Paul Jeffrey
Premium
With today marking the announcement by Codemasters of DiRT 4, yet more preview images from the new game have surfaced on the internet showing off the impressive visuals of a title that has aroused more than a little conversation amongst our sim racing community.
DiRT 4 has been pitched to the gaming public as a cross between the hugely successful simulation focussed DiRT Rally and more arcade orientated DiRT 3 release, with several forms of offroad racing due to be represented in the new game. Judging from the comments over on our announcement article, it appears the traditional rally portion of the game is attracting the most interest from RD readers, and luckily that is the area of the game the newly released images seem to mostly cover.
Across these five new screenshots we can see the new for DiRT 4 Kartcross machine in action on one of the Rallycross circuits in game, a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6, a Ford Fiesta Rallycross vehicle in unlicensed fictional liveries and probably of most interest a Subaru Impreza R4 from 2016 - a new addition to the DiRT franchise. Also expected to be making an appearance in the game will be the Peugeot 208 R5. Other cars, locations and formats of racing are yet to be revealed outside of the traditional rally mode, Rallycross, Kartcross, Trucks and Buggy disciplines.
Other confirmed goodies due to be added to the upcoming title include cross-platform multiplayer by default, with both Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC joining together on the game leadboards for the very first time, coupled with a new PvP multiplayer rally feature that allows groups of up to eight players starting on stage at the same time, effectively allowing you to run a "live" rally and revolutionising the way multiplayer works within the new release.
Something that was missing from DiRT Rally and left the game all the worse for it is now due to make an appearance in DiRT 4 - in offline mode you will see broken down cars by the side of the road, with your crew giving you an audio warning before you encounter the obstruction on stage. This is only a relatively minor addition to the title, but something that makes a welcome addition and adds to the immersion of competing in a full blown rally event.
Also confirmed to be making a change in the new title will be the removal of the "instant-finish" way stages end in the current release. Now when you cross the line, you retain control the car until the Time Control area. This will require the player to not simply accelerate across the line but to moderate your speed in anticipation of stopping the car in the correct area at stage end, somewhat similar to RBR.
DiRT 4 will be available for Windows PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 June 2017.
Check out our DiRT 4 sub forum here at RaceDepartment for all the latest news and discussions regarding the latest edition to the DiRT Rally franchise of games. Get yourself over to the new sub forum today and join in the discussion!
Looking forward to DiRT 4? Do you think the game will be closer in feeling to the previous DiRT Rally release or closer to the more quick fire fun oriented DiRT 2 and 3 games? Let us know in the comments section below!
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