Dakar 18

Last updated

Dakar 18
Dakar 18 Front Cover.png
Developer(s) Bigmoon Entertainment [1]
Publisher(s) Deep Silver
Director(s) Paulo Gomes [2]
Producer(s) Paulo Gomes [3]
Adélio Rangel
Designer(s) Paulo Gomes
Adélio Rangel
Pedro Bianchi Prata
Marco Mandim
Programmer(s) Nelson Duarte
Paulo Lage
Roman Marusyk
Artist(s) Ricardo Blanco
Jorge Manassés
Jorge Aguiar
Jorge Manassés
Sergii Kurbatov
Writer(s) Daniel Lucas
Series Dakar Rally
Engine Unreal Engine 4 [4]
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Release25 September 2018 [5]
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Dakar 18 is a racing video game simulation developed by Portuguese studio Bigmoon Entertainment and published by Deep Silver for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows. It is based on the annual rally raid organized by the Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O). It was the first officially licensed Dakar Rally game since Dakar 2: The World's Ultimate Rally in 2003.

Contents

The Dakar Rally is an endurance race that's considered one of the most demanding events on the motorsports calendar. The 2018 running has a route of 9000 km, and it is the 10th Dakar Rally to be held in South America since the series' relocation from Europe and Africa in 2009.

Gameplay

Dakar 18 is set in an open world environment. It features both offline and online single-player and multiplayer modes. The game world is over 18,000 km² [6] in size and is completely explorable, surpassing the Guinness World Records [7] for the biggest open world in racing videogames established by Fuel (approximately 14,400 km2 in size). Dakar 18 simulates 14 stages spread across Bolivia, Argentina and Peru that give the player freedom to explore environments built from satellite images of the region.

In Dakar 18, players are challenged to face the biggest cross-country rally in the world. With a realistic navigation and orientation system that involves the official Road Books of Dakar Rally 2018, players follow instructions given by their navigator, and learn how to interpret the Road Book, to reach the finish line.

There are three difficulty modes:

In Rookie mode (easy difficulty level), players have a compass when off-road, vehicles are more resistant, repairs cost fewer DP (Dakar Points) and opponents are less challenging. In Competitor mode (standard difficulty level), there is no compass available, vehicles are more fragile, repairs are more expensive (Dakar Points and additional time) and opponents are more challenging. Both modes feature autosaves at waypoints. While the third difficulty mode, Legend, can only be unlocked when players complete Competitor mode.

New players can select “Explore” to learn the basics, or just collect artefacts in treasure hunting. Multiplayer supports up to seven players in online stages, played in split-screen mode or two screen co-op. Five categories of vehicles are available, each with different physics, including cars, trucks, motorcycles, quads and UTVs.

Players can play as official rally drivers like Sam Sunderland, Carlos Sainz, Stéphane Peterhansel, Sebastian Loeb and many others, and can exit their vehicle and take control of the pilots to explore, rescue and repair. If the vehicle is trapped, players can use shovels to dig through sand or mud, place recovery boards, and tow the vehicle. During races, players also have to pay attention to the damage and repair system.

Dakar 18 features realistic simulation for weather and different terrain, including sand and water. Players can clean their vehicles of dirt and mud by driving through rain or along shallow riverbeds. Along the way, players can stop their tracks to help others and receive extra repair points in return.

Reception

When launched, Dakar 18 was averagely received by the media. Websites either praised or criticized the navigation, pointing out that while learning to use the Road Book was rewarding for some, casual players may find it difficult. The physics of the vehicles were also received as poor, while the map was generally praised for its level of detail and vast size. After 11 updates, user reviews for the game improved. Some media outlets praised Dakar 18's uniqueness, realism and ambition.

Jeuxvideo [9] website said that "Its numerous technical flaws and its poor physics are too much to overcome." TheSixthAxis [10] said that "Dakar 18 is sadly a misjudged game that can feel refreshingly different to start with but ends up being incredibly frustrating, behind the pace and poorly implemented." GameStar [11] also said that "For an Arcade racer with offroad attitude it is too complex, for a race simulation the physics are too exaggerated, the control too spongy and the navigation too imprecise."

