Rating of
3.5/5
Buckle Up Buttercup
Nick - wrote on 12/30/25
I played Dirt Rally 2.0 using a racing wheel in first-person bumper cam mode. I didn’t play multiplayer, as it seemed very lacking, and I also didn’t enjoy rallycross, so I didn’t spend much time on it. Over the course of my playthrough, I completed three championships in career mode: Open (1st place), Clubman (1st place), and Pro (3rd place). I unlocked the Elite class but didn’t play it, so I didn’t progress to the final class of Master. In order to move up in career mode, you need to finish 3rd or better in the championship, and since I barely got 3rd in Pro class, I didn’t care to torture myself attempting to get to Master. However, the standout experience for me was playing the historic rallies, which were by far the most fun I had with the game.
The game excels in its physics, this is a very good rally racing simulator. The car handling feels really solid, and the force feedback while using a racing wheel adds a layer of immersion that makes every rally feel real. The graphics are also pretty good, with detailed environments across the various rally locations. I particularly enjoyed the historic rallies, as they felt like a perfect blend of nostalgia and challenging driving, without the pressure of a full championship. On top of that, playing with a racing wheel was a blast, and you even get an arm workout as you battle through the rough terrain.
However, there are several downsides to the game. One major issue is the lack of variety in rally locations—there are only six rally locations, including Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, and the USA. While there are more locations for rallycross, I didn’t enjoy that mode, so I didn’t explore those additional courses much. Another downside is the difficulty, which ramps up fast. The game’s learning curve can feel steep, especially when switching between different vehicles. Career mode also becomes more of a grind, and the difficulty spike made it feel like more of a chore than an enjoyable experience, especially in higher tier classes. There are no forgiving features like rewinds, and restarts are limited in career mode, making mistakes feel punishing.
Additionally, I had issues with my older Driving Force GT racing controller wheel, which wasn’t auto-mapped. I had to manually map the buttons, which was an inconvenience. While the game does offer plenty of replay value, it can start to feel repetitive, and after a while, the fun factor begins to fade. The car upgrade system is also very simple, and the lack of snow rallies feels like a missed opportunity for variety. Furthermore, the multiplayer mode is bare bones, almost an afterthought, and I didn’t find it particularly appealing and never bothered with it. In terms of content, the game does have paid DLC that adds more locations, but that comes with extra cost.
Overall, while Dirt Rally 2.0 offers an excellent rally racing simulation experience with fantastic physics and solid graphics, its unforgiving nature and steep difficulty curve makes it feel like a game made for hardcore rally fans only. If you’re looking for a challenge and need to scratch an itch for rally racing, it’s definitely worth checking out. However, if you're after a more casual or forgiving racing experience, this might not be the best choice.
Stats
Hours Played: 39.1
Achievements: 20/71 (28%)
Ratings
Presentation: 4/5
Game Play: 4/5
Replay Value: 3/5
Overall (not an average): 3.5/5
