Released last year with a promising road map, Dakar Desert Rally has until disappointed many. However, its most recent update shows development is still ongoing while new DLC should give players a reason to come back to the game.
From launch, Dakar Desert Rally featured a number of bugs, glitches and missing features that pushed many of its original fans away. But over time, those issues have slowly disappeared making for a brilliant open-world rally raid simulator. The most recent update has certainly helped in pushing the simulation front.
Ever since it first hit the market, the game was missing support for countless wheels. If you owned any higher end equipment, you could be pretty sure that it would not work with this game. Not to mention racers that play with multiple USB peripherals as the game would not even try to recognise them.
That all changes today though, as Saber Interactive has finally addressed the problem. The update released on February 28 brings compatibility for higher-end Direct Drive wheels such as the Logitech G Pro, Simucube 2 Pro and Fanatec GT DD Pro. Entry level products such as Hori's line-up also now work in Dakar Desert Rally.
Along side greater compatibility, the game now has several features catered to those racing on a wheel. From the setup wizard allowing players to use multiple peripherals to the new Handling Style adding more realism. Graphically, the interior camera will now also provide more immersion as the in-game steering wheel will follow the player's real movements and FOV can be tweaked to the player's liking.
A selection of patches have also been adopted improving the game's playability. The AI should act more realistically and, depending on game modes, the navigation should be more challenging.
Large, Soviet trucks that can seemingly cross any terrain will be put to the test in the Arabian Desert. The entire list of new trucks includes: the TUZ 16, TUZ 108, TUZ 420, ZiKZ 605R and YAR 87. Much more bare bones than the competitive creations typically seen in Dakar, this selection of vehicles provide their own challenge.
The vehicles can be used anywhere in the game, but a group of new events enter the game with the DLC. These include nine stages and two events, one in Sport Mode, the other in Professional Mode.
Although very little compared to the likes of the upcoming USA DLC, this Snowrunner pack is a clear sign that the team is still looking to put out the best game possible. It is surely a great taste of what's to come as the game only goes from strength to strength. Furthermore, the large update focusing on hardcore simracing rather than an arcade landscape means this is the perfect time for those unsure about the title to try it out.
From launch, Dakar Desert Rally featured a number of bugs, glitches and missing features that pushed many of its original fans away. But over time, those issues have slowly disappeared making for a brilliant open-world rally raid simulator. The most recent update has certainly helped in pushing the simulation front.
Ever since it first hit the market, the game was missing support for countless wheels. If you owned any higher end equipment, you could be pretty sure that it would not work with this game. Not to mention racers that play with multiple USB peripherals as the game would not even try to recognise them.
That all changes today though, as Saber Interactive has finally addressed the problem. The update released on February 28 brings compatibility for higher-end Direct Drive wheels such as the Logitech G Pro, Simucube 2 Pro and Fanatec GT DD Pro. Entry level products such as Hori's line-up also now work in Dakar Desert Rally.
Along side greater compatibility, the game now has several features catered to those racing on a wheel. From the setup wizard allowing players to use multiple peripherals to the new Handling Style adding more realism. Graphically, the interior camera will now also provide more immersion as the in-game steering wheel will follow the player's real movements and FOV can be tweaked to the player's liking.
A selection of patches have also been adopted improving the game's playability. The AI should act more realistically and, depending on game modes, the navigation should be more challenging.
Snowrunner and Dakar collide
Alongside this new update, Dakar Desert Rally received a new DLC pack adding half-a-dozen cars and a number of stages and events. Made in collaboration with Focus Games, the publishers of Snowrunner, the DLC focuses heavily on merging the two games.Large, Soviet trucks that can seemingly cross any terrain will be put to the test in the Arabian Desert. The entire list of new trucks includes: the TUZ 16, TUZ 108, TUZ 420, ZiKZ 605R and YAR 87. Much more bare bones than the competitive creations typically seen in Dakar, this selection of vehicles provide their own challenge.
The vehicles can be used anywhere in the game, but a group of new events enter the game with the DLC. These include nine stages and two events, one in Sport Mode, the other in Professional Mode.
Although very little compared to the likes of the upcoming USA DLC, this Snowrunner pack is a clear sign that the team is still looking to put out the best game possible. It is surely a great taste of what's to come as the game only goes from strength to strength. Furthermore, the large update focusing on hardcore simracing rather than an arcade landscape means this is the perfect time for those unsure about the title to try it out.
