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Flatout ... NASCAR meets Demolition Derby

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 13
Date: March 22, 2005
Author: Amazon User

A great racing game.

Background:

I initially saw this game offered as a demo, which I downloaded; I was quickly addicted and ordered the game from England before Xmas 2004.

The Game Basics:

Playable as a single player or on-line (I was unable to play on-line as I was the only one with the game). Your view of the action is from either 1st person( in the driver's seat)(recommended) or 3rd person (from above and behind your car)

There are 2 skills to play, 1.) Normal and 2.) Professional (where the physics of cornering, braking, spinning out and the effects of car damage are more accurate).

There are 3 levels of racing; 1.) Bronze (9 races), silver (12 races) and gold (15 races). You must finish a race in the top 3 positions in order to open up new race courses to you. Similarily, you must complete all bronze before silver becomes available, and all silver to advance to gold. Money earned for good finishes allows you to upgrade you vehicle and also buy new and better cars.

There are 5 different types of race tracts; 1.)Asphalt 2.) Gravel pit 3.) country dirt road 4.) town and country and 5.) Winter (with icy roads and frozen lakes). All these tracts require different driving techniques and skills.

The Game Play:

This game is simply an adrenalin rush from beginning to end. It is a contact sport with cars. Strategies requires you to drive clean when your in front but to bump and grind it out when your trying to come from behind (and what great fun this is).
In the single player version you are pitted against 7 other opponents who are hell bent on winning at all costs.
As good as any A.I. racing competitor as I have ever played against! The physics of this game are simply hard to believe; sliding around corners, turning, braking and collisions are as real as you can ask for in a racing sim. Also the scenery is stunning; especially the winter tracts.

Extras:

In addition to the main game there is a series of target practice games with a "rag doll" driver that explodes through the windshield after collisions. Also there are 3 short demolition tracts to try. These are fun to try but not as adrenalin pumping as the actual game itself.

Suggestions:

1.) You really need a steering wheel with gas and brake features to be competitive on the silver and gold levels.
2.) There is a downloadable patch that allows you to turn off the "rag doll" effect that sends the driver through the windshield with every collision. This is a neat effect at first but becomes tiresome and time consuming during an actual race.

Conclusion:
It took me 6-7 weeks of solid play to win all 36 races on the professional level. At times it was very frustrating (especially on the gold level), but I was NEVER bored with this game.
If you love racing sims, this one should not be missed. Highly recommend!

Addendum Jan 08
Having had time to compare 'Flatout' vs "Flatout 2', I have to state that the original 'Flatout' is a much superior game. They seemed to cut some corners in producing 'Flatout 2'; fewer 'rural' areas, more downtown city scenarios, no winter driving, etc. The original 'Flatout' was, and still is, the best racing sim I've ever been privileged to play.

Too much fun...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: July 13, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Pros: physics-- 9
graphics--10
gameplay-- 8
sound 9
AI 9

Cons: Gets a little repetative
Car tweaking could be more involved
Needs a stearing wheel with force feedback (adds realism)

This game is so much fun. If you enjoy all-out mayhem, with superb sounds and graphics, this game is for you. More "crash-em-up" than pure racing simulation. (Check out GTR for an excellent racing sim).
Racing other cars around tracks of gravel, asphalt, ice, dirt, and mud is thrilling; a pure adrenalin rush. AI cars are excellent, as they try to send you flying off the track. You can actually see the drivers steering, and watching them fly out of their cars is hysterical. As you drive around the course, you gain extra points wrecking fences, tire walls, etc. And, all these wrecked pieces stay on the track and interfere with cars as the race goes on. There are 6 "destruction bowls" added in for some unique madness, where the idea is to destroy the AI cars before they send you flying through your windshield. The sounds, physics, and graphics are unmatched as 6 or more cars, all going 70+ mph converge on one spot. Have fun!!

Flatout, a car guy's must have.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: August 16, 2005
Author: Amazon User

So, you loved the original Driver game for PC? Sad that Driver2 didn't get to PC and still haven't mastered Driv3r or left it sitting in the box to figure out later? Then FlatOut is the game for you. This game may not be a realistic racing simulator, may not have the best GUI for menus (can be managed with wheel and keyboard use. But for fun, this game has what you need. This game is great after those long commutes, just load it up, start a race, turn around and crash headlong into everything in sight, thinking it was that guy that was tailgating you, or that dead ass that wouldn't get out of the way. SMASH, CRASH, or get the cheat for the ejector seat and have fun throwing the dummy for distance or altitude records. Then you can mess around with different cars getting a reasonable idea about tight, loose, and all those other NASCAR like descriptions that the cars all get at times. There all there in one form or another. In all, great fun, and certainly worth the money.

