With the DiRT series, Codemasters took a big step in diversifying the rally genre to make it more approachable, and in turn it attracted quite a following. Coming to a head in DiRT 3 with the introduction of Gymkhana, this new gameplay style shook up the series for long-time fans, but acted in an...

New events are fully featured and add a huge amount of variety, both in Single-Player and Online; Fast, loud, action packed racing will appeal to a broad audience; Codemaster's high production values return, providing a polished racing experience.

Streamlining including lack of manual gears, customisation and cockpit view may annoy long time fans; Strange decisions such as removing Flashbacks from the racing mode may cause frustration.

Mark gets behind the wheel of Codemasters' latest entry in the Dirt series. But how does the new arcade livery fare on the race track?

Varied deformation models make for satisfying destruction; Sharp presentation and smooth visuals; Wide range of event types; Online racing is masses of fun; Easy-to-master arcade handling

Single-player campaign lacks a proper career to nurture or narrative to follow; Cheesy commentary wears thin quickly

UK REVIEW: There's a spectacle to Dirt Showdown that flies in the face of racing tradition: the jumps, the drifts, the squealing doughnuts, and the blinding flash of fireworks. With each crumpled bumper and shattered windscreen, a vast arena crowd roars, eager to be wowed not with the shaving of...

Varied deformation models make for satisfying destruction; Sharp presentation and smooth visuals; Wide range of event types; Online racing is masses of fun; Easy-to-master arcade handling

Single-player campaign lacks a proper career to nurture or narrative to follow; Cheesy commentary wears thin quickly

Dirt Showdown is a boisterous and varied racer best enjoyed with friends.

This is not a traditional rally game. It's an important point to remember for fans of Codemaster's epic DiRT series. What it is though, is fun. Car smashing, exhilaratingly arcadey fun.

Handling model is great for the occasion; Cracking fun with friends; 8-Ball events are terrifying; exhilarating and super fun

Some lazy track recycling from old games in an already short game; Tracks in Tour mode repeat and get too lengthy; Horrific new swear words will be invented by getting screwed out of points/places

Trick-based gymkhana events and mini-games were largely a sideshow to the rally racing in last year's Dirt 3 , but that germ of an idea - to lightly pull the franchise away from its simulation roots - becomes a full-blown carnival of driving delights in Dirt Showdown .

+ Huge array of exciting race and battle types; + Challenges and online play are a total blast

? Will

and Codemasters Racing; a US redneck-inspired circus of twisted metal, sound-tracked by the guttural bark of muscle cars and the noxious aroma of spent nitrous.

The DiRT series consistently pumps out some seriously good looking, and playing, racing games. They may not flirt too closely with realism, but when it comes to just-right handling and an empowered sense of track ownership, very few can compete.

DiRT Showdown is a good game, it's just not specifically tailored for most places outside of the USA. That doesnt' make it bad, it just makes it an acquired taste. It looks great, plays good and is obvioulsy another quality Codemasters Racing game.

The Dirt series from Codemasters has had an interesting evolution since the first title arrived in 2007. Originally Colin McRae: Dirt , the game was filled with different events that featured a range of vehicles, such as rally cars, buggies and hill climbing big rigs.