DiRT Showdown
Developer: Codemasters
Publisher: Codemasters
Release date:25/05/2012
Format: PS3/XBOX360/PC
First thing first, this is not to be associated as a follow up to the previous DiRT titles. Think of Showdown as a spin-off of the series made famous by the late Colin McRae. Mr Ken Block still has his fingers in this American showboat game, but far less so than DiRT3. This is all about the audience, the roaring of V8 engines and smashing of metal on metal. Yes, Destruction Derby has finally made it to this generation consoles, and it couldn’t look sweeter.
For years gamers have cried for a follow up of their loved PS1 smashing of cars game. The product may not be packaged as you would expect, but its mayhem none the less. With Codemasters, take on the prized franchise its does a lot of things well; it also has not improved much since DiRT3 or DiRT2. The look and feel of the game is from DiRT3, which is great. DiRT3 was great in that aspect and there was little they could to improve it. But one thing you will notice before the lights turn green is a Nitro meter in the bottom right corner of your screen. This game has a far more arcade feel to that before and to be honest it’s a necessary change. This type of game wouldn’t work as a realistic racer. Smashing cars to bits is fun and once your car is dead, you don’t want to sit around while the other cars carry on smashing away. So the decision was made to forget the pervious DiRTs and make something new and It works and works well.
The gameplay is spot on, I have no beef with it what so ever, plenty of modes and various types races. Demolition, the smashing type including the Infamous Destruction Derby or Rampage, but also Knock out, where you only score points while on a raised platform and can bash opponents off the platform to score points too. And 8-Ball, a race of all races. With plenty of cross over points it’s a challenge to win with your car intact. Racing is the normal Race-offs with no other objective than finishing first, but all a few variations added to the mix. Donation has you trying to get the fastest time in 4 sections of the track and Elimination, where the last place racer is booted out the race at set timed intervals. And for you Gymkhana fans there’s a new Mode titled Hooligan. This is a much easier style of Ken Blocks trade mark. It looks the same and plays the same, but Codemaster have made things easier, because even I can now do the various Donuts, Spins and drafts as intended. This is split into several variations of Trick Rush, aka Normal Gymkhana. Head2Head which is similar to the Point to point mode of Gymkhana from DiRT3. but hosts two mirror imaged tracks played at the same time by two drivers and switch once the first course is completed and Smash Hunter, those pesky coloured blocks are back and need smashing again.
Publisher: Codemasters
Release date:25/05/2012
Format: PS3/XBOX360/PC
First thing first, this is not to be associated as a follow up to the previous DiRT titles. Think of Showdown as a spin-off of the series made famous by the late Colin McRae. Mr Ken Block still has his fingers in this American showboat game, but far less so than DiRT3. This is all about the audience, the roaring of V8 engines and smashing of metal on metal. Yes, Destruction Derby has finally made it to this generation consoles, and it couldn’t look sweeter.
For years gamers have cried for a follow up of their loved PS1 smashing of cars game. The product may not be packaged as you would expect, but its mayhem none the less. With Codemasters, take on the prized franchise its does a lot of things well; it also has not improved much since DiRT3 or DiRT2. The look and feel of the game is from DiRT3, which is great. DiRT3 was great in that aspect and there was little they could to improve it. But one thing you will notice before the lights turn green is a Nitro meter in the bottom right corner of your screen. This game has a far more arcade feel to that before and to be honest it’s a necessary change. This type of game wouldn’t work as a realistic racer. Smashing cars to bits is fun and once your car is dead, you don’t want to sit around while the other cars carry on smashing away. So the decision was made to forget the pervious DiRTs and make something new and It works and works well.
The gameplay is spot on, I have no beef with it what so ever, plenty of modes and various types races. Demolition, the smashing type including the Infamous Destruction Derby or Rampage, but also Knock out, where you only score points while on a raised platform and can bash opponents off the platform to score points too. And 8-Ball, a race of all races. With plenty of cross over points it’s a challenge to win with your car intact. Racing is the normal Race-offs with no other objective than finishing first, but all a few variations added to the mix. Donation has you trying to get the fastest time in 4 sections of the track and Elimination, where the last place racer is booted out the race at set timed intervals. And for you Gymkhana fans there’s a new Mode titled Hooligan. This is a much easier style of Ken Blocks trade mark. It looks the same and plays the same, but Codemaster have made things easier, because even I can now do the various Donuts, Spins and drafts as intended. This is split into several variations of Trick Rush, aka Normal Gymkhana. Head2Head which is similar to the Point to point mode of Gymkhana from DiRT3. but hosts two mirror imaged tracks played at the same time by two drivers and switch once the first course is completed and Smash Hunter, those pesky coloured blocks are back and need smashing again.
