were so many death-defying combinations of different vehicles on tracks they don't belong on that the sheer variety of different vehicles I could race on such a wide selection of track types (wide open high-speed canyon blasts in Utah all the way to mountainside scrambles in Croatia where you routinely missed open cliffside drops and race-ending stone walls by fractions of an inch) that even after logging nearly @,500 miles in over 35 hours of gameplay I can always find something to put a smile on my face. As a side note, I put this game back in PS3 for the first time in over 6 months tonight, and it still has that fun factor that keeps me coming back!
This one is probably best for those psychotic individuals who drive 700hp F-150 Lightning trucks on Eiger Nordwand K Trails Reverse in GT5, not too many people enjoy their particular brand of insanity but they're just as happy doing it by themselves if they have to.

Dirt 3:
More realistic and focused than the previous game. Whereas numero dos brought carnage that struck fear of impending doom with a large list of vehicle types I've never seen in any comparable racing game, the third is where they went back to their roots. The clear focus was on tightening up physics and making this game less "drive anything that is raced off-road" and more of "drive anything as long as it's a rally car" kind of deal. I basically ignored the whole gymkhana thing, some people may enjoy it but I didn't much care for it because I bought the game for the level of off-road I have yet to find elsewhere. In terms of a pure rally experience this games delivers a bit better than its predecessor, the replay value may suffer for some because of it but the rally hardcore will like this one more. Where D3 lacks is the variety: the Toyota is now the only trophy trucks and other such nuisances, but one can quickly tell they reshaped their priorities and this time they wanted rally cars. A lot more of a selection of true rally machines, particularly in the classic department, and #3 has one thing #2 lacked: a classic Mini Cooper!
Dirt 3 is the better choice for the guy who owns 5 of every rally car in GT5 and washes all of them once a week simply because he likes looking at them.

 

[bdubclub]

Nice review Enzo, it was a good read. Think I am going to try out Dirt 3, but I am also going to pick up the WRC game that just came out(I believe). Has anyone played one of the games in that series? I am one of the few people that enjoy the rally races on GT5, but these two titles look like they will be much more to my liking. 👍

 

[WaterManager]

I thought Dirt 1 was best; Dirt 2 went downhill; and Dirt 3 was so poor that I might not take a chance on buying Dirt 4 if it ever comes out. So far, each new version has had less content and less customization that can be done to the cars. I really enjoyed the Global Rally chapionship in Dirt 1.

 

[MXH]

I really enjoyed and literally played the hell out of DiRT2. Multiplayer and rallycross were a blast as well as all cars on all tracks. Not entirely sure about the latter though. I spent countless hours in my R4 and in the 350Z, let alone in the Trophy Truck. Great and fun game with lots of replay value. One of the most enjoyable titles this generation in my opinion.

However, I can't say the same about DiRT3, unfortunately. It was fun while it lasted. Some improvements has been made but neither rally, trailblazer och rallycross were anywhere as fun as in the previous installment. Lack of replay value and the DLC killed it for me completely in the long run.

DiRT1 is my least favourite. Don't get me wrong. I absolutely loved the car selection and the tracks. It's nearly perfect. But the physics. Those god awful physics. I managed to finish the game eventually but it's something that kept me from being able to fully enjoy it as I could never get the hang of it. Such a shame.

Hopefully DiRT4 will follow DiRT1's path in terms of cars and tracks and improving further more on the physics from DiRT3.

 

[HKS racer]

I came back on DiRT 2 yesterday, what an awesome racing game. I was an X-games snob back in the day. Changed my mind!

Rallycross races are bloody amazing.

Baja buggy is fun.

Trailbalzers feel kind of pike's peak cars.

Enough "normal rally" events as well.

Good times.

 

[lintels123]

I thought Dirt 1 was best; Dirt 2 went downhill; and Dirt 3 was so poor that I might not take a chance on buying Dirt 4 if it ever comes out. So far, each new version has had less content and less customization that can be done to the cars. I really enjoyed the Global Rally chapionship in Dirt 1.

This my thoughts exactly. The only thin I enjoyed about dirt 2 was the online aspect. Dirt 3 wasn't that great in my opinion either, but I never got to play online. The only thing the sequals had over the 3rd was online. Besides that, DiRT 1 will be a game I will mention to fans of racing genres for years to come.

Nothing beat hauling a** up Pikes Peak. Trying to hold off the ai in a trophy truck race with a damaged suspension due to not being carefull and landing a jump wrong. Not having to do a gymkhana event and deal with all of the ken block nonsense especially.

I do admit I enjoy some of the rally aspects in dirt 3 and dirt 2's Croatia rally course were fun but nothing compared to how the original DiRT was.

 

[BKGlover]

Each game has it's own merits to stand on, and when you compare games you always find good an bad differences depending on the player.

