Ever wanted to race with rally driving master Ken Block – in Colin McRae’s car? Dominic Sacco buckles up and goes for a spin.

Unless you have a rally car of your own and balls of solid steel, it might not be the easiest date to mark in your diary.

Fortunately Codemasters has released the latest Colin McRae computer game for us to drift sideways in the mud.

DiRT 2 lets you drive over 40 cars across the world, including the Nissan 350Z, Mitsubishi Evo X and McRae's rally classic - the Subaru Impreza WRX STi.

Players are up against an all-star roster of new-school rally drivers including Dave Mirra, Katie Justice and Ken Block.

Gallery: DiRT 2 gallery

They offer you challenges as you progress, giving access to new cars and tournaments. Crash into them and they’ll heckle you – finish first and you’ll gain their respect.

It’s all very hip and feels more like a Tony Hawks Skateboarding game than a serious driving sim, but that’s not a bad thing.

The racing itself is fast-paced, tense and great fun. Some corners can be a little unforgiving and crash damage can seem pointless when it hardly affects handling, but DiRT2 is full of charm.

There’s even a ‘flashback’ function which allows you to rewind the race if you crash.

But the game really shines with its eight different modes – this time there are a few interesting additions on top of standard races and classic rally trials with your co-driver.

Raid races have multiple routes split throughout them and Land Rushes include all kinds of jumps, embankments and twists.

Rallycross is our favourite – you drive around tracks which mix tarmac and dirt, constantly changing the pace of the event.

The more races you win, the more money and experience points you earn. These can be spent on new cars, tracks and extras including custom paint jobs and fluffy dice.

Upper difficulty settings can get ridiculous, but with the right car and enough practice you can nail them. This will give you more cash and respect from other drivers.

It’s not the most realistic rally sim you’ll have played, but Ken Block helped develop the title with feedback on handling and all sounds were taken from real cars.

The environments are equally gorgeous – particularly the exotic reaches of Morocco. Driving through the dirt with your co-driver warning you of an "easy left into hard right" makes you feel the part.

And the energetic soundtrack is straight from an American teenager’s iPod – chock full of punk rock, indie and techno from artists such as Bloc Party and The Prodigy.

DiRT 2 is accessible, easy to pick up and fun to play. This is an essential purchase for rallying nuts and racing game fans alike, and a return to form for the Colin McRae gaming franchise.

Beating Ken Block has never been so much fun. Or possible.

Video: Ken Block in Gymkhana 2