FlatOut 2
- August 01, 2006 12:20 PM PST
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It's a perilous ride through FlatOut 2's dangerous raceways, and an even more painful trip through the windshield when things get rough. But no omelet was ever made without the breaking of a few eggs or, in this case, drivers and gamers will feel beaten up and fried after taking a spin with this lackluster follow-up.
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With FlatOut 2, developer Bugbear gives gamers more of the destructive-themed racing that was featured in FlatOut 1. Races still play out as elaborate destruction derbies complete with environmental pitfalls and roadside debris all conspiring to turn a fine-looking vehicle into the Crapmobile.
The only true winners are the insurance companies.
And to its credit, FlatOut 2 outdoes its predecessor in many ways. The game has been fleshed out with an increased number of tracks and cars. Online multiplayer action for up to eight players serves as a great draw and the assorted minigames serve as suitable alternatives to the main attraction. However, the extra content can't compensate for what amounts to a bumpy ride.
Crash-o-Matic
The biggest complaint we had with FlatOut 2 is that it fails to address the flaws of the original. The first FlatOut suffered from poor driving physics and a discernible lack of speed, problems which continue to plague the sequel: cars careen wildly out of control, fishtail when they receive even the slightest tap from behind, and suffer disproportionately from roadside impacts. This, coupled with the stuck-in-first gear pace, result in races that feel more like a Sunday drive than a spirited sprint to the finish line.
FlatOut 2 also offers gamers little chance to exhibit their driving skills. Player success derives more from luck and manic road-rage than it does from careful manipulation of the wheel.
It is better to Burnout
You can't help but make comparisons between FlatOut 2 and Electronic Arts' slick Burnout series; they both tread the same roads, after all. And though FlatOut 2 butters its bread with the same type of manic and wreck-heavy play, it fails where the other series has always succeeded. Amp up the speed and iron out the physics and perhaps FlatOut 2 could give EA a run for its money but for now, it's simply eating Burnout's dust.
Concrete divider, meet Ray Carter. Ray Carter, concrete divider.