Flatout is flat

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 4 / 8
Date: July 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game has some good qualities, but the pure racing person will have issues, as you gain $ for running into objects and cars, which blows. You are in a race and losing, so blast your car and everyone around you to get $$ for the next race. Realistic? Not. They don't even have a view from inside the car, it is a bumper view with no part of the car visible. The interface with arrow buttons is bad, and you can't even race online, just by LAN. In short, stick with Leadfoot or DTRSC and you will be at least $40 better off.
jc

FlatOut Fun

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 03, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game is great fun. Great graphics, cool sound tracks are just the beginning. If your looking for a new racing title, this maybe the one. Realistic damage to cars and a destructable enviroment can add up to hours of pure racing mayhem fun.
FlatOut is flat out fun.

Copy Protection Breaks Game

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 5
Date: September 06, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I have one of the newer AMD Dual Core processors. After installing this game I attempted to play and it bombed out.
Searching on support forums, it appears the copy protection software has a problem with dual core processors (amd and intel). And it doesn't look like the game maker is going to release a patch any time soon. Too bad, I really like the original game and was hoping to have more fun with the sequel.

Flatout flatout sucks!!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 9
Date: April 12, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Don't buy this game because you will forever wonder why you did so. This is the worst racing game I have ever played. The bonus games are crap and are all the same thing. If this was even a decent game there would be a reason to play the bonus games. But, there's not. Sure you get money, but with the best car in the game fully upgraded (why did I waste my time) you can't tell a difference in the race from a crap car. All the upgrades do is take your money and waste your time.

The actual racing is just as bad. Sometimes when you hit a cone you will keep right on going and even get extra in your boost guage. Other times I have gone flying off the track because of a single cone. I don't know why and at this point I really don't care because of how bad this game is.

The races beyond the very first ones are way too difficult. It is more luck than skill. In other words, there is almost no way to get first and you will only get in the top 3 if the other players take themselves out because their cars beat the best and fully upgraded car off the line and can turn corners in about half the time without losing speed. All you can do is watch them drive away and see more of your life wasted.

Oh and one last thing, the shortcuts suck. They are not shortcuts and usually end up taking longer because it is like threading a needle and with the handling that's like trying to thread a needle no hands. If you even stray a little from the exact route, you will be out of bounds and have to reset. If you hit anything, even going very slow, you will be thrown from your car and lose time. If you do manage to do it right you might still come out behind where you were. I have only found 3 races out of 75, or whatever it is, that actually have a shortcut that is worth taking. And by worth taking I mean doesn't lose you time and doesn't gain it either. Talk about a crap game. Please consider some other options to this game such as:

1) Nothing
2) Buy some food
3) Buy a plane ticket to beat up the people who made the game.

Bottom line: NOT FUN and really really NOT WORTH YOUR MONEY (even to rent). Don't borrow it either, it's a waste of time.

Awesome for kids and adults!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 05, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game with the intent to satisfy my 9 year old sons craving for destruction. I was not dissapointed. Flatout has an unbelievable amount of things to smash up, much the glee and amusement of my son and all his friends. I even found myself playing it for the challage of getting through all the maps. The game also has alot of Mods available online that give old maps extended play and new cars to smash. Lan play is a hoot! Especially the Demolition derby. This game is an excellent value!

I really like it!!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: November 06, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I dodn't play alot of games; maybe if I had more time. I also own & play Flatout 2 (love it!!!) Has to be one of my all time favorite low skill level games.

FlatOut - one of the best racing games?

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: November 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I am not sure if this game is one of the best racing games, since everyone has different demands on such games. I just can say that I love this game. Race...try to get rid of your opponents and get the win. If you're bored of races, try those Stunts and shoot your guy into the air or play some bowling.
Great longterm fun, nice graphics and pretty cool soundtrack are making this game to a game you have to have if you like racing games and if you don't.

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