FlatOut

This game really isn't as amazing as most people would have you believe. You can definitely get some enjoyment out of it, but you need to lower your expectations and shift your perspective. This game describes the game-play as "high-octane racing, smash-em-up demolition derby action". Which is incredibly ironic because, when it comes to collisions, I don't think I've ever played a more punishing racing game. In the few hours of playtime that I've accumulated, I can't count the number of times I've been been launched through the windshield because of the tiniest bump. If it doesn't launch you OUT of the car, then its just going to launch the entire car. What you actually SHOULD do in this game is literally the complete opposite of what you're encouraged to do. Drive as slowly as you possibly can and avoid collisions with everything. Colliding with other cars is generally fine, but useless most of the time. God forbid you ever graze a wooden fence. If you think this would be simple, it helps to know that the car handles like you're driving on ice most of the time. This gets worse the further you progress.

Its... OK... ish... I started playing on professional, bronze all 1st... but is not worth it. Just play on Normal !! About 18h for me :) There are some cheeky shortcuts on some of the race tracks, use R quick :)) ,drivetrain upgrade :) and so on... The collision physics are sometimes rly stupid... most of the times :( Drive safe, use breaking, avoid crazy AI :)) This title would had been rly fun with friends :) to wreck eachother :)) and destroy the AI :)) But the multiplayer network I dont think is working (stated on gog shop page single only) and the multiplayer hotseat seems very lame :( So... get it on a rly rly low discount, if you want, or get it on a future giveaway... if will be :)) Fun but annoying :))

Issues that tested my patience. -Front of the car suddenly getting stuck on something and reverse taking ages to get it out, or making the car spin over and over, like an involuntary awful donut. -Reset is downright broken, don't rely on it. If you crash you can spam that key as much as you like but it'll only feel like putting your car back on track after precious seconds later. It's even worse if you wanna reset but haven't gotten a proper "crash cam" yet (say, you drove off track and, while managing to keep the car steady, you're going fast). And the worst part, the reset can send you REALLY back, and if you press it again 'cause you were desperate spamming the key trying to get back, after hitting it again after the reset, it can even send you FURTHER back. -The off track penalty is bipolar. You can either find really useful shortcuts or drive the wrong centimeter off and get told to reset. -Sometimes you can crash through a sign or a door and keep driving but if you drive through a small barrel or 2 piled tires then that'll be enough to send you to brazil or wreck your car. It also makes the nitro system inconsistent 'cause strong crashes sometimes give nothing but running over small cones can straight up fill your bar. Am I driving a heavy american car or a twingo? I get that the appeal is haha funny crashes but the novelty wears thin when you want to get that 1st place, and to do so, you have to go slow, which feels kinda cursed for a racing game. I get trying to get a hold of the car but that's one thing, and cheesing gold cup by just...going a bit slower is a different thing. All in all it is fun when things go well, but man it can get frustrating. The bonus events are fun tho! And it is entertaining when the CPU ends itself and you get 1st row seat to watch it. It is a bit sad none of the tuning modifications change the visuals of the car but that's a nitpick. Get it for free or on a sale and if you REALLY want another old arcade racing game.

Wow just wow one of the worst PC ports and games I've ever played. I can see why GOG gave this game away all them years ago. I tried to enjoy it, but the terrible UI and lack of controller support on top of the bad driving mechanics and lack of any real content/depth. Left me just wanting to go back to real good racing games like Mario Kart Wii, Daytona USA, Moto Racer, and more. I can see the potential and I'm sure the sequels are far better. But for the first game it's nothing special and not even worth getting for free if GOG ever decides to give it away again. But hey if you enjoy it, you enjoy it.

This is a game clearly built on a foundation of entertainment. Everything else comes second. Realism, customisation, and physics are all there in varying degrees, but if they didn't enhance the sheer fun to be had then they'd be out on their arses. As far as I can think of, everything in this game is fun - powerslides, huge jumps, nitro, using your opponents as bumpers, driving said opponents into posts and watching the driver catapult through the windscreen.... thanks to the damage modelling and somewhat over-the-top physics, it's even fun when you crash yourself! Put it this way, if an official Dukes of Hazzard game hadn't been released a couple of months before FlatOut was, this would be the closest you could get. It would be mindless fun except for the fact that it's not actually hugely easy! The game gets reasonably hard as you go on, but never gets frustrating. Even replaying the same track over and over again remains entertaining. The minigames are fun, and I do find myself coming back to them - they're not entirely throwaway. The demolition derby mode in particular is a good challenge, and (for me at least) endlessly replayable. The main thing weighing in against the game however is the (IMO) terrible soundtrack. It's a completely mediocre succession of generic nu-metal/punk/hardcore, which sounds like it's been bought in some kind of economy bulk licensing pack (that's not a joke, I really think they've spent as little as they can!). There are a couple of ok tunes in there, but largely it's grating, nondescript guitar chugging and angsty nasal vocals. Overall however, a great game with zero depth but loads of longevity and fun to be had!