Much fuss was made about DiRT: Showdown. So much that when it finally landed in our laps for a review we didn’t take it for a spin immediately. We had first to wait for the autumn leaves to fall, for the sky to turn grey, for (more than) a little prodding and for the strawberry swing to move us. But when we finally huddled into the cockpit of the racer, we were taken aback. What it had to offer was simply amazing, whether holding onto your seats for dear life or kicking back with some good old-fashioned (and unlicensed) fun. Simply put, the game blew us away. And we began to regret not popping it into the PS3 sooner.
Codemasters’ hard work shines brightly through; not just with the quantity that’s packed into the title, but also in terms of creativity. The game reeks of creativity, leaking out of every crack, into every insane demolition mode, onto every race track. There isn’t much you can do to escape it. And it is a ton of fun, whether bouncing off computer AI or challenging a friend to a proper English duel. But like any racing title, will it stand the test of time-aged gameplay? Or will it buckle under forces beyond its control? Read on to see how DiRT: Showdown stood up as we put it through its paces.
The dials from DiRT 3 have been done away with, and the cockpit view is now a simplified one. A damage meter and boost gauge sit unobtrusively and unassumingly at the bottom right of the screen. Even the game’s menus are highly simplistic in form and function, making it easy to navigate straight to the racing. The focus seems to have shifted to an arcade style aimed at shielding the gamer from the intricacies of the sport. You won’t lose hair over the precise speed at which to take a corner or be thrown into a donut. Responsive, easy-to-learn controls make the game a lot of fun to play.
Various exotic cars become available for purchase as you play through the game’s story mode called Showdown Tour. But at first, the money that comes in is scarce and you might have to put off splurging on more expensive cars. The commentary is well below par and doesn’t help at all. And unlike with other racing titles, you can’t sell back cars or take off upgrades if you want to reassign some of your funds and try out different vehicles. So apart from the streamlined system in DiRT: Showdown, what about the racing it provides?
What initially caught our eye were the head-to-head races. If you’ve seen any of Ken Block’s videos you’ll know what these battles entail. Throwing the Hoonigan racers around masterfully conceived sections like ragdolls is impressive and allows you to push your limits. It’s sad that Codemasters Racing hasn’t handed over a bit of creative power to players. The lifespan of the title would have been drastically prolonged with a different level of mayhem; user-generated mayhem.
The game’s tracks and race venues have a fair deal going for them. Although they aren’t conceived with utmost technicality, they more than make up for that in terms of an inventive chaotic element. Introducing weapons to the races would make for a far more explosive time, but then that isn’t in keeping with the DiRT philosophy. The 8-Ball race types are exceptional. As are knock-out battles, where the aim is to push competitors off an elevated platform to earn points, while not getting thumped out yourself. The multiplayer version of this race type is especially thrilling.
There is even a race type in which, over the course of a few laps, you must tussle to dominate a track’s individual sections. Domination, as it is called. Fastest section times continually change hands and boost seems inadequate. The victor is the one who has the most points accrued from sector standings as well as final positions. Amazing are the destructive game types and ingenious the race rules.
A nifty replay feature has been embedded within DiRT: Showdown allowing capture and direct upload to YouTube. Sadly there is a 30-second cap on each clip, while the recording process takes its toll on our twitchy, impatient fingers. Another gripe we had with the replay function is that it is extremely restrictive. The game’s high-energy soundtrack delivers the perfect balance of pushy beats to complement the uncompromising events, although a few misplaced tracks aren’t up to the mark. Replayability comes in the form of online races and the desire to ace leaderboards, while the Joyride mode packed into the title lets players enjoy a bit of casual arcadia.
The Final Word: Like it or not, DiRT: Showdown manages to serve up some truly phenomenal racing with little effort. The mercurial racer oozes hard-hitting action and carves out a place of its own. And although it doesn’t feature the create and share mechanic that pushes so many Sony titles across the finishing line with style, it is not a game that can be easily ignored. Arcade racing has never been so much fun!
Gameplay: 9/10
Visuals: 9/10
Soundtrack: 8.5/10
Tracks: 8/10
Replayability: 8/10
Overall (not an average): 8.5/10