Trusted Reviews [12] wrote that Dakar18 "delivers something truly distinct in the wider racing genre, and though the core gameplay isn’t immediately accessible, it can be greatly rewarding to those that take a chance on tackling it properly." IGN Spain [13] said that "Dakar 18 manages to capture the essence of the event sublimely, reaching an almost sickening level of realism, but fails in everything else." Whereas IGN Portugal [14] mentioned that "Dakar 18 is an ambitious project from Bigmoon, which offers a very realistic experience of what it will be like to tackle a Rally Raid of this size and difficulty, having the potential to grab especially those who have followed the race since the days when it started from Paris to Senegal. Its strongest point will be the Road Book navigation system, incredibly detailed and very interesting to follow and learn, but the game completely fails to offer an enjoyable driving experience, especially due to the lack of care and attention to the physics of the vehicles available."

Slovak website, Sector, [15] said that "Dakar 18 is a bigger portion of fun than today's scheduled races. It's a challenge in the sense of whether you can survive at all, make it to the finish. (...) At first unnoticeable, then contagiously compelling as you struggle to grapple with the problem, master it and overcome it. That's what Dakar is all about. Too bad the gameplay one still needs a few patches. Dakar 18 isn't everyone's car, but it would be a shame to overlook it just because it's different. (...) something like Dakar 18 has been missing here for a long time."

Related Research Articles

<i>F-Zero X</i> 1998 video game

F-Zero X is a futuristic racing video game for the Nintendo 64 console. Developed by Nintendo's EAD division, it was released in Japan, North America, and Europe in 1998. In 2000, the Expansion Kit was released in Japan, including a track and vehicle editor. The original game was ported in 2004 to the iQue Player in China. It had Virtual Console re-releases on the Wii in 2007 and the Wii U around nine years later. On March 11, 2022, the game was re-released on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, featuring online multiplayer.

<i>F-Zero GX</i> 2003 video game

F-Zero GX is a 2003 racing video game developed by Amusement Vision and published by Nintendo for the GameCube console. It runs on an enhanced version of the engine used in Super Monkey Ball. F-Zero AX, the arcade counterpart of GX, uses the Triforce arcade system board conceived from a business alliance between Nintendo, Namco and Sega. Published by Sega, it was released alongside GX in 2003.

<i>Wayne Gretzkys 3D Hockey</i> 1996 video game

Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey is a video game developed and published by Atari Games for the arcade in 1996. A port for the Nintendo 64 console was released almost simultaneously with the arcade version, on November 15, 1996, making it the first-ever 4-player game for the Nintendo 64, beating Mario Kart's Japanese release by more than a month. The game was followed by a sequel, Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey '98.

<i>Cel Damage</i> 2001 video game

Cel Damage is a vehicular combat video game developed by Pseudo Interactive and published by Electronic Arts. The game was first released for Xbox on 14 November 2001, and for GameCube on 7 January 2002, in North America respectively. In Europe, the game launched for both consoles on 3 May 2002. A Europe-exclusive PlayStation 2 port, titled Cel Damage Overdrive, was released as a budget title by System 3 under their Play It label on 12 December 2002. A high-definition remaster, developed and published by Finish Line Games, titled Cel Damage HD, was released for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita on 22 April 2014 in North America and 14 May 2014 in the PAL region. An Xbox One port followed worldwide, via the Xbox Games Store, on 11 March 2016. A Nintendo Switch port was released via the Nintendo eShop on 28 March 2019.

<i>Star Wars Episode I: Racer</i> 1999 video game

Star Wars Episode I: Racer is a 1999 racing video game based on the podracing sequence in the film Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. The game features all of the racers and race course on Tatooine from The Phantom Menace. It adds several new courses, on Tatooine and various planets. It has several single player modes, including a tournament mode. The format of multiplayer mode varies by platform. Jake Lloyd and Lewis MacLeod, who portrayed Anakin Skywalker and Sebulba in The Phantom Menace, reprise their film roles in the game.

