Dakar 18

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"Dakar 18" is a realistic racing simulation based on the famous Dakar Rally, featuring a variety of off-road vehicles and a huge open world. Compete online or offline in motorcycles, cars, trucks, quads, and UTVs, with official vehicles and pilots from Peugeot, KTM, Honda, and more. The game includes a range of terrains and challenging weather conditions for players to master.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

Reviews

66%

Audience ScoreBased on 409 reviews

graphics32 positive mentions

stability9 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and challenging navigation experience that captures the essence of the Dakar Rally.
The vast open-world maps and diverse terrains provide an immersive environment for exploration and racing.
The developers are actively updating the game and addressing community feedback, showing commitment to improvement.

The vehicle handling and physics are often criticized as unrealistic and frustrating, especially for steering wheel users.
The co-driver's instructions can be vague and poorly timed, leading to confusion during navigation.
There are numerous technical issues, including crashes, bugs, and poor controller support, which detract from the overall experience.

graphics
77 mentions
42 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the immersive environments and visual quality, while others criticize them as outdated or subpar for a modern title. Many users note that while the graphics can be visually appealing, they are often marred by technical issues such as glitches and poor optimization. Overall, the graphics are seen as a highlight for some, but not enough to compensate for the game's other shortcomings.
- “The landscape is breathtaking and the graphics are fantastic.”
- “The graphics in this game are really very good, and the map is made absolutely gorgeous - a huge respect for the designers of the environment.”
- “Aesthetically it's beautiful and the terrain deformation is great.”
- “Horrible physics, ugly models/graphics, and lots of tedious mechanics.”
- “The graphics are still sub-par, the controls are still clunky, and most of all: the bugs are still there.”
- “The physics are non-existent, the graphics are from 2008, oh wait... even back then they were better.”
gameplay
43 mentions
30 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique mechanics and graphics, while others criticize the clunky controls, poor physics, and lack of engaging gameplay loops. Many users noted that the driving mechanics can be enjoyable but are often marred by technical issues and frustrating mechanics, such as unclear navigation and damage systems. Overall, while there are elements of fun and depth, significant improvements are needed for a more polished experience.
- “The game does a really good job in explaining how the road book works and the mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is unlike any other racing game out there.”
- “I really enjoyed this game; the core gameplay is really fun, but technical bugs and a bit of clunky physics still make it enjoyable.”
- “Horrible physics, ugly models/graphics, and lots of tedious mechanics.”
- “No gameplay loop; controls and gameplay are not engaging.”
- “The gameplay overall just feels wrong, but if you want to play a game where you have almost no clue where you have to go besides a distance tracker, then go ahead.”
stability
9 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by numerous glitches and bugs, including frustrating issues with steering, collision detection, and graphical performance. Players have reported random instances of getting stuck on obstacles, audio cutouts, and inconsistent frame rates, which detract from the overall experience despite the game's good graphics and enjoyable gameplay.
- “Others have observed that you can get randomly stuck on rocks in ways that are 'broken.' These glitches are very frustrating.”
- “Yes, it's still a bit buggy in terms of gameplay.”
- “There are a few graphic glitches, white frames, all textures on worst LOD for a few milliseconds, the audio cuts out for me sometimes, some obstacles have bad collision and trap you, the tires for example.”
optimization
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant frame rate drops and stuttering, particularly when using controllers. While a few users noted that the performance is generally good given the size of the maps, others found the lack of optimization to be frustrating, leading to crashes and an overall poor experience. Players are advised to check their system's capabilities before purchasing.
- “Performances revealed to be good, but two crashes during adventure mode happened; luckily the game autosaves.”
- “Rather good and incredibly optimized for how big the maps are.”
- “Graphics aren't optimized the best, as even with some things turned down I'm often below 60 fps; though honestly, it doesn't seem too bad in action here, surprisingly.”
- “So unoptimized it's unbearable.”
- “After restarting, I tried to play with my Xbox One controller, and the game is incredibly not optimized.”
- “The game is not optimized, so expect FPS drops and poor performance. Check if you can run it before buying.”
humor
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted as a key aspect, particularly when played with friends, leading to hilarious moments such as absurd vehicle physics and comical crashes. Players find the exaggerated scenarios, like trucks bouncing and characters struggling with simple tasks, to be entertaining, though some frustrations arise from losing progress after mishaps. Overall, the game's blend of slapstick humor and engaging mechanics contributes to a lighthearted and enjoyable experience.
- “Best played with friends, hilarious as hell.”
- “Difficulty: I've only played 'easy' so far - which is hilarious, watching a truck fly through the air then bounce like a ball when gravity gets its revenge - but there are other options and I'm curious how timid anything realistic would make me.”
- “Game itself can be positively funny when you see like 5 guys trying to climb a mountain and they look so helpless; the co-pilot is perfect, I like his voice and he seems to be a nice guy in person.”
atmosphere
6 mentions
17 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere effectively captures the essence of rally raid, immersing players in the challenges of racing against time and the elements. While some users noted a lack of atmosphere in certain aspects, the overall experience is praised for its strong representation of the Dakar rally environment.
- “The atmosphere and challenges of rally raid are simulated very well.”
- “While the physics definitely lean towards arcade, there is nothing better out there that gives the atmosphere of running the Dakar.”
- “Missing atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere of that race against time and elements is amazingly portrayed in the game.”
grinding
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive effort to progress. Complaints include long race durations, poor physics, and unattractive graphics, which detract from the overall experience. Despite some unique elements, the repetitive mechanics can make gameplay feel laborious.
- “Can be a bit tedious as the races run for a long time.”
- “Horrible physics, ugly models/graphics, and lots of tedious mechanics.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
replayability
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability due to its diverse selection of five vehicle classes, three difficulty levels, and 14 visually appealing stages, along with additional free DLCs featuring multi-stage races. Players appreciate the variety and challenge, ensuring that the experience remains fresh and engaging.
- “The game has very good replayability, with 5 categories of vehicles, three difficulty levels, and 14 gorgeous stages that never get old.”
- “You can play in each class of vehicle, so the replay value is pretty high here. Plus, there are a couple of free DLCs that offer more multi-stage races.”
- “The difficulty curve affects the potential replay value.”
music
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with users appreciating its appropriateness and overall quality. It complements the game's graphics and design, enhancing the experience during transitions and gameplay. While some feedback is neutral, the overall sentiment leans towards positive.
- “Good graphics and attractively-designed menus and transition screens, appropriate music, nice levels of detail and description when highlighting the drivers and vehicles and before the stages.”
- “I like the music.”
- “The music is just okay; it doesn't really stand out.”
- “The sound design feels lackluster and uninspired.”
- “The soundtrack is forgettable and doesn't enhance the gameplay experience.”
story
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The game lacks a narrative, with users noting that there is no story present.
- “There is no story to speak of.”
- “The game lacks any meaningful narrative.”
- “The storyline is completely absent.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the emotional delivery of the character's voice lacks consistency, leading to a jarring experience where calm instructions abruptly shift to shouting. This inconsistency can create an impression of emotional instability, detracting from the overall immersion in the game.
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is not explicitly discussed, but the long-term enjoyment and lack of frustration suggest that it may not rely heavily on aggressive monetization strategies, allowing players to focus on gameplay rather than financial pressures.