Dirt 1 was a rough cut, AI was dodgy, you could clip any number of invisible walls, and Special Stage events were harder than they should have been( but not by much), however it was the only one that had proper tuning, not just using simple sliders.

Dirt 2 was an split from tradition, going loud and obnoctious with the X-Games crowd, A change I enjoyed greatly. While the lack of actual setup work was missed, and then constantly having to watch camera-head look around then proceed to return to the motorhome did get annoying, there were enough small details that made it more enjoyable, like upon first visit to a country, you have some new junk in the motorhome, and the stickers put on the center console for various wins. The physics were tightened up a bit, most of the clipping issues were dealt with, and while voice overs were not helpful/useful/enjoyable, they were easily ignored. I wish it had been longer, but it was sewn up so nicely by the last few touches, no spoilers for those who don't know, and those that do already know.

Dirt 3, to my eyes and my hands, feels like Dirt 2 (the kid) acting like Dirt 1 (the parent). the menus are reminisent of 1, the cleanliness as well, and to an extent the focus. The racing, though, is mostly 2, with a bit of 1's 'unbalance' restored, meaning in 2 you could win in any car the same way, but in 1 and 3 you had to work with different cars differently. Let-downs are the music, which was awesome for 2 (I have half the soundtrack downloaded, still looking for 'Good Love'), and the blandness in parts of it. Possibly the biggest thing problem I have is Ken Block, who I can't recall having much sucess at rallying aside from Gymkhana(part of the bland problem), and DC being all over the place. I'm not buying you're crap, Ken, now go away. Is Pastrana busy? One last thing, while the vo's in 2 were not great, the interaction between Christian, your agent, and your mechanic are usually enough to pull a smile, they don't get annoying aside from Christians constant YouTube BS.

 

[Nfsdrifter2001]

I got dirt 2 and it is fun

 

[SuperShouden]

I think Dirt 1 might have been the best, in my opinion. It had it's issues, but it did have Pike's Peak and Semis. Which were both really fun. Although they REALLY needed achievement tracking for this one with the 1000 miles in career achievement, which is the only one I haven't gotten from the original Dirt.

Dirt 2 really introduced the "Race every vehicle on every track" option, which is also cool. And the whole X-Games thing was cool, too. But then you had the interface with the trailer that got really annoying. And there's no way to quick-swap between cars when you're just doing time-trials. You have to exit all the way out, watch through the stupid animation of walking back in the trailer...yeah. Okay, I know it's pretty much a loading animation, but, I'd rather have the traditional loading screen, please and thank you. I guess one could say that the trailer was a throwback to the Pro-Race Driver days which had similar interfaces. But, it was still stupid.

3...Well, 3 was a THQ game, wasn't it? But seriously, from what I remember, it was fun, but the rally courses needed to be longer. (How about a return to Pike's Peak for 4? There's some really crazy new PP cars out, now, too AND the return of Peugeot.)

 

[Stiggy]

I definitely think Dirt 2 was better, simply because it was much more fun then Dirt 3. Dirt 3 tried to be more serious in terms of track design and what could be driven on certain tracks. Being able to race any car on any track online was a huge part of what made Dirt 2 so great in my opinion - for example, Rallycross cars on LandRush tracks were utterly brilliant, and trying to get a trophy truck through the narrow Croatian rally stages was hilariously great.

 

[YayoiGT2]

I preferred the Rally stage designs in Dirt 2 over Dirt 3, mainly because the stages were more biased towards technical skill. Dirt 3 doesn't have any very slow, technically challenging stages with the exception of the Monte-Carlo Rally DLC, which made driving most of the rally events in Dirt 3 an absolute chore even in the Pro or Group B cars.

The track design was more extreme and more fun for Rallycross and Land Rush races in Dirt 2 as well, a lot of the tracks those two disciplines for Dirt 3 just feel too short, a bit too wide, or don't flow very well.

Trailblazer was about the only thing I felt improved in Dirt 3, and that is mainly because it seems like the Rally event routes were designed for Trailblazers to take advantage of their massive power.

 

[GTHEAD87]

So I've never played Dirt 1. But I have played both Dirt 3 and Dirt 2. Anybody else think Dirt 2 > Dirt 3 besides me?
I don't know why but I thoroughly enjoyed Dirt 2 WAY more than Dirt 3. Not just the navigation menu in Dirt 3 was bad, but I thought the graphics weren't as good as Dirt 2 either. Dirt 3 was really bland for me.

Anyone else agree with me? share your opinions please. I sold Dirt 2 before Dirt 3 hoping that it would be a much better game, but it wasn't and I sold Dirt 3 couple weeks ago. But now I REALLY want a rally game again for my PS3 and so I'm going back to buy Dirt 2 again.

edit: But I did LOOOOOOVE the head-to-head rally races! they were so much fun!

Dirt 2 does have a really good feel to it. Its.not as twitchy.