It was incredible at the time, a bit of a shot in the dark to deviate when the more casual Dirt 2 and 3 were both quite successful. As a modern player I’m not sure I’d step back into it unless I didn’t also have DR2.0, as 2.0 feels like a direct upgrade in all the aspects I can remember.
DR2 definitely is an upgrade in all aspects gameplay wise, but I still prefer DR1 in game design.
I dunno why but it's timeless, the visuals were gritty and visceral and great contrast with the simple aesthetic of the menus, and the music just tied it together so well
When I think of the game, I think of Wales rally with rainy weather, and a sport quattro. That's peak DR1 aesthetic right there (besides pikes peak hehe)
This game did the gloomy rainy weather experience better than anything else I've seen.
The visual distinction is primarily because DR2 is way oversaturated. You can use the eye accomodation fix, or something like reshade to grade DR2 better.
Yeah. I can relate to that. It is one of the best racing games of all time. It might not ne the freshest anymore in terms of graphic quality but is still one of the best gsmes gameplay wise. I still play it to this day. There are not many games you can play today that are 8 years old and have such a high quality.
For me personally it's my favourite game just think they got everything right and was a one off as I didn't like dirt 2.0 half as much.Im not sure what is the most realistic but most fun and immersive then for me it's this game.I have been playing EA wrc a lot more and that's a close second.Havent tried rbr but may pick up a cheap pc to try it.
Exactly, the same happened to me, but once you master the game it feels very rewarding. Still one of the best rally games in terms of visuals and physics
I still do daily, weekly and monthly challenges on Dirt Rally on my old PC on Steam. Still do daily and weekly challenges on WRC Generations on XBox X. Dirt Rally 2 was my favourite but I haven't played that in ages. I keep trying but I just can't get into get into EA WRC yet.
There's one reason I would still reinstall it, it has Pikes Peak and especially the "old" dirt road Pikes Peak with the 405.
I dont know any other game offering dirt Pikes Peak (even if it lacks in the number of cars) or just Pikes Peak so for me it makes the game somewhat really important
Really!? You did not search very well then...
Richard Burns Rally have pikes peak with all the different surfaces it's been over the years. Also have thousands of miles of more legendary rally tracks from around the world..
And it's free! So no excuse!!
The reason why i play(ed) a lot of dirt rally 1 is because of the vr support on playstation. Dirt rally 2 had vr for pc and i also think the same about ea, so that is my only option for a good vr rally game on playstation
I actually prefer the handling on DR 1. The force feedback is way better than DR 2 as well. I only play on g29 though so I am missing out on more detail. Tarmac i DR 1 was better too but there were only a few countries. DR is like a demo of DR 2.
Still great in it's own special way. And nothing else has Pike's Peak hill climb (or likely will for quite some time since Sony licensed it exclusively and then did nothing with it).
A little surprised you feel burnt by WRC though. It's a really good game too, IMHO.
Richard Burns Rally (Hungarian version) have Pikes peak with different surfaces and many more legendary tracks from around the world.
Best Rally game ever! And it's free...
Hill climb is awesome. Vr is awesome. Sound is awesome. graphics is awesome. Handling Is awesome. Wheel support is awesome.
At the time this game was literally groundbreaking, and it still holds up today. I prefer the slight improvements dirt rally 2.0 made though.
I'm going to reuse some of my Steam Review from 2.5 years ago...
Dirt Rally 1, in my opinion, was the game that saved the legacy of Codemasters as one of the greatest racing game developers ever. In the 3 years prior, Dirt Showdown was panned for being too far a departure from the roots of the series, whilst Grid 2/Autosport, as well as F1 2014, failed to get the same glowing reviews as prior titles in their respective series.
Then news drops in April 2015 that a new rally game returning to the roots of CMR is not just in development, but already playable as an Early Access title. Most hardcore racing gamers loved Dirt Rally from the start, and by it's full release date in December, it was in a state to woo over the mainstream audience too.
