Flat Out 2
Posted September 3, 2006
There's a reason games like Burnout or Twisted Metal get a lot of attention, it's for the explosions and the fun that comes with running people off the road that you can't get in simulation games like Project Gotham or Gran Turismo. It's from that same vein where Flat Out was created, but rather than have explosions and crashing as a sweet added bonus, it was integral to the gameplay.
Gameplay:
One year after the first release was greeted with average reviews, Flat Out 2 has made its way to shelves and advice was listened to and the game is a little better off this time around. Better control of your vehicles is here, although they do seem to still be a little "floaty" even when fully upgraded from the in game enhancement garage.
The standard driving game modes of play exist here starting with a career mode which is broken up into three classes of vehicles, and then again into levels within those classes. Initially you start out as only able to purchase and participate in the Derby class of vehicles, you know those run down stripped of all glass and hazardous parts cars that can still seem to be on the road even when missing wheels. After the derby class of vehicles is race cars and then the ultimate in modern day customization, a street racer class.
Each class offers races which you must place in the top three to advance and unlock a mini-game which awards some cash bonus awarded when you can place in the top three ranks. Each race group consists of multiple lap races around a unique track chock full of hazards, debris and featuring tons of places to run your fellow racers off the track. Similar to the Burnout series, when you do something that normal people would consider stupid, like blowing through a gas station or jumping over a combine, you earn a short burst of nitro to aide in your quest for first place.
While I didn't notice any cheap "elastic-band" AI where racers at the back of the pack skyrocket to the front of the pack with no real reason, here the AI has reasons. If you or even another CPU controlled character take out another racer they will deliberately hunt you down and try to take you out, as well as use these tactics to gain advantages to earn the top spot in races.
The main race modes actually tire quite quickly, a similar complaint to the first Flat Out. Where the game really shines is in multiplayer (both online and off) where you work through the mini-games included. All the mini-games involve ejecting your driver from the vehicle in one way or another, and accomplishing a goal such as obtaining a royal flush, or playing a game of darts. This can be highly entertaining when you play with other people, as the physics of the driver make for some interesting crashes.
Last time around you had to select a mini-game one at a time, but this time around you can opt to play through six at a time or through all twelve with one easy setup option. Sitting around with a bunch of friends playing through the twelve rag doll games is a very good time, especially if some sort of alternative game is played involving beer.
Graphics:
This title fairs pretty well on the graphical front, especially when you start unlocking the street racing cars with their high shine and a nice sense of speed that they bring forth. Things do tend to look a little blocky though when your driver gets ejected from the car; his polygonal body maintains the first generation 3D qualities like highly triangular feel and hands. The rag doll physics that the driver has though do make for some fun wince inducing moments though as he falls from great heights hitting every possible crossbeam on his way down.
Audio:
Developer BugBear took a queue from Burnout in more than one area of the game. The soundtrack here also is quite reminiscent of the EA series, although on a slightly smaller scale. Featuring bands like Audioslave and Fall Out Boy, it's quite apparent who the target market was in creating this game.
Soundtrack aside, the rest of the sound effects were actually quite well done in this title. Blowing through gas stations or oil tanks on the road results in some very nice explosions which utilize the subwoofer quite nicely. The Dolby Digital surround sound is used adequately as well, especially when tearing through some of the demolition derby stages.
Conclusion:
A far cry from the excitement that Burnout brings, or the on track realism that Gran Turismo offers, Flat Out 2 is a neat little diversion that makes more sense as a party game than as a worthy single player affair. From the tremendously fun mini games to the sickly satisfying demolition derby modes, this screams for more than one player at a time. Thankfully, for those loners who prefer pseudo-friends to real ones, a solid Xbox Live offering exists.
