If you can't follow the Paris-Dakar, you can experience the legendary race in a brand-new video game developed and published by Saber Interactive, Dakar Desert Rally, available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series from October 4, 2022. The game plunges you into the heart of the desert, through off-road races in an open world, letting you relive the sensations of the world's greatest rally race. We'll let you discover the launch trailer:
With over 20,000 square kilometers of terrain as varied in form as it is in composition, the game faithfully reproduces the driving sensations typical of racing, to which dynamic weather conditions are added, to offer a real challenge on one of the world's toughest roads. A total of 30 stages await to challenge you. As for the teams, players can choose from among the best-known Dakar teams, but can also create their own and add to their garage.
In the garage, you'll find a wide variety of vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, trucks, SSVs and quads, all from leading manufacturers around the world. And there are plenty of game modes to choose from: Sport mode (arcade-style), Professional mode, Simulation mode... There's even an online multiplayer mode, where you can compete against up to three other players.
Our review:
Dakar Desert Rally is an interesting racing game overall, with some very good points, but also a few negative ones tarnishing the experience a little. Let's start with the positives: Dakar Desert Rally is, graphically, a beautiful game, with incredible detail and photography worthy of the finest films. An enormous amount of work has been done on this point, compared to previous opuses, making this new cut an almost flawless graphic experience.
Another good point:career development. Everything has been well thought out, encouraging you to do as many races as possible to develop your career and your team, by gaining levels. Each race requires a certain level, which also gives you the opportunity to buy vehicles. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, quads... Then it's up to you to complete your stable! There are three different levels of gameplay, each with different driving aids: Sport mode, Professional mode and Simulation mode.
We won't dwell on the Professional and Simulation modes, which feature the same gameplay conditions as previous opuses. Sport mode, on the other hand, is likely to be of interest to many of you, as it is quite simply an "easy" mode, offering novices the chance to try their hand at rallying. A real novelty, especially as previous opuses were more geared towards purists of the genre. The Sport level features visual markers, occasional navigation, vehicle repositioning, weaker opponents, lower repair costs and automatic waypoint saving... So many aids to enjoy the race without the hassle of steering.
Another positive point is the variety and quantity of races on offer. And in this respect, the game is far from stingy, with no less than 30 stages, over 430,000 km2 of terrain, in 1:5 scale. Plenty of scope for long hours of racing, in all weathers, day and night. And that's what makes this opus so special: dynamic weather, changing in real time. In short, real racing conditions.
However, the software does have a few negative points that spoil the gaming experience a little. Starting with the co-driver's voice in Sport mode, which is particularly robotic and quickly tires players. The game is also meant to be all-terrain, but in the end it's not. There are, for example, rocks that look like they could be crossed with a quad bike or motorcycle, but aren't at all. As a result, it's like driving into a wall... Not to mention the ultra-punitive crash system. Add to this an AI that spends more time playing bumper cars than dodging our vehicle while overtaking. In short, a pebble in the shoe that's likely to hold many back.
As for the multiplayer mode, it's possible to join a race that's already started. Not exactly fair play for those who arrive in the middle of a race, if not downright disadvantageous... A pity. As far as the stages are concerned, there are also some "fantasy" maps, with racers passing through the wreckage of a cargo ship, or even between the wreckage of a plane crash (or several)... Not very realistic.
The NPCs aren't necessarily very convincing graphically speaking, even if the whole thing works relatively well. It's not easy for beginners to get the hang of, but it's worth the effort. In short, Dakar Desert Rally is an experience for experts and purists only. An effort has been made to make the game accessible to novices, that's undeniable, but for us, it's not enough. We hope that the next version will resolve this issue.
And for those who want to,all you have to do is get your hands on the software. To your controllers!
Official website
www.dakarthegame.com