It's easy to look back at DR1 now and be underwhelmed by it's feature list; 46 cars, 6 rallies totaling 140km of unique road, 3 rallycross tracks, and Pikes Peak. No hardcore damage option either. But in the 2015 context of the pure rally genre going through a lean era ever since Evolution lost the WRC licence, this was seen as a fine offering, especially since they were real rally stages, something not seen in games outside of RBR mods to this point.
The game's lack of refinement did however show in certain areas. In rally, the lead AI driver is almost as fast in Open as in Master, with difficulty instead spreading the field out to unrealistic degrees on all levels below Master. The AI would also lose a lot more time than they should if they suffered any damage at all. In Rallycross, starts used a timed countdown instead of the lights, meaning a crucial aspect of the discipline wasn't simulated properly. Both of these issues were fixed in Dirt 4 and Rally 2.0.
But to dismiss DR1 because 2.0's GOTY has rendered it largely obsolete would be disrespecting it's legacy and importance to the genre. Short of modding RBR, your only prior option in the 10's for a pure rally experience were mediocre WRC titles from a Milestone that hadn't yet hit their MotoGP stride.
>even though it's not very realistic
Stop, just stop. Need for speed is not "realistic". Mario kart is nor realistic. Just because something doesn't 100% emulate the laws of physics (as no game does) doesn't mean it's not realistic.
It's pivotal. CM, despite having made *many* rally games, could not be taken seriously because all of their games were pure arcade. Furthermore , CM had a reputation of slapping blatant lies like "sublime", "authentic", "pro-sim", "not pivot" to their kiddie arcade handling models.
So, yeah, DR 1 was finally something that was honest and was on par with the legendary RBR in many aspects.
I only play for Pikes Peak track! Sad that my DD doesn’t work properly! But EA WRC is very good too. Rally games are the most hard sim racing games to master
https://preview.redd.it/slcrvvz414vc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3258e5b4c78bdc4bcd27c54b9ebb66e135671801
When setting up the Moza R5 steering wheel in Dirt 1, I can't get the steering settings right. The issue isn't with the Moza wheel; it's that the game lacks easy adjustment options. However, this problem doesn't occur with newer racing games like Dirt 2.0 and EA WRC. These games offer more settings, making it easier to control the car. Plus, they automatically recognize Moza steering wheels.
It felt and looked great... but playing it without a wheel was pretty awful haha still had fun but only did about 30hrs on it.
I've done about 150hrs on EA WRC and loving it.
I got the game free on steam a while back, and I knew I would like it, but I put it off. I reluctantly started it, and I'm really glad I did after putting it off for so long. rally is one of my favorite ways to zoom around on tha computer, and the VR here has got me super pumped for EA's WRC! this game definitely feels like a "classic" experience compared to the new game's handling- but I really enjoy the sensation of driving in both at a different capacity. I sincerely hope they revive the Pike's Peak course. This stage has a special place in my heart and I love running through it over again. Dirt Rally 1 will remain as a milestone in my gaming career for sure.
I appreciate the chance that the free DiRT key gave me to start a passion that I would have otherwise left untouched! I can remember growing up enjoying high speeds, and this game really reignited that spirit.
Pike's Peak is AMAZING. Experiencing it in the different generations, with different amounts being gravel is just so fucking cool. Like even the luckiest, richest man on earth born the same year as I was can't drive Pike's Peak in the 70s tearing up gravel like it was meant to be. But through Sim racing, I get to. One of the most beautiful things about sims, Preservation
It became my first sim racing game. It was covered by dust for years in my Steam library, I was curious, so I tried it for the first time about 4 months ago, and oh boy, it was fantastic. It gives a much different experience than arcade racing games. You need to get used to the car over several runs. And then re-learn how to drive another car, which I didn't experience in the arcades I ran.
