FlatOut 2 took everything that the original game set out to do, but fine-tuned the gameplay, which resulted in what most would consider the best demolition derby game ever made. Cars driving around the same sterile track can get repetitive extremely quickly, but throw a little bit of chaos and destruction into the mix, and you have an event like no other! The first demolition derby game that I absolutely fell in love with was Psygnosis’ 1995 title on the original PlayStation, simply titled “ Destruction Derby”, but it was 2004’s FlatOut that propelled my love for the genre to a new level. There is a sub-genre of racing games that I do enjoy though, and that is destruction derby. would let up just enough to let me slowly make my way toward the front of the pack, and then they’d somehow find a way to speed up and make things a bit difficult during the last lap. Starting off every race in last place also seems to be a staple in most racing games, but somehow the A.I. The majority of these games follow the same formula, where the player starts off with a bare-bones car and builds up enough cash after a few wins to toss a few upgrades towards their vehicle.
Flatout 2 review update#
I’ll update with a demo link when one is available.
Flatout 2 review Pc#
The PC version is $29.99, and the Xbox/ PS2 version is $39.99. The North American release of FlatOut 2 actually isn’t for another two weeks (this review is based on the European version). It’s easily my favorite implementation of vehicle physics when it comes to a combination of arcade and true-to-life simulation physics. I’m not sure if I like the physics in FlatOut 2 quite as much as I enjoyed the first game, but combined they’re easily my favorite titles in the genre. ( FlatOut 2 Game Screenshots) My Favorite Racing GameįlatOut 2 does a great job of extending the FlatOut franchise. I didn’t find any of the minigames particularly engaging on a long-term level, but they are great fun to optimize and complete the first time through. The minigames have a very Dismount-like or demoscene-ish feel to them (which makes sense, since roughly a quarter of Bugbear’s employees have demoscene backgrounds, and their business development director is one of the main organizers of Assembly).
Flatout 2 review driver#
The core of these minigames is selecting the angle of launch, but you can also direct your ragdoll driver midair to fine-tune your intended landing. While it was occasionally entertaining to feel the bump of another driver beneath your wheels, they expanded on this concept by creating a bunch of minigames where you deliberately eject your driver in bizarre facsimiles of sporting events.įlatOut 2 has 8 minigames, from the high jump to soccer to curling. The gimmick in the original FlatOut was that if a car was hit hard enough, its driver would be tossed through the windshield as a physics ragdoll. ( Destructible Fence in FlatOut 2 Ragdoll Minigames Even a brief lapse in traction could result in failed cornering. By the last lap objects are littering the track, which creates the risk of popping your car into the air. This adds chaos to the races, both visually and physically. Tons of buildings, fences, and structures are destructible, and the game actually rewards you with nitro for smashing through them. We’re talking thousands of objects per level. One of the standout features in FlatOut 2 is the sheer number of physics objects placed on each track. In addition to adding speed, the higher classes of cars also subtly transition away from arcade-y physics helpers to harder-core simulation physics.
![flatout 2 review flatout 2 review](https://news-cdn.softpedia.com/images/fitted/480x290/FlatOut-2.jpg)
The career mode is broken up into three classes of cars. Still, the game strikes a remarkable balance between simple, arcade physics, and squirrelly, difficult to control simulation-style physics (there’s a lot to tweak, too, as this screenshot shows). I was disappointed by this, because I really enjoyed the challenge of the more realistic physics in the first game. You can definitely feel the physics helpers in the easier mode.įlatOut 2 no longer lets the player choose between easy and hard physics it falls somewhere between the original game’s two modes in terms of fidelity of simulation. The first game also let you set that realism slider when you started a new game by choosing between normal/pro modes. It really makes you feel like you’re a much better driver than you really are. Bugbear managed to strike the perfect balance between simulation physics and arcade physics. The first FlatOut title has my favorite vehicle physics implementation in any racing game.