Best Sports/Racing Games of 2020
First Runner-Up: Dirt 5
Deputy Guides Editor Tom Hopkins: The fifth numbered entry in the Dirt series, Codemasters decided to revert back to the arcade racing days, leaving the simulation to the Dirt Rally spin-off series.
Dirt 5 is all about hitting the mud and ice as fast as you can, without a care in the world for handling or control. Other than some light drifting, there’s very little finesse to it, with speed more important that anything else.
That change to the more laid back style arguably makes it even more of a blast to play. Codemasters are the racing game masters, so Dirt 5 feels great to play, and the career mode is a fun adventure through various tropical locales.
It may be a bit lacking in terms of personalization options and event variety, but the often stunning visuals (especially now that the majority of technical hitches have been addressed) and satisfying racing ensure that the fun never drops off.
Play it on PS5/Xbox Series X and it’s even more beautiful and smooth, with the ray tracing tech in full flow. It’s not the deepest racing game in the world, but it’s the right direction for the core Dirt series to take.