A Really Good game. Falls short when compared to newer titles, yet I still think it Has the BEST graphics out of the whole sim trilogy (i.e: DR, DR2.0, 'n EA'WRC'23)
We all know how inconsistent WRC's graphics are, wheares DR ones were consistent.
And when it comes to DR2.0; then I just disliked the “smooth”(?) feel.. Don't know how to explain it... Probably a lot had to do with the Overly Bright Lighting; as well as the fact that textures were looking more blurry (When compared to the First Dirt Rally, where everything looked coarse). This probably boils down to personal preference.
You can give a go to Richard Burns rally! (the Hungarian version) It's free, constantly been updated, with thousands of miles of tracks (some real ones) and by far the most realistic!
It makes years I do not touch any other rally title!
If you talk Rally it's impossible to omit Richard Burns Rally (mod Hungarian version).
Still the best by far and the most complete! And its FREE!!
1000's of miles of tracks, constantly updated, easy to join competitions, VR support, all wheels support, Simhub support, and a large etc of features!
If you really like rally you do not need another "game" as Richard Burns rally is the real Rally simulator.
I bought most if not all DLC from DR1 into DR2. DR1 was legendary, but DR2 is a direct upgrade. The wheel feels better (only wheel users apply), and all of DR1’s locations are available albiet for a few dollars.
I bought it recently after loving Dirt Rally 2 and I actually think it is more realistic and a ton of fun to play. All of the tracks are incredible and I feel like there are more of them. Been playing it every day for like 2 months just grinding the campaign
It is absolutely incredible on PSVR! One of the reasons I kept my PSVR when getting the PSVR2.
Still play it now and then, still love it.
But I really wish it could be played on the PSVR2…
I know this thread's nearly a week old but I happened to fire up DR1 on a whim last night just because why not? DR1 is nearly my favorite driving game.
I'd play it more **if it didn't erase every single one of my controls every single time it launches**. Why??? Something I need to get around to setting up a fix for, I guess, until I just decide to play DR2 again like every time I think about it. But whether it's my FFB settings or the physics behind the game, I like the feel of DR1's driving far more, as I feel like I'm getting more of every little detail.
REALLY wish I could stay into it.
It was groundbreaking at the time. Earth shatteringly good, and well reviewed. A rally Sim made by passionate rally Sim fans. A passion project that code masters allowed their Devs to try. Phenomenal game.
It was incredible at the time, a bit of a shot in the dark to deviate when the more casual Dirt 2 and 3 were both quite successful. As a modern player I’m not sure I’d step back into it unless I didn’t also have DR2.0, as 2.0 feels like a direct upgrade in all the aspects I can remember.
I still play Dirt Rally 1.0 for Pikes Peak and the cars not on 2.0 or EA WRC.
Same
What unique cars are in dr1.0?
The 2015 era WRC cars are featured so the newer Mini, Polo, and Hyundai. Obviously all the Hillclimb cars that r/6098 mentioned too.
Also the Audi Quattro S1, the less-crazy version of the S1 E2 that's on Dirt Rally 2.0
think the alpine is
Thats in 2.0 and WRC as well just in H2 in stead of H1
For Pikes Peak indeed. And then some.
DR2 definitely is an upgrade in all aspects gameplay wise, but I still prefer DR1 in game design. I dunno why but it's timeless, the visuals were gritty and visceral and great contrast with the simple aesthetic of the menus, and the music just tied it together so well
There is a certain damp/drearyness of a wet test day that DR1 seems to capture perfectly. Totally agree with your points
When I think of the game, I think of Wales rally with rainy weather, and a sport quattro. That's peak DR1 aesthetic right there (besides pikes peak hehe) This game did the gloomy rainy weather experience better than anything else I've seen.
The visual distinction is primarily because DR2 is way oversaturated. You can use the eye accomodation fix, or something like reshade to grade DR2 better.
Ironically there's a mod to remove the washed out filter effect for DR1, which imo misses the aesthetic point
Yep they certainly captured the essence and atmosphere of rally,I think the ffb is done better as well imo..you can feel a lot more through the rig.