<i>Top Gear Rally</i> 1997 video game

Top Gear Rally is a 1997 racing video game developed by Boss Game Studios and released for the Nintendo 64. A follow-up to Kemco's original Top Gear game, it features a championship mode where a single player must complete six seasons of two to four races, as well as a multiplayer mode where two players may compete against each other via a split-screen display. The game's tracks combine both road and off-road surfaces and can be played in different weather conditions, including night, fog, rain, and snow. Players may customize their car with different tire grips and adjust its suspension stiffness and steering sensitivity. An option that allows players to custom paint their cars is also included.

<i>Destruction Derby</i> 1995 video game

Destruction Derby is a vehicular combat racing video game developed by Reflections Interactive and published by Psygnosis. Based on the sport of demolition derby, the game tasks the player with racing and destroying cars to score points. The developers implemented simulated physics to make the results of collisions easier to predict, and they kept the game's tracks small to increase the number of wrecks. Versions of Destruction Derby were released for MS-DOS, PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Critics found Destruction Derby enjoyable and they praised its graphics and car damage system, but the Sega Saturn releases received mixed reviews. The game started the Destruction Derby franchise, beginning with its 1996 sequel, Destruction Derby 2.

<i>V-Rally</i> (video game) 1997 video game

V-Rally is a racing video game developed by Infogrames Multimedia and released for the PlayStation console in 1997. The first game in the V-Rally series, it is based on the 1997 and 1998 World Rally Championship seasons, and features officially licensed cars and tracks inspired by real locations of rally events. Players drive rally cars through a series of stages spread over eight different locations, ranging from European countries like England, Spain or Sweden, to island countries such as Indonesia and New Zealand. As a simulation game, V-Rally places a strong emphasis on replicating the behavior physics of real cars and generally requires more practice than arcade-style racers.

Dirt and Dirt Rally, is a rally racing video game series developed and published by Codemasters. Codemasters had acquired the exclusive license to the World Rally Championship series in June 2020, which will begin as a five-year deal in 2023.

<i>Top Spin</i> (video game) 2003 video game

Top Spin is a 2003 tennis video game developed by PAM Development and Indie Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox, later published by Atari Europe for PC in 2004 and by 2K for the PlayStation 2 in 2005. The game is a simulation tennis game in which players compete in singles and doubles matches, exhibition tournaments, and a career mode in which players develop skills and rise through the ranks of an international league. Featuring an expanded control scheme to its competitors, Top Spin features several innovations including 'risk shots', in which players can execute more difficult serves and shots in addition to flat, top spin, slice and lob swings.

<i>V-Rally 3</i> 2002 video game

V-Rally 3 is a racing video game developed by Eden Studios and published by Infogrames Europe. It was released for the PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance platforms in 2002, and ported to the Xbox, GameCube, and Microsoft Windows in 2003.

<i>GTR 2 – FIA GT Racing Game</i> 2006 video game

GTR 2 – FIA GT Racing Game is a sports car racing simulator developed by Blimey! Games and SimBin Studios and published by 10tacle Publishing in 2006 for the x86 PC. it is a sequel to GTR. Not only the game simulates the official 2003 and 2004 FIA GT Championship racing series, but also open practice, race weekend, championships, time trials, endurance race events and Driving school, with more than 140 high detailed cars from the GT and NGT classes as well as 34 different track-layouts. Since its release in September 2006, the game has received widespread acclaim. Extending the physics engine from GTR, it features realistic physics including steering command by sensitivity, dynamic lighting, damage modeling and 3 different game modes.

<i>Need for Speed: ProStreet</i> 2007 racing video game

Need for Speed: ProStreet is a 2007 racing video game developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. It is the eleventh installment in the Need for Speed series and a follow-up to Need for Speed: Carbon. Unlike its immediate predecessors, which focused on the contemporary illegal street racing scene, ProStreet focuses on legal circuit races that take place on closed tracks. The game blends elements of both sim and arcade racing games, requiring players to customize and tune cars for various race modes. Most races take place in real-world locations such as the Portland International Raceway, Mondello Park, and Autopolis.

