Dirt 3
Dirt 3 is a PlayStation 3 racing game released in 2011 developed by Codemasters. It centers on driving and route control, vehicle control, and route judgment, with controls and information arranged around the DualShock 3 or Sixaxis twin sticks, triggers, and face buttons, with PlayStation Move only where explicitly supported.
- AI score · out of 10
- 8.4 / 10
About this game
Dirt 3 is a PlayStation 3 racing game centered on driving and route control, vehicle control, and route judgment. Tracks raise pressure through corners, rivals, and time targets, with progress divided into stages, tasks, matches, or growth milestones that make immediate goals understandable. Its value depends on whether these rules continue to create judgment and room for mastery rather than on length, sales, or series recognition. Short campaigns are judged by repeat-challenge value, while longer ones are judged by variety, pacing, and recovery after failure. Speed, track boundaries, and vehicle feedback determine driving readability, while HD 3D scenes, Blu-ray data streaming, surround audio, and cinematic presentation need to preserve action, state, and text readability together. The genre-specific limitation is that visibility, collisions, steering precision, wheel support, or loading can limit consistency. Platform conditions also include Blu-ray loading, HDD installs, system software, DualShock 3 battery life, Move accessories, resolution and frame rate, and retired online services affect present-day use. This description covers only this platform release and does not import features or conveniences from remasters, emulators, or other console editions.
Collected in series
Dirt is Codemasters' off-road racing franchise, built around finding grip on loose surfaces and carrying speed through demanding routes. Its games range from varied off-road events to the focused rally simulation of the DiRT Rally branch.
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PlayStation 3AI review
AI reviews are subjective assessments, not player ratings. See each review for its evidence and limitations.Published date:
Varied rally and stunts feel strong, despite fussy menus and chatter.
DiRT 3 on PlayStation 3 broadens its off-road racing with point-to-point rally, crowded events and Gymkhana stunts. Vehicle weight, controller rumble and engine sound convey changes between dirt and tarmac, so an approachable steering model still rewards better lines. Managing throttle and handbrake through chained stunts creates a different, steeper challenge. A campaign of roughly fifteen hours uses locations, time of day and weather to keep events changing; rain and snow affect driving as well as atmosphere. Crash audio and engine noise are especially effective. The three-dimensional menus are quicker in concept than the previous RV presentation, but their yellow tint and visual layering can make choices harder to read, while constant spoken encouragement becomes distracting. Gymkhana therefore adds genuine variety without being an effortless bonus mode. This judgment is limited to the reviewed 2011 PS3 edition. Later Complete Edition content and PC hardware results are outside its scope. It fits players who enjoy alternating accessible racing with stunts that require practice.
Strengths
- Surface feedback and weather make events feel distinct.
Weaknesses
- Stunts have a sharper learning curve and the interface can distract.
Who it is for: Players who enjoy varied off-road events and learning stunt chains.
Play notes: Later Complete Edition additions and current online status are unverified.
View scoring basis
| Dimension | Review state | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimension Rally, mixed racing, weather and stunts vary the campaign, with a steeper stunt-learning curve. | Reviewed | 8.2 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Rumble and weight make surfaces readable, while Gymkhana adds a distinct control challenge. | Reviewed | 8.7 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Weather and strong engine audio heighten racing, while tinted menus and chatter distract. | Reviewed | 8.4 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Precise PS3 control is offset slightly by less legible three-dimensional menus. | Reviewed | 7.9 / 10 | Not provided |
Review sources
Not provided
Core information
- Developer
- Codemasters
- Publisher
- Codemasters
- Release date
- 2011
- Platforms
- PlayStation 3
- Content kind
- Game
- Release state
- Released
- Region
- Worldwide
- Official website
- Not provided
- Offline minimum players
- Not provided
- Offline maximum players
- Not provided
- Online minimum players
- Not provided
- Online maximum players
- Not provided
- Categories
- Racing · Primary genre
- Tags
- Driving and RacingThird PersonSolo-friendlyShort SessionsReplayableFast-pacedMain Story Under 10 HoursPlayer versus PlayerWarPick-up and PlayDodge
- Supported game languages
- Not provided
- Requires base game
- Not provided
- Standalone
- Not provided
- Age ratings
- Not provided
- Play modes
- MultiplayerSingle player
- Perspectives
- First personThird person
Release editions
- PlayStation 3Worldwide2011
Game gallery
Sources
Not provided