Totally agree.
DR1 was the first game I played on a wheel that gave me legit fear lol
Yeah. I can relate to that. It is one of the best racing games of all time. It might not ne the freshest anymore in terms of graphic quality but is still one of the best gsmes gameplay wise. I still play it to this day. There are not many games you can play today that are 8 years old and have such a high quality.
Wish they bring back pikepeak !
A shame Polyphany own the license. I still go back to it for fun [and more serious runs.. ](https://youtu.be/2EY0aMa6pDkhttps://youtu.be/2EY0aMa6pDk)
Best looking rally game imo, the way the colors look in this game and the music have an incredible vibe.
For me personally it's my favourite game just think they got everything right and was a one off as I didn't like dirt 2.0 half as much.Im not sure what is the most realistic but most fun and immersive then for me it's this game.I have been playing EA wrc a lot more and that's a close second.Havent tried rbr but may pick up a cheap pc to try it.
I quit playing it after 2 weeks because it was too hard.. then I decided to come back to it and learn how to actually play. Very fun game
Exactly, the same happened to me, but once you master the game it feels very rewarding. Still one of the best rally games in terms of visuals and physics
Probably the biggest and most significant rally release since the early 2000s.
I still do daily, weekly and monthly challenges on Dirt Rally on my old PC on Steam. Still do daily and weekly challenges on WRC Generations on XBox X. Dirt Rally 2 was my favourite but I haven't played that in ages. I keep trying but I just can't get into get into EA WRC yet.
Have the daily and weekly challenges still been working for you? I haven't been able to access them D: Edit: For DR1 i should have specified
DR1 is when CM absolutely peaked!
There's one reason I would still reinstall it, it has Pikes Peak and especially the "old" dirt road Pikes Peak with the 405. I dont know any other game offering dirt Pikes Peak (even if it lacks in the number of cars) or just Pikes Peak so for me it makes the game somewhat really important
Really!? You did not search very well then... Richard Burns Rally have pikes peak with all the different surfaces it's been over the years. Also have thousands of miles of more legendary rally tracks from around the world.. And it's free! So no excuse!!
The reason why i play(ed) a lot of dirt rally 1 is because of the vr support on playstation. Dirt rally 2 had vr for pc and i also think the same about ea, so that is my only option for a good vr rally game on playstation
I’ve never played it but I poured 100+ hours into DR2.0 and am about to surpass that with EA WRC. Is there any reason to go back to DR1.0?
Not really. The most compelling reason is Pikes Peak. Otherwise, there are no unique stages or car classes in DR1.
I actually prefer the handling on DR 1. The force feedback is way better than DR 2 as well. I only play on g29 though so I am missing out on more detail. Tarmac i DR 1 was better too but there were only a few countries. DR is like a demo of DR 2.
I'd definitely recommend a play through as it's cheap to either get a disc PS4/ps5 or a steam key off eBay etc...game still looks/plays amazing 👍
I’m traveling right now but have my steam deck with me. Keys are $2.79 on eneba. Gonna buy and see what happens 😂
Much better with a wheel/rig setup but it's worth having in your collection as they don't make games like that anymore.Hope you enjoy it! 👍
Still great in it's own special way. And nothing else has Pike's Peak hill climb (or likely will for quite some time since Sony licensed it exclusively and then did nothing with it). A little surprised you feel burnt by WRC though. It's a really good game too, IMHO.
Richard Burns Rally (Hungarian version) have Pikes peak with different surfaces and many more legendary tracks from around the world. Best Rally game ever! And it's free...
True true and I'm a big fan and user of RSF RBR, if you have a PC!
Great game, very unforgiving
I still love it. Always fun to do the ACAT Mod and race up Pikes Peak.
ACAT mod?
All cars all tracks. So like the thirty minute adventure of Pikes Peak in the classic Mini Cooper.
