Complete with flashy pyrotechnics and nitrous boosts, DiRT Showdown is set to offer a brand new racing experience that places a heavy emphasis on speed, style, destruction and over-the-top mayhem.
We guess Codemasters will use a modified version of its current Ego engine, which has enabled the developer to create detailed damage and physics, as well as render large-scale environments in past DiRT games. In DiRT Showdown it describes the damage system as being "super-charged"
The announcement trailer shows how DiRT Showdown will feature combative racing as players smash and trick their way to the finals.
“DiRT Showdown charges into the arcade racing space with a uniquely Codemasters feel,” said Mike Chapman, senior games designer. “Whether players are using nitrous to boost, smashing into their opponents or pulling off stunts, DiRT Showdown’s fresh handling system and super-charged damage engine embed excitement into every event.”
Courses will come complete with ramps, multiple routes and obstacles as players use nitrous boosts to speed past rivals, or adopt an aggressive style to smash drivers out of the way. Currently, Codemasters has confirmed a ‘Demolition Derby’ game mode, which we presume involves being the last player standing as you attempt to wreck each other’s cars, and ‘Hoonigan’ which will give us the freedom to freestyle around a huge stunt park, presumably pulling off tricks, jumping off ramps and skidding around like crazy joy riders.
Overall, there will be 50 different events and four championships that will take place across a variety of cities including San Francisco, Miami, London and Tokyo. We can also expect different terrains and conditions that we'll have to master. A wide range of car classes have been confirmed and they'll include the likes of Ken Block’s all new Gymkhana H.F.H.V. Ford Fiesta, saloons, muscle cars, hearses and vans.
Finally, Codies have confirmed split-screen multiplayer, eight-player online racing, on and off-line quick-fire party games and full YouTube integration.
We're not sure whether core fans of the DiRT series will be happy with the direction the series is going in 2012, but we’re certain Codemasters hasn’t forgotten about a true sequel to DiRT 3 either. And, if DiRT Showdown proves to be half as much fun as Destruction Derby was on PlayStation in the mid-90s, we could be in for a lot of fun this summer.
DiRT Showdown is due for release in May 2012 on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.
Let us know your first impressions on DiRT Showdown in the HEXUS.community forums.
