DiRT Showdown is more of an arcade game than the rest of the DiRT series. Instead of the fine controlled driving you are smashing into things, although you do require some skill for the gymkhana events.
Graphically the game looks great, the car models are detailed and the textures are high quality. There is a good amount of smash detail as your car slowly falls apart and plenty of over the top fireworks every time you do something. Hit something, fireworks, complete a lap, fireworks, load screen, fireworks.
Showdown gives you a variety of different race types from an actual race around a track to different types of smashing everyone events. The problem is that a lot of these events end up feeling the same. You smash everyone up for points, then you smash them up for points but knock them out of a ring as well, maybe try avoiding being smashed up by people for a change. This is what really lets the game down. Whilst it's fun to pick up for a quick bash once you've played a few races it all starts to feel the same.
There is a lot of content in the game but it all ends up feeling the same. Tracks have similar layouts and you upgrade each car in the same way. There just isn't enough difference between anything to keep you coming back for more
6.5/10.