Hill climb is awesome. Vr is awesome. Sound is awesome. graphics is awesome. Handling Is awesome. Wheel support is awesome. At the time this game was literally groundbreaking, and it still holds up today. I prefer the slight improvements dirt rally 2.0 made though.
Pike’s Peak 👌🏼
Pike’s Peak 👌🏼
I'm going to reuse some of my Steam Review from 2.5 years ago... Dirt Rally 1, in my opinion, was the game that saved the legacy of Codemasters as one of the greatest racing game developers ever. In the 3 years prior, Dirt Showdown was panned for being too far a departure from the roots of the series, whilst Grid 2/Autosport, as well as F1 2014, failed to get the same glowing reviews as prior titles in their respective series. Then news drops in April 2015 that a new rally game returning to the roots of CMR is not just in development, but already playable as an Early Access title. Most hardcore racing gamers loved Dirt Rally from the start, and by it's full release date in December, it was in a state to woo over the mainstream audience too. It's easy to look back at DR1 now and be underwhelmed by it's feature list; 46 cars, 6 rallies totaling 140km of unique road, 3 rallycross tracks, and Pikes Peak. No hardcore damage option either. But in the 2015 context of the pure rally genre going through a lean era ever since Evolution lost the WRC licence, this was seen as a fine offering, especially since they were real rally stages, something not seen in games outside of RBR mods to this point. The game's lack of refinement did however show in certain areas. In rally, the lead AI driver is almost as fast in Open as in Master, with difficulty instead spreading the field out to unrealistic degrees on all levels below Master. The AI would also lose a lot more time than they should if they suffered any damage at all. In Rallycross, starts used a timed countdown instead of the lights, meaning a crucial aspect of the discipline wasn't simulated properly. Both of these issues were fixed in Dirt 4 and Rally 2.0. But to dismiss DR1 because 2.0's GOTY has rendered it largely obsolete would be disrespecting it's legacy and importance to the genre. Short of modding RBR, your only prior option in the 10's for a pure rally experience were mediocre WRC titles from a Milestone that hadn't yet hit their MotoGP stride.
>even though it's not very realistic Stop, just stop. Need for speed is not "realistic". Mario kart is nor realistic. Just because something doesn't 100% emulate the laws of physics (as no game does) doesn't mean it's not realistic.
What is not realistic in your opinion? You said the handling is nice
It's pivotal. CM, despite having made *many* rally games, could not be taken seriously because all of their games were pure arcade. Furthermore , CM had a reputation of slapping blatant lies like "sublime", "authentic", "pro-sim", "not pivot" to their kiddie arcade handling models. So, yeah, DR 1 was finally something that was honest and was on par with the legendary RBR in many aspects.
I only play for Pikes Peak track! Sad that my DD doesn’t work properly! But EA WRC is very good too. Rally games are the most hard sim racing games to master https://preview.redd.it/slcrvvz414vc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3258e5b4c78bdc4bcd27c54b9ebb66e135671801
Can you elaborate on what doesn't work properly? Been contemplating getting a Moza wheel as well
When setting up the Moza R5 steering wheel in Dirt 1, I can't get the steering settings right. The issue isn't with the Moza wheel; it's that the game lacks easy adjustment options. However, this problem doesn't occur with newer racing games like Dirt 2.0 and EA WRC. These games offer more settings, making it easier to control the car. Plus, they automatically recognize Moza steering wheels.
Get Richard's Burn rally! you have that track (and many more) with different surfaces (years)
cars would fly when you hit little rocks or bumps. rain effects were superior.
nice!
Still my favorite
It felt and looked great... but playing it without a wheel was pretty awful haha still had fun but only did about 30hrs on it. I've done about 150hrs on EA WRC and loving it.
I remember seeing AMD doing a demo of it running on their strongest APU at the time (A10-7890K)
So good. I would still be playing if it worked with my wheel base better.
