Games for Lunch: FlatOut
In a nutshell: Destruction Derby + Motorstorm with a twist of Burnout and GripShift. Have I wowed you with my racing game knowledge yet?
7/16/2008 6:51 PM | 0 Comments | Page 1 of 3
Developer: Bugbear Entertainment
Publisher: Empire Interactive
Release Date: July 12, 2005
Systems: Xbox (Reviewed), PS2, PC
ESRB Rating: T
Official Web site
0:00 I've been interested in this game ever since I saw the TV ads that featured drivers being launched out of cars towards targets. Now that's my kind of game.
0:01 This minute spent downloading a BC update for the Xbox 360 so I can play this old game, and watching logos and such.
0:02 Some insipid song with the endlessly repeating chorus, "Girls just want to be bad boys," plays over some grainy video of rally cars driving through dirt busting up and generally flipping out. And title.
0:03 I can choose whether my driver is male or female and whether my steering style is normal or professional. Not that I know the difference. Between the steering styles I mean -- I DO know the difference between the genders.
0:05 I start my career and have my pick of five cars. I spend my $4K billfold on the 134 horsepower, 3503 lb. Bullet, the most powerful, heaviest, most expensive car available. Automatic transmission please -- I can't drive stick.
0:06 I'm digging the background music on the menu screen, which has kind of a techno-rockabilly feel. The two available classes of races are "Bronze" and "Bonus." I suppose I should start with Bronze and the "Bay Amateur Run."
0:07 The race starts off slow, with my car shoulder to shoulder with competitors. I quickly bump them out of the way and work my way into a battle for first.
0:09 I slam my competitor into a wall and advance to first place! The pace is incredibly slow so far -- my top speed is about 100 mph, hardly the blazing speed of most racers. My acceleration is pretty sluggish, too.
0:10 It's hard to see around turns, as the camera doesn't catch up to the angle of the car quickly enough. There's a lot of detritus in the dusty raceway, but it doesn't seem to slow me down much. Just visual junk, so far.
0:11 I get passed twice on the turns. Seems I'm turning too sharply, losing all my speed as I do so. I can't seem to manage to bank more gently, though.
0:13 I fall into sixth place after hitting a small bump with two wheels, sending my car onto its side. I'm impressed with the feel of the cars as they rumble and bump realistically, taking heavy structural damage as they do. It feels much more realistic than the super-shiny perfect machines in a game like Gran Turismo.
0:14 I get bonus money for the stuff I smashed during the race. Don't ask me how that makes sense. The cash is enough to improve the suspension, which might help with the loose handling, I hope.
0:15 Moving on to Gracie Woodland, a forest course.
0:17 My driver gets thrown from the car for the first time after I spin out and get rammed head-on by the oncoming traffic. The nondescript guy flies out in super-slow-mo, then lands quickly. By the time my car resets, I'm in seventh place. Was there a point to all that?
