I’ve been a fan of Wreckfest for a number of years, now. The chaos of those games comes from the physics and vehicle handling. Of course, I loved this sort of chaos from back on the PSP. FlatOut: Head On was just one of the racers I owned for the system across the years. FlatOut being created by Bugbear Entertainment, too. Which brings me to revisiting the series with FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage.
At first, I was considering FlatOut 4 for this revisit to the series. But on looking at reviews on Steam, people seemed to guide those who wanted to try the series out to Ultimate Carnage. Which I would learn in looking it up is an enhanced port of FlatOut 2, which also received a port to the PSP. A port which was known as Head On. So, I’m pretty much playing the game from my past. And what a game it is.
Getting straight into things with that heavy rock soundtrack blaring, I bought my first derby car, ready to get into the career. Suitably named FlatOut Mode. Here, there are numerous cups to complete, earning money through gaining trophies. But also through actions performed in the races. Slamming opponents, flipping them over, crashing them out, and other actions give monetary reward, as well as being top driver for damage and fastest lap.
For driving, the handling feels great. While feeling somewhat loose, the vehicles are also very grounded. It’s very rare to go flying from a crash, even if getting slowed is a very real danger. But crashing through various street furniture is just one way of charging up boost. Other ways of doing so being gaining air and crashing into other drivers. Boosting into them damaging them even further to hopefully get more money from doing so.
With a trophy earned in a cup, a special event will be unlocked. These are extra events that, while they don’t count to completion of the career, still provide money. These extra events include time attacks, demolition derbies, and racing on figure-8 circuits. They’re nice distractions from the standard racing, and also offer up money for getting a trophy on them.
One thing I like with FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage is those I face on the track. Each racer is named, having their own vehicle for each of the three racing disciplines of the game. There is no rivalry system in the game, with a rival who I’ve hit or being hit by being named, rivalries form anyway. Because I recognise the names, the vehicles. I’ll want to get ahead of someone who has beaten me. Or crash into them in revenge for beating me before. Specifically Lei Bing. It’s always Lei Bing.
As part of the Ultimate Carnage package comes Carnage Mode, offering up plenty of fun stunt-based modes along with points-based carnage on the track. Stunt modes such as bowling, high jump, penalty shootout, and ski jump are all good fun. Though things can be tough, with the gold trophies being very tough to get on some of them. The first bowling event requires a near perfect run through its five rounds, for instance.
But no matter the result, points are added to the total cumulative amount. New events have a total that needs to be reached before they are unlocked, with some new vehicles occasionally being unlocked for FlatOut Mode, too. My favourite has to be the carnage races, which are familiar from Wreckfest. Here, points are earned from hitting into everything during a race in a certain time. The higher position I am, the greater the multiplier for points.
If wanting a bit of a casual play, there’s also free mode. Here, everything is available. Standing racing, carnage racing, all the stunt events, demolition derbies, and the figure-8 circuits. It’s a good way of getting used to the tracks and the variants for each location. All the vehicles from the three disciplines. No goals to reach, no need to get first. Just a simple, casual drive. Or flight, in the case of those stunt events.
I’m very happy to have got FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage. Enjoying the races, and the stunts, and the music. It’s taken me right back to the era of great arcade racers such as Burnout. Fast, furious bouts of chaos. The extra modes providing different ways of utilising vehicles. There’s really nothing wrong with this experience, which is why I can easily recommend it.
Images Taken From:
FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage | PC
