Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 53 Critics What's this?

User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 41 Ratings

  • Summary: Dirt Showdown is an arcade spin-off of the Dirt series featuring over-the-top Hoonigan, Demolition, and Race events.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 53
  2. Negative: 1 out of 53
  1. Jun 12, 2012
    90
    Not since the old days of Psygnosis' Destruction Derby games have we been able to really go in and trash cars for the sake of trashing cars.
  2. Jun 26, 2012
    85
    In the end, DiRT Showdown is an outstanding game and probably the most polished demolition-style racer out there. Online play is surprisingly smooth, and outside of relatively small issues like needing login data for Youtube and Codemasters' own Racenet service nearby, there isn't much I didn't enjoy about the experience as a whole. It's definitely a worthwhile purchase for either fans of the DiRT franchise or of demolition racers in general.
  3. Jun 7, 2012
    73
    It's a decent arcade racer that could have been made great with a tighter focus on the good stuff.
  4. Jun 26, 2012
    40
    Dirt Showdown is all the in-between stuff from other racing games. It's those filler events you had to play to get to the next actual race. Basically, driving game gametax, now given its own game. It's as if someone lifted up all the rally races from the previous Dirts, swept out the detritus that was left, collected it into a tidy little pile, and then slapped a name on it. Dirt Showdown.

See all 53 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 10
  2. Negative: 4 out of 10
  1. 10
    Yes, it has some issues. There is some lag online at times, and some glitches. However, this game has to be the most fun derby game in a very long time, and not only that, but you can go online and have crazy matches. I think this game is severely underrated because it has the Dirt name, which disappoints previous Dirt game fans, and scares away people that didn't like Dirt 1-3. Demos are out on all platforms, and even though there isn't much to see on them, anyone who likes smashing cars owes it to themselves to play at least the demo if not the full game. Expand
  2. Don't read other comments, this game one of the best racing games ever made with very cool soundtrack and graphics, interested cars like Ferrari P and more more! Expand
  3. In many respects, Dirt Showdown is a divergence from the rally racing core that has defined the series since its inception in 2007. Edge of your seat control has been replaced by a simplistic handling model, perfect for arcade racing. Hence this is more like Destruction Derby than Dirt. Whilst doubts were surfaced beforehand as to the competancy of the collisions, the game still remains good fun. The damage model itself is lacking, with fairly poor collisions, much akin to hitting a golf caddy in a head on collision as opposed to seeing metal bend and glass shatter in sumptuous ways. As this entry aims for a more casual audience, so do the online options. Getting into a race feels like chaotic fun, which goes for all the destructive based events in the game. Unfortunately Dirt Showdown squanders its epicness somewhat by acknowledging its core DNA. So there are the plethora of rally orientated events including a Gymkhana variant and smash attack modes. None are poorly implemented, but they feel out of place in a game supposedly made for the purposes of carnage. Granted without them we may not see Ken Block's Monster fuelled Ford Fiesta, but the game's heart lies in devastation and adversarial competitiveness. Still despite a bit of an identity crisis and a hollow damage model, DIRT Showdown is still a fun party racer that sits along nicely to the main DIRT franchise. Collapse
  4. As much as I love the other DiRT games, it pains me to say that Showdown really was a let down. The uninspired tracks and modes made it feel like a discount version. And the lack of licenced cars. It does look pretty, but that doesn't really save the game from feeling like a cheap money maker by Codemasters. Considering the usual standard of Codemasters' games, this title really doesn't qualify as a DiRT title. Expand

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