Dakar Desert Rally

I love this game, but First and foremost, this game is broken. It ranges from slightly broken to very broken, depending on what you're trying to do, but it can be worked around.

If you can work around the bugs, it is so totally worth it, because there is no other game that can offer the experience that this game has. I think to fully enjoy this game, you have to be a bit of a nerd for obscure motorsports, buty even the arcade modes are a blast. You have to play through a lot of the more arcady modes to get the full simulation experience, but I encourage you to tough it out, because what it is doing the entire time is teaching you how to navigate the desert. Dont expect much from the USA expansion, and dont bother with the roadbook editor, but treat yourself to an adventure, and play through the full Dakar rally stages in simulation mode at least once, there is nothing else like it. (Dakar 18 comes close, and arguably a more stasble game, but overall I prefer this game)

Dakar Desert Rally is a fun simcade Offroad-Racer which can be played as Arcade and Sim racer because of the different modes. Its such a shame that the devolpers atleast dont fix the random fatal error stuff because the gore game is good:
Pros:
+ great graphics
+ good sound design
+ very well made track routes (in sport mode and professional mode 2 to 10 min long, sim mode 30-1 hour long)
+ pretty big open world not as big as "FUEL 2009 game" but big enought
+ good car selection (Dakar cars, classic cars, trucks, quads, bikes and SxS)
+ nice soundtrack
+ driving physics are fun specially Trucks and Cars
+ weather effects are epic
+ route editor you can make so many new tracks with this tool because a lot of places like over 60% arent even driven in the career mode
Cons:
- random fatal error specially if i switch to a different vehicle class and then try to start a race
- in sports mode the bots are sometimes way to slow or way to fast it depends on how the track goes, they are a little faster in hills and water, moslty noticed in Bikes
- Quads are the worst they are ok to drive but not really as fun as the others very sensitive at small things
- in sport mode the classic cars can be useless (Lada and Citroen 2V) because they are way to slow for the normal cars would be better to get bots with classic cars
- in some tracks bots turn way to early in curves and then crash in stones which is weird but only happend in 5 tracks where i saw it
- in few track routes i have to lower the graphics to medium to avoid fatal error crash during start of race or during gameplay but its more rare
- stuntman achievement wont unlock
I have a lot of fun with this game even with the random fatal error stuff happend from time to time. I Still lean a lot more on the positive side of this game because it did a lot of things good, i had thought out to give this game a negative review because i hate the fatal error in this game.

This game is very ambitious and to some extent is able to fulfill that. The environment is gorgeous and driving through the different areas each have their own challenges. The game doesn't fully feel finished. Technical issues ranging from superficial to gamebreaking and some key functions are simply missing. The AI really isn't very good, and the game really needs the promised photo mode. The game really has potential, and if the promised additions are there, it might be able to deliver.

Still sorting out the FatalError Crap, apart from that , when it does play on PC it does play OK, just OK for now..
If the FatalError keeps happening it'll be another in the Bin.
To much messing about with FatalErrors,,,, in the Bin its gone!!
Should be illegal, Devs getting away with Daylight Robbery really and STEAM should know better releasing it without the fixes.

I think the thing I like most about this game, is the open world and races feel like something similar to Fuel. I always wanted a sequel to that game, and this feels like the closest thing to it. Very challenging game so you have to work for that podium, but overall good feel to vehicles and bikes, and just love the landscape with awesome weather effects with rain, thunder, and lightning.
It has several flaws for sure, especially with the fatal error crash. But I don't play that long per session for it to happen, so while it's annoying, it's not something that made me want a refund.
Honestly if you loved Fuel by Codemasters, and want something similar to that, then this is it.

The longer the stages, the better the game.
The AI? Rather weak, and the pack racing isn't all that fun.
For my taste, it could lean a bit more toward simulation. The physics are okay, nothing more.
If you're willing to get into it – and overlook the occasional fatal error – it can be quite captivating.
I'm playing it on the Deck, and it runs satisfactorily.

⚖️ MATCHING EXPECTATION:
* 🟢 = Available = Fun +1
* 🔴 = Not Available = Fun -1
* Match Nothing = 0 Fun
🟢 Sprint = Race from A to B
🟢 Reading note while driving at all time
🟢 Many natural jumps
🟢 Damage Management
🟢 Optional Casual Mode = Checkpoint hint on the screen
🔴 Track Walls
🔴 Co-driver voice command in every vehicle
🔴 Versus same ranked leaderboard / Ghost Record
🔴 Endurance = Repeat many laps in a same track

fMeter
FUN
fUN METER
DISCOUNT
COMMUNITY
REVIEWER


A+
5
Loving it
No Wait
-
-


A
4
Liked it
No Wait
-
-


B
2-3
Half satisfied
Wait 50%
✔
✔


C
1
Less interested
Wait 75%
-
-


D
0
Not what you need
Wait 100%
-
-

🏅 Community Rating: Mixed
⚖️ fMeter {B} Worth a play, if you enjoy Endurance on Sprint Racing. However, if you're looking for stable performance on every PC, don't play it
🔎 Long Version Checklist ➜ Reveal
🕘 IMPRESSION:
* Year 2022: Game released
* Year 2024: Thanks epic & developer for a free copy
* 5 months later: Started playtest for the first time
* 1 hour later: Fun game :D
* 3 hours later: Fatal error 3 time...
* 11 hours later: Fun game, but I prefer same ranked opponent challenge
* 0 hour later: Restart 0% progress on Steam, assume I know nothing about it.
🔊 TESTER MUST KNOW:
* Saved progress separate from epic account
* Replace saved progress from epic will not carry completed achievements
* Both saved progress located at ...username\AppData\Local\Dakar2Game\Saved\
* Completing higher difficulty will not consider completing lower difficulty
* Bot will not dodge when player crossover them
* Need no buy new vehicle type because will unlock soon
* Must finish top 8 position to proceed
* Less than 3% of Roadbook guide is misleading
* Numbers behind vehicle in racer list = Vehicle number
💎 SAME GENRE COMPARISON:
* Each racing took at least 50+km, except first race
* Damaging vehicle does matter
* Allow repair at anytime, but will lose timing
* Aerial camera view
* Support crossplay multiplayer with Epic players
* No FOV adjustment for super ultrawide monitor
* Less supportive range for wheel user
⚠️ RUMOR CHECKING:
* Often fatal errors & crashes ➜ True, those issue still happen in year 2024
* Framerate stuttering ➜ Reduce a little on graphic setting will help
* There is a lot of fun in this game ➜ True, if you liked the game rules
* Enjoyable over 100+ hours ➜ True, if you loved the challenges
* Not recommend this even had over 100+ hours ➜ True, if you hate the Saber Porto Ltd.
* Physic is awful, feel like driving on a icy butter surface ➜ Disagree. Lower the tyre pressure to reduce skidding.
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📢 Disclaimer regarding Short Hours & English Errors ➜ Read Here