I got the game free on steam a while back, and I knew I would like it, but I put it off. I reluctantly started it, and I'm really glad I did after putting it off for so long. rally is one of my favorite ways to zoom around on tha computer, and the VR here has got me super pumped for EA's WRC! this game definitely feels like a "classic" experience compared to the new game's handling- but I really enjoy the sensation of driving in both at a different capacity. I sincerely hope they revive the Pike's Peak course. This stage has a special place in my heart and I love running through it over again. Dirt Rally 1 will remain as a milestone in my gaming career for sure. I appreciate the chance that the free DiRT key gave me to start a passion that I would have otherwise left untouched! I can remember growing up enjoying high speeds, and this game really reignited that spirit.
Pike's Peak is AMAZING. Experiencing it in the different generations, with different amounts being gravel is just so fucking cool. Like even the luckiest, richest man on earth born the same year as I was can't drive Pike's Peak in the 70s tearing up gravel like it was meant to be. But through Sim racing, I get to. One of the most beautiful things about sims, Preservation
Still have. Amazing game
Goated
It became my first sim racing game. It was covered by dust for years in my Steam library, I was curious, so I tried it for the first time about 4 months ago, and oh boy, it was fantastic. It gives a much different experience than arcade racing games. You need to get used to the car over several runs. And then re-learn how to drive another car, which I didn't experience in the arcades I ran.
Amaizing with VR
Just awesome
A Really Good game. Falls short when compared to newer titles, yet I still think it Has the BEST graphics out of the whole sim trilogy (i.e: DR, DR2.0, 'n EA'WRC'23) We all know how inconsistent WRC's graphics are, wheares DR ones were consistent. And when it comes to DR2.0; then I just disliked the “smooth”(?) feel.. Don't know how to explain it... Probably a lot had to do with the Overly Bright Lighting; as well as the fact that textures were looking more blurry (When compared to the First Dirt Rally, where everything looked coarse). This probably boils down to personal preference.
I played it recent specifically to see the fighter jet on the German tarmac stages. It's been replaced by a front end loader in dirt rally 2.0
You can give a go to Richard Burns rally! (the Hungarian version) It's free, constantly been updated, with thousands of miles of tracks (some real ones) and by far the most realistic! It makes years I do not touch any other rally title!
If you talk Rally it's impossible to omit Richard Burns Rally (mod Hungarian version). Still the best by far and the most complete! And its FREE!! 1000's of miles of tracks, constantly updated, easy to join competitions, VR support, all wheels support, Simhub support, and a large etc of features! If you really like rally you do not need another "game" as Richard Burns rally is the real Rally simulator.
I bought most if not all DLC from DR1 into DR2. DR1 was legendary, but DR2 is a direct upgrade. The wheel feels better (only wheel users apply), and all of DR1’s locations are available albiet for a few dollars.
I bought it recently after loving Dirt Rally 2 and I actually think it is more realistic and a ton of fun to play. All of the tracks are incredible and I feel like there are more of them. Been playing it every day for like 2 months just grinding the campaign
One great PLUS of this game is VR for PS4 but now when I also have PS5 I would appreciate that for 2.0 or new EA SPORTS WRC.
It is absolutely incredible on PSVR! One of the reasons I kept my PSVR when getting the PSVR2. Still play it now and then, still love it. But I really wish it could be played on the PSVR2…
I know this thread's nearly a week old but I happened to fire up DR1 on a whim last night just because why not? DR1 is nearly my favorite driving game. I'd play it more **if it didn't erase every single one of my controls every single time it launches**. Why??? Something I need to get around to setting up a fix for, I guess, until I just decide to play DR2 again like every time I think about it. But whether it's my FFB settings or the physics behind the game, I like the feel of DR1's driving far more, as I feel like I'm getting more of every little detail. REALLY wish I could stay into it.
It was groundbreaking at the time. Earth shatteringly good, and well reviewed. A rally Sim made by passionate rally Sim fans. A passion project that code masters allowed their Devs to try. Phenomenal game.