DAKAR 18

Although I applaud Bigmoon for trying to bring this niche motorsport into video games properly, the end result is awkward and feels unfinished.

58%Game Brain Score

graphics, gameplay

stability, atmosphere

67% User Score Based on 508 reviews

Critic Score 46%Based on 7 reviews

Platforms

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About

DAKAR 18 is a single player and multiplayer racing game. It was developed by Bigmoon Entertainment and was released on September 25, 2018. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

"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.

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67%

Audience ScoreBased on 508 reviews

graphics38 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

The game offers a unique navigation experience that captures the essence of the Dakar Rally, making it feel immersive and challenging.
The graphics and environment design are visually appealing, providing a beautiful backdrop for the long stages.
The game is fun and can be hilarious when played with friends, especially during the long and tedious races.

The vehicle handling is poor and unrealistic, making it difficult to control cars and bikes, which detracts from the overall experience.
The co-driver is often unhelpful and annoying, providing vague or late instructions that can lead to confusion and frustration.
There are significant technical issues, including lack of proper wheel support and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, leading to a frustrating experience.

graphics
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
44%
10%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the immersive environments and overall visual quality, though some note that they feel somewhat outdated and glitchy. While the terrain and artwork are often described as beautiful, there are complaints about optimization issues and inconsistencies in performance. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, providing an enjoyable experience despite some technical shortcomings.
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “Unpleasant, outdated game graphics!”
- “Graphics from 2004.”
- “The physics are non-existent, the graphics are from 2008, oh wait... even back then they were better.”
gameplay
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The gameplay of Dakar 18 is a mixed bag, featuring engaging rally raid mechanics that set it apart from typical racing games, but marred by glitches and awkward driving controls. While the graphics and scenery are praised, many players find the navigation system frustrating and the overall experience inconsistent, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction despite some enjoyable moments. Overall, it offers a unique but flawed driving experience that may appeal to those willing to overlook its shortcomings.
- “Good driving mechanics.”
- “The 'thing' that turns Dakar 18 from a forgettable mediocre racing game into one of the most engaging experiences in the racing genre in the last couple of years (at least for me personally) is the rally raid mechanic.”
- “The gameplay is unlike any other racing game out there.”
- “The gameplay overall just feels wrong, but if you want to play a game where you get almost no clue where you have to go besides a distance tracker, telling you at which mile you have to turn, which obviously doesn't match if you get off-track for whatever reason, then go ahead.”
- “Was hoping for even just somewhat predictable handling mechanics; it would have made this unique driving experience enjoyable to say the least.”
- “It's driving mechanics you'd expect in a game with no focus around driving, like GTA or something.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highly praised, particularly when played with friends, as players find the chaotic physics and absurd situations—like trucks flying and bouncing—hilarious. The interactions and antics of characters, especially during challenging tasks, add to the comedic experience, making it a source of laughter and enjoyment. Overall, the game's lightheartedness and funny moments contribute significantly to its appeal.
- “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, and the co-pilot is perfect; I like his voice and he seems to be a nice guy in person.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marred by numerous glitches, including frustrating collision issues that can cause players to get stuck on obstacles and experience audio cutouts. While the graphics are praised, the overall gameplay suffers from a bumpy feel and inconsistent performance, leading to a mixed experience despite the fun factor.
- “Others have observed that you can get randomly stuck on rocks in ways that are 'broken.' These glitches are very frustrating.”
- “At first, I recommend a steering wheel with force feedback; steering itself feels kind of odd, and gameplay feels too bumpy. The game has a lot of glitches, but it still has good graphics and is still a lot of fun!”
- “There are a few graphic glitches, white frames, all textures on the worst LOD for a few milliseconds, the audio cuts out for me sometimes, and some obstacles have bad collision and trap you, like the tires.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The game effectively captures the intense atmosphere of the Dakar rally, immersing players in a thrilling race against time and the elements. Despite its arcade-style physics, the overall ambiance is highly praised, making it a standout experience for fans of the genre.
- “Great atmosphere!”
- “The atmosphere of that race against time and elements is amazingly showcased in the game.”
- “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 shown in the game.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The game boasts high replayability due to its five vehicle categories, three difficulty levels, and 14 diverse stages, ensuring players can enjoy varied experiences. Additionally, the inclusion of free DLCs featuring multi-stage races further enhances replay value.
- “You can play in each class of vehicle, so the replay value is pretty high here, plus there are a couple of free DLCs which offer more multi-stage races.”
- “The game has very good replayability, with 5 categories of vehicles, three difficulty levels, and 14 gorgeous stages that one never tires of.”
- “The game offers a great difficulty curve and potential for replay value.”
- “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.”
- “- Difficulty curve, potential replay value.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game's optimization has received criticism, particularly regarding graphics performance, with players frequently experiencing frame rates below 60 fps even on lower settings. Additionally, using an Xbox One controller has led to significant stuttering issues, indicating that the game may not be well-optimized for various input methods.
- “The graphics aren't optimized the best, as even with some settings turned down, I'm often below 60 fps (I have a 144 Hz monitor, so even 60 is a low frame rate to me). However, it doesn't seem too bad in action, surprisingly.”
- “After restarting, I tried to play with my Xbox One controller, and the game is incredibly not optimized.”
- “I was getting a ridiculous amount of stuttering.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the lengthy duration of races, which can make the experience feel repetitive and time-consuming. Many suggest that extensive grinding may require a significant time investment, likening it to needing a "second life" to fully engage with the content.
- “Can be a bit tedious as the races run for a long time.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The reviews indicate that the game lacks a story, with multiple users noting the absence of any narrative elements.
- “No story.”
- “No story.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The music in the game is generally described as appropriate and fitting, complementing the good graphics and well-designed menus. While it is considered okay, it does not stand out significantly, serving more as a background element rather than a highlight.
- “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.”
- “The music is just okay; it doesn't really stand out.”
- “The sound design is mediocre and lacks any real impact.”
- “Overall, the music is forgettable and doesn't enhance the gameplay experience.”