Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The immediate proposition is simple: you are adding a Ford Escort Mk2 to the Open Rally Class roster. That directness is useful if you already spend time in that class and want another car to choose, but it also means the pack has very little room to surprise you after the first drive.

The Ken Block connection comes through a single dedicated livery, so this is more about the specific look and association than a bundle of fresh ways to play. It works as a small bit of garage flavor for a DiRT 3 regular, especially if the Escort is a car you already enjoy using.

Its limitation is also impossible to ignore. One vehicle with one livery is a thin standalone purchase by any normal DLC standard. Buy it because you specifically want this Escort Mk2 variant in Open Rally Class, not because you expect the game’s routine to feel newly expanded.

Graphics

The lone visual hook is the Ford Escort Mk2’s Ken Block livery. With no extra locations or broader set of vehicles attached, that paint scheme has to carry nearly all of the pack’s visual appeal.

Story

There is no story attached to this add-on. The pack does not build a narrative around Ken Block or the Ford Escort Mk2; it simply adds the car and its livery.

That makes it easy to slot into an existing DiRT 3 save without worrying about plot context or a separate campaign thread. You are picking up a vehicle, not following a new chapter.

For some fans, that is exactly right. A recognizable driver-branded rally car can be its own little bit of history and personality, but the package leaves that meaning to you rather than dramatizing it.

Overall Experience

Ken Block Special Pack is a modest extra with an honest, extremely limited scope. It adds one clearly defined thing, and it is difficult to recommend beyond fans of the Ford Escort Mk2, Ken Block’s livery, or Open Rally Class completion.

There is a small pleasure in having a distinctively branded classic rally car available, and the inclusion of the pack in DiRT 3: Complete Edition makes it a welcome bonus there. On its own, though, its value depends entirely on how badly you want this exact vehicle.

Give it a chance if a Ken Block-liveried Escort Mk2 is enough to make you smile when you browse the garage. Otherwise, save your attention for larger DiRT 3 additions: this one is a neat collectible, not a substantial destination.

Retro Replay Score

5/10