Revision Dakar Desert Rallythe brand new rally raid racing game based on the world’s most famous event not actually taking place in the titular capital of Senegal, feels completely different from what I saw when I reviewed its predecessor in 2018. Back then, rally games weren’t exactly at their peak. CMR and V-Rally games of that era weren’t performing as well critically and commercially, for example. These games were aimed at expert players, giving no craps on accessibility options. Nowadays, a newcomer can easily pick up and play the latest CMR and Dirt, so Saber Porto developers had to go back to the drawing board and come up with a game that could be played by beginners and experts alike. Oh, and tap into the power of the PS5, sort of.

The result? Well, a massive improvement over the previous one Dakar game, that’s for sure. It’s not like Dakar Desert Rally is flawless, or even remotely close to rivaling the latest (and pristine) CMR Games. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of content available to players. More importantly, I was impressed with the accessibility of this game, especially compared to Dakar 18, one of the least newcomer-friendly racing games I’ve ever played.

Dakar 18 was difficult to control. Unless you had access to a steering wheel, all of the controller-related control settings were stiff and clunky to manage. This made the game extremely intimidating for all but the most hardcore racing fans. Meanwhile, CMRfor example, once a truly intimidating franchise, was adding new physics options and gameplay features to ease its difficulty for beginners. Dakar Desert Rally does the same, not only with more responsive controls, but also adding new difficulty and simulation options.

Yes, on the left too. I have eyes, you know…

There are simulation presets that basically spin Dakar Desert Rally in a game as easy to swallow as a CMR from a few years ago. The difference being that his physicality is still nowhere near becoming as decent as showcased in Nacon’s main racing series. With the number of vehicles at your disposal, Dakar Desert Rally essentially lets you choose your preferred mode of transportation early on in your career, resulting in a career mode that isn’t as frustrating as its predecessor. It does not Dakar Desert Rally a “pick up and play” racing game, and its controls are still a little goofy due to the aforementioned physics issues, but it’s a massive improvement regardless.

You’ll be there for the long haul, as there are no quick play options. Dakar Desert Rally is all about its ginormous campaign mode, and most importantly, leveling up enough to overload your garage with different types of vehicles. The more races you complete, the more experience points you gain, which can be exchanged for new vehicles and slots in your garage. You can also acquire more prized vehicles, usually classics like a 1980s Peugeot, by completing a few challenges here and there.

Very good rallies accompanied by an epic soundtrack that had no reason to be as cool as it is.

One of the main improvements you will notice in Dakar Desert Rally is his presentation. It’s a gorgeous game, taking advantage of the PS5’s hardware to render beautiful locations, but something else worth praising is the Saudi landscape itself. It’s not just about dunes, as you’ll also rally over beaches, savannahs, and even snow-capped mountains. I didn’t know there was snow in Saudi Arabia, and this is a game that ended up proving me wrong. That said, the game’s performance still has some way to go. For the most part, it’s a steady 60fps, but the frame rate drops when things get too choppy onscreen. It’s not as bad as Dakar 18framerate is terrible, fortunately enough.

Really bad timing to show me this trick tutorial, game…

I recommend Dakar Desert Rally to be much more polished and approachable than its predecessor, but it’s still a tough game to sell to a wide audience. Don’t worry, the game itself is actually quite good, despite its technical issues, but it’s a highly specialized rallying game that pales in comparison to its sheer number of competitors when you put them side by side. Maybe a follow-up will add a quick play mode and fix its technical issues. As it stands, it’s janky and still rough on newcomers, but it’s a step in the right direction for the series.

Dakar Desert Rally is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X and PC.

Tested on PS5.

A copy of Dakar Desert Rally was provided by the publisher.

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