<i>Colin McRae: Dirt</i> 2007 racing video game by Codemasters

Colin McRae: Dirt is a simcade racing video game developed and published by Codemasters for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It is the last of the series to be published before Colin McRae's death. It features new graphics, audio, physics engine, new vehicles and a new game engine called Neon which was co-developed between Codemasters and Sony Computer Entertainment. The game features a variety of off-road racing categories as well as World Rally Championship style events. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 in Europe on 14 September 2007, a day prior to Colin McRae's death. The sequel, Colin McRae: Dirt 2, was released in September 2009. A simplified version of the game was developed by Glu Mobile and released for Java ME devices in 2008.

<i>Midnight Club: Los Angeles</i> 2008 video game

Midnight Club: Los Angeles is a 2008 racing video game developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games. It is the fourth installment in the Midnight Club series. The game features 43 cars and 3 motorcycles. The open world map of Los Angeles is the size of all three cities from the previous installments combined. After several delays, Midnight Club: Los Angeles was released in October 2008.

<i>Thunder Truck Rally</i> 1997 video game

Thunder Truck Rally is a monster truck racing video game developed by Reflections and published by Psygnosis where players select a monster truck or otherwise 4X4 vehicle equipped with monster truck tires and have the option of either racing or crushing cars in an arena.

Cro-Mag Rally is a kart racing game developed by Pangea Software and published by Aspyr, which takes place in caveman times. It was originally released for Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X, and was later ported to iOS, Xbox 360, Android, and Windows Phone 7.

<i>Kerbal Space Program</i> Space flight simulator video game

Kerbal Space Program (KSP) is a space flight simulation video game developed by Mexican studio Squad for Linux, macOS, Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. In the game, players direct a nascent space program, staffed and crewed by green humanoid aliens known as "Kerbals". The game features a realistic orbital physics engine, allowing for various real-life orbital maneuvers such as Hohmann transfer orbits and orbital rendezvous.

<i>F-Zero Climax</i> 2004 video game

F-Zero Climax is a racing video game developed by Suzak Inc. and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance (GBA) handheld console. The game was released in Japan on October 21, 2004 and was the last F-Zero installment for the next 19 years.

<i>Stormworks: Build and Rescue</i> First person life simulation video game

Stormworks: Build And Rescue is a simulation video game developed and published by the British studio Geometa. The game was released as an early access title in February 2018 for Windows and Mac and is receiving frequent updates through Steam. The game left early access on September 17, 2020.

References

  1. ↑ "Bigmoon Entertainment is developing Dakar 18". bigmoonstudios.com. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  2. ↑ "Dakar 18 Credits". Trusted Reviews. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  3. ↑ "Dakar 18 Credits". Trusted Reviews. Archived from the original on 6 October 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  4. ↑ "Bigmoon Entertainment have announced Dakar 18 for PS4, XOne and PC". racedepartment.com. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  5. ↑ "Dakar 18 Release Pushed Back, But Not by Much". 5 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  6. ↑ Isaac, Ashish (4 September 2018). "Dakar 18 Interview: Open World Setting, Different Game Modes, Map Size And More". Gaming Bolt. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  7. ↑ Garratt, Patrick (22 May 2009). "FUEL is officially the "biggest console game of all time"". VG247. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "Dakar 18". Metacritic. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  9. ↑ de izokay, L'avis (8 October 2018). "Test Dakar 18 : Du sable dans le moteur". Jeuxvideo. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  10. ↑ Harrison-Lord, Thomas (22 October 2018). "Dakar 18 Review". TheSixthAxis. Archived from the original on 22 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  11. ↑ Zandt, Florian (2 October 2018). "Dakar 18 im Test - Einmal Buckelpiste und zurück". GameStar. Archived from the original on 24 January 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  12. ↑ Freeman, Will (10 October 2018). "Dakar 18 Review". Trusted Reviews. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  13. ↑ Gila, Antonio (5 October 2018). "Dakar 18 - Análisis". IGN España. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  14. ↑ Rodrigues, Abílio (18 October 2018). "Dakar 18 - Análise". IGN Portugal. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  15. ↑ Kordi (5 November 2018). "Dakar 18". Sector. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.