Gymkhana returns as the much easier Hooligan
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Its ALL about the smashing of cars this time round
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With plenty to do and great fun feeling game its difficult to say anything bad, but there’s plenty. The Single Player is bland, you feel like you race each race simply because it’s the next one. Sounds daft, but in DiRT2, they nailed it the various people talking and encouraging you from race to race. You felt like you were progressing as a racer and character, not just blindly going from one race to the next. The single player becomes a grind just to finish the various events, and get stuck on two events and you can’t progress. As requiring a podium finish opens up the next event. Some modes especially 8-Ball, with have you smashing the reset button regularly. Words cannot express the frustration, to be leading a race from the start, just to be clipped on the last corner, sent spinning and finish last. Part of the game, I know. But just to have the menu show that you failed and to have to play the whole race again, though no fault of your own is demoralising. Smash Hunter is another mode I had problems with. My colour blindness made it extremely difficult to tell apart the Green and yellow Blocks. Smash the wrong colour and its game over, lucky the flashback option was available and can be used on certain events, but not all. Another beef I have is that a most of the tracks are copied from DiRT3. Just given a fresh lick of paint and made to look different, but it’s the same course none the less. There are a few new ones, but the bulk are recycled.
New to DiRT is the ability to upgrade you vehicles, once your monster is purchased in either of the style of Demolition or Race, you can improve its power, strength and handling. Overall its nice to be able to do this and see your car’s grade go from D to A. But it seems a waste are there are no visual changes. The cars feel the same and driving a grade A car doesn’t seem to have no difference if driving a Grade D one. What I have noticed is that some cars are VERY overpowered. Especially in the Demolition class. Trucks will bounce off others like the gravity has been switched off. No matter how much you upgrade, the effect is the same when against these specific opponents. Joyride makes a return, with Battersea joined now with a Japan warehouse/powerstation. This is no different to the mode from DiRT3, simply, do the tricks required around certain parts of the map and collect the tokens. It’s much easier, like I said pervious, as Gymkhana is now do-able for a lot more people. Weather they made is easier because a lot of people complained about it in DiRT3, I don’t know. But the fact that I can now say I can do Gymkhana when I couldn’t in DiRT3, means something has changed. But once the nice and easy pointed out tricks are done and packages collected, Joyride is left just sitting taking up space on your disc. It’s a good idea, but once finished and you’ve unlocked the special livery car. There is no reason to revisit.
New to DiRT is the ability to upgrade you vehicles, once your monster is purchased in either of the style of Demolition or Race, you can improve its power, strength and handling. Overall its nice to be able to do this and see your car’s grade go from D to A. But it seems a waste are there are no visual changes. The cars feel the same and driving a grade A car doesn’t seem to have no difference if driving a Grade D one. What I have noticed is that some cars are VERY overpowered. Especially in the Demolition class. Trucks will bounce off others like the gravity has been switched off. No matter how much you upgrade, the effect is the same when against these specific opponents. Joyride makes a return, with Battersea joined now with a Japan warehouse/powerstation. This is no different to the mode from DiRT3, simply, do the tricks required around certain parts of the map and collect the tokens. It’s much easier, like I said pervious, as Gymkhana is now do-able for a lot more people. Weather they made is easier because a lot of people complained about it in DiRT3, I don’t know. But the fact that I can now say I can do Gymkhana when I couldn’t in DiRT3, means something has changed. But once the nice and easy pointed out tricks are done and packages collected, Joyride is left just sitting taking up space on your disc. It’s a good idea, but once finished and you’ve unlocked the special livery car. There is no reason to revisit.
"These blocks better wash out?"
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Deja Vu, Lots of recycled tracks from DiRT3
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Online, is no different to its previous incarnations. Pick a mode and play the different races with 8 players. Gain XP or Fans and level up. Unlocking Cars and upgrades for your prised smashing mobiles. New to the online scene is the ability to send Challenges to your friends. Do well in an event and you can send them a challenge to beat your time or score. They have to use the same car and conditions and have three attempts. If they beat your score, you loose a tally; if they fail over the three attempts you gain a tally. It’s
simple but effective. It only offers limited fun, but a way to get involved with friends without them being online at the same time.
Showdown is a fun game, but theres many problems with it. As a single player the game is frustrating and rage inducing. Online is basic can get very repetitive very quickly. There’s no sense of achievement online, just finishing the race and gaining XP. To then spend of your cars which feels a waste anyway and you gain enough money from the single player anyway. The game soon looses its wow factor and becomes a grind, just to reach the next level of events and again, no sense of why should I bother. The very last race, is nothing special, it’s in fact no different to any of the others. It has more fireworks and the commenter saying well done, you’ve made it. Some modes are enjoyable; mainly the destruction ones like Rampage and Knock out are the best and will gladly play then with friends online. The Others I could do without.
simple but effective. It only offers limited fun, but a way to get involved with friends without them being online at the same time.
Showdown is a fun game, but theres many problems with it. As a single player the game is frustrating and rage inducing. Online is basic can get very repetitive very quickly. There’s no sense of achievement online, just finishing the race and gaining XP. To then spend of your cars which feels a waste anyway and you gain enough money from the single player anyway. The game soon looses its wow factor and becomes a grind, just to reach the next level of events and again, no sense of why should I bother. The very last race, is nothing special, it’s in fact no different to any of the others. It has more fireworks and the commenter saying well done, you’ve made it. Some modes are enjoyable; mainly the destruction ones like Rampage and Knock out are the best and will gladly play then with friends online. The Others I could do without.
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Positives
+ Car smashing mayhem + Plays and feels well + Easier Gymkhana Negatives - Single players becomes a grind - Online is limited - Same tracks from previous DiRT titles |
Score-o-Graph
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Chris Sowry 6/10
