When the first FlatOut game was released for the consoles some years back, a lot of gamers welcomed this new kid in the block because of its dual-genre appeal. Whether you liked action games or laps after laps of racing at dizzying speed, FlatOut offered the best of both worlds. This year, FlatOut developers Bugbear blessed PC gamers with the first PC port of this awesome racing series.
FlatOut Ultimate Carnage is a racing-combat game that allows you not only to race from Point A to Point B, but also allows you to pull off insane stunts to keep other drivers from achieving the same target. You can, for instance, ram your car into other cars to force them off the road. Or you can do death defying stunts while crashing into other cars. I, for instance, remember an incident when I flew my Vexter XS off a ramp through three rings of fire in a row and crashed into a car attempting a similar stunt from another angle.
The poor driver could not keep his seat belt on and crashed through his windshield, landing on my bonnet. As I hit the ground, I hit the brakes, causing the poor soul to get thrown off my windshield. He was still on the ground recovering from the shock as I sped past, leaving the flaming wreckage of his car some 15 yards behind. This stunt, though thrilling in its own right, is just one of the many fantastic stunts you can pull off in FlatOut.
FlatOut has lots of unlockables to please almost any gamer and hold their interest. As you progress through racing missions, you will unlock 48 cars and vehicles, each of which look great and are quite easy to handle. You have the sleek Vexter XS, the classy Insetta, or even a colorful truck, which can maul through most other vehicles in seconds. You also get to upgrade your cars, thereby enhancing their performance. An engine upgrade, for instance, would mean greater speed and strength to the car, as well as improved vehicle handling.
FlatOut Ultimate Carnage will score big brownie points for music and graphics. The whir of the engines, the explosions when a car is set aflame following an accident and the screeching of tires while hitting the brakes are all nicely done. The adrenaline pumping music that keeps playing in the background adds to the experience. But where the game really shines is the graphical department.
The cars look superb. They fly through the air, kick up dust and when the inevitable crash takes place, explode into a blazing inferno. That’s not all. The fire effects are equally realistic. And if you are on a track with water bodies in it, get ready for some of the coolest reflections in any racing game ever. Watch out for other cars though. It’s very easy for an opponent to knock you off into a ditch while you are admiring the vistas.
Overall, FlatOut Ultimate Carnage is one of the most enjoyable racing combat games ever. Don’t let the budget price of Rs. 999 fool you. This is a gem of a game that deserves a place in the collection of any diehard fan of racing games. It carries forward the legacy of some great titles of yesteryears, such as Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now. Thank you, Bugbear. Thank you for bringing back the good old days.
Rating: 9 out of 10.
Cost: Rs. 999.
Developer: Bugbear.
Publisher: Empire Interactive.
Platform: Windows XP/Vista, Xbox 360.
Rating: ESRB: Teen.
DRM Status: Yes.
- By Krishanu Banerjee