Is this worth the full price of admission though? That's a very tough call as the single player modes bore after the first few hours, and playing through the mini-games by yourself is entertaining for only a little while. While I do recommend this game for times when a group of friends get together, I don't think it's worth the full price. Renting it is a better option, that way you can concentrate on the fun parts and ignore the slight frustrations with other sections of the game like floaty cars.
Gameplay:
One year after the first release was greeted with average reviews, Flat Out 2 has made its way to shelves and advice was listened to and the game is a little better off this time around. Better control of your vehicles is here, although they do seem to still be a little "floaty" even when fully upgraded from the in game enhancement garage.
The standard driving game modes of play exist here starting with a career mode which is broken up into three classes of vehicles, and then again into levels within those classes. Initially you start out as only able to purchase and participate in the Derby class of vehicles, you know those run down stripped of all glass and hazardous parts cars that can still seem to be on the road even when missing wheels. After the derby class of vehicles is race cars and then the ultimate in modern day customization, a street racer class.
Each class offers races which you must place in the top three to advance and unlock a mini-game which awards some cash bonus awarded when you can place in the top three ranks. Each race group consists of multiple lap races around a unique track chock full of hazards, debris and featuring tons of places to run your fellow racers off the track. Similar to the Burnout series, when you do something that normal people would consider stupid, like blowing through a gas station or jumping over a combine, you earn a short burst of nitro to aide in your quest for first place.
While I didn't notice any cheap "elastic-band" AI where racers at the back of the pack skyrocket to the front of the pack with no real reason, here the AI has reasons. If you or even another CPU controlled character take out another racer they will deliberately hunt you down and try to take you out, as well as use these tactics to gain advantages to earn the top spot in races.
The main race modes actually tire quite quickly, a similar complaint to the first Flat Out. Where the game really shines is in multiplayer (both online and off) where you work through the mini-games included. All the mini-games involve ejecting your driver from the vehicle in one way or another, and accomplishing a goal such as obtaining a royal flush, or playing a game of darts. This can be highly entertaining when you play with other people, as the physics of the driver make for some interesting crashes.
Last time around you had to select a mini-game one at a time, but this time around you can opt to play through six at a time or through all twelve with one easy setup option. Sitting around with a bunch of friends playing through the twelve rag doll games is a very good time, especially if some sort of alternative game is played involving beer.
Graphics:
This title fairs pretty well on the graphical front, especially when you start unlocking the street racing cars with their high shine and a nice sense of speed that they bring forth. Things do tend to look a little blocky though when your driver gets ejected from the car; his polygonal body maintains the first generation 3D qualities like highly triangular feel and hands. The rag doll physics that the driver has though do make for some fun wince inducing moments though as he falls from great heights hitting every possible crossbeam on his way down.
Audio:
Developer BugBear took a queue from Burnout in more than one area of the game. The soundtrack here also is quite reminiscent of the EA series, although on a slightly smaller scale. Featuring bands like Audioslave and Fall Out Boy, it's quite apparent who the target market was in creating this game.
Soundtrack aside, the rest of the sound effects were actually quite well done in this title. Blowing through gas stations or oil tanks on the road results in some very nice explosions which utilize the subwoofer quite nicely. The Dolby Digital surround sound is used adequately as well, especially when tearing through some of the demolition derby stages.
Conclusion:
A far cry from the excitement that Burnout brings, or the on track realism that Gran Turismo offers, Flat Out 2 is a neat little diversion that makes more sense as a party game than as a worthy single player affair. From the tremendously fun mini games to the sickly satisfying demolition derby modes, this screams for more than one player at a time. Thankfully, for those loners who prefer pseudo-friends to real ones, a solid Xbox Live offering exists.
Is this worth the full price of admission though? That's a very tough call as the single player modes bore after the first few hours, and playing through the mini-games by yourself is entertaining for only a little while. While I do recommend this game for times when a group of friends get together, I don't think it's worth the full price. Renting it is a better option, that way you can concentrate on the fun parts and ignore the slight frustrations with other sections of the game like floaty cars.