Steven John Dawson


50 games reviewed
80.1 average score
80 median score
66.0% of games recommended
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9.5 / 10.0 - EA Sports WRC
Oct 31, 2023

The best modern rally game to date, packed to the brim with big stages and plenty of cars. With updates like the Central European course coming later, as well as VR support down the line. If you're a fan of rallying in general, you owe it to yourself to have this one in your library.

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9 / 10.0 - F1 23
Jun 18, 2023

Another fastest lap under for Codemasters, the predictability of the cars makes it a lot easier to handle than previous years-especially for those using a controller. Wheel users might not benefit so much from the changes, but the cars still feel more planted.

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8 / 10.0 - WRC Generations
Nov 23, 2022

A great rally game, with an abundance of content from the last few games under Kylotonn's licensed WRC umbrella, but may adversely suffer from being very similar in presentation to previous entries, however the sheer amount of content available should quell any of those concerns.

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9 / 10.0 - F1 22
Jun 27, 2022

Although slightly saddened by the omission of a story mode this time around, it's more than made up for by the new vehicle physics. The concern of "F1 Life" having any bearing on gameplay being quashed makes F1 22 another flying lap for Codemasters.

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9 / 10.0 - GRID Legends
Feb 25, 2022

A return to arcade, a return to the docks, a return to drifting, and a return to putting fun above all else. This is what Grid should be about, enough fun to be had with the story and career modes, but an absolute hoon with a couple of mates in multiplayer.

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6.5 / 10.0 - Drake Hollow
Oct 1, 2021

There's a few hours to be whittled away in Drake Hollow. And can be a good blast with a friend or two, as it helps to mitigate the constant need to return to base, allowing for an explorer to do their thing, a builder to do theirs, and a battler their own. Unfortunately as a solo experience, it erred more toward frustration because of the timed mechanics.

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9 / 10.0 - F1 2021
Aug 10, 2021

Another smashing entry in the F1 series, and has left me wondering what more they could add for 2022 when that inevitably rolls out of the pits next year.

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8.5 / 10.0 - Fuser
Nov 28, 2020

I can see myself spending a lot of time with FUSER, as I regale moments of my youth with various software that didn't have any of the shine present here. A music game without custom peripherals is a breath of fresh air - both in reducing the cost and in showing that it's about the creativity of mixing tracks, rather than just playing back some buttons in time with the screen.

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9 / 10.0 - DiRT 5
Nov 13, 2020

A blast to play, and brings back much needed separation and personality to the numbered series of DIRT games that that DiRT 4 seemed to lose by blurring the lines too much. Playground mode will absolutely keep me coming back for more to beat not just my own, but friends' times as well, because there's nothing better than beating a time within mere hundredths and restoring bragging rights.

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7 / 10.0 - Nascar Heat 5
Sep 27, 2020

NASCAR aficionados will likely love getting more action where they can, especially with the cancellation of events due to the pandemic at this time, but those that like a more varied racer might want to look elsewhere. If you want to dip your toes in the NASCAR water though, and find out why it's more than just turning left, HEAT 5 could well be a good shout.

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6.5 / 10.0 - Project CARS 3
Sep 26, 2020

A fun, casual arcade racer that has a decent chunk of a career mode to keep you busy with some fun aspects, let down by wonky AI and being placed into the wrong series of games making it really hard to recommend to either demographic of casual race fans or sim racers.

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9.5 / 10.0 - F1 2020
Jul 13, 2020

This is the pinnacle of Formula 1 in videogame form. In a year fraught with difficulties for real world motorsport, Codemasters have delivered a solid experience that should keep you in the hot seat, especially with the immersion factor of the new My Team mode.

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Jun 25, 2020

It's easy to see why Phantom: Covert Ops received the commendations it did at E3 2019, and it's now taken the second spot on my personal recommendation list of must-have VR titles. Here's hoping this isn't the last we've seen in the Phantom line.

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Jan 24, 2020

The characters and the overall art style are cutesy, sure. But that shouldn't deter you from the solid build-em-up that's underneath it all. A great game to get into the resource strategy genre with, and just as good for those that are au fait with the genre already.

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8 / 10.0 - Autonauts
Nov 2, 2019

A neat automation game that's well built with plenty of depth to keep you going for quite some time, and this is only "Phase 1". The programming aspect is similar to that of the Scratch programming language, and can teach basic programming principles with its visual code builder and "follow me" initial recording of the robots.

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9 / 10.0 - Grid
Oct 8, 2019

A fitting return to form for the GRiD franchise, especially given the five year gap since Autosport. Doesn't take itself too seriously, so it's a title anyone can pick up and play. Would be just as at home in an arcade cabinet as it is in the console under your TV or on your PC.

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7 / 10.0 - WRC 8
Sep 20, 2019

A competent entry to the WRC series by Kylotonn Games, and the handling model has improved a lot since their previous outing, however, the title is let down by some oddities and bugs that can sometimes make gameplay more effort than it needs be. Choose this if you want a decent rally experience, without the harrowing difficulty that DiRT Rally will put your way.

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7 / 10.0 - Space Ops VR
Aug 28, 2019

A fun VR title, only really marred by the relative niche status of virtual reality at present meaning player counts are low. A renewed single-player aspect of the game and the continued updates could mean this becomes one of VR's sleeper hits.

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9 / 10.0 - F1 2019
Jul 20, 2019

Another solid entry into the F1 franchise for Codemasters. It's nice to see them expanding the game to represent how drivers work their way up into the F1 roster from the F2 feeder series. Being able to build your driver up from (an albeit short) F2 career really lends credence to the story of your driver making their way up through the ranks.

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9 / 10.0 - Dirt Rally 2.0
Mar 18, 2019

A worthy sequel to the DiRT Rally franchise, that updates, upgrades and uplifts most aspects of the original. Still a few little niggles that could be better, but hopefully the paid content strategy can be converted into ongoing support and updates for the title.

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