FlatOut 2 Review (fr0sent <3)
FlatOut 2 - This is the game that started my gaming journey! And love for this genre of music!
Reckless destruction and gross bodily harm are two things we’re fond of in games and FlatOut 2 delivers plenty of both. The focus here isn’t so much on racing as it is on aggressive driving and destructible environments - cars will wreck, gas stations will explode and hordes of orange cones will go flipping through the air. And all this chaos runs surprisingly well, even in a system that only meets the lowest system requirements.
Technical part:
One of the biggest improvements in FlatOut 2 is that vehicles handle a whole lot better than they did previously. Rather than sliding all over the road like a Chihuahua on ice, the cars handle quite well and you always feel in control. The game is certainly arcade-centric in almost every aspect of its design, but the game's handling does lean a tad towards the simulation side of racing in that you'll have to carefully manage how much gas you apply at any time. It's a great mix that makes the game feel much different than something like Burnout while still maintaining a nice feeling of chaotic competition.
Another nice improvement is that rather than racing against a field of nameless drivers, FlatOut 2 pits you against a group of seven other competitors out for blood. They're fairly generic to be honest, but after a handful of races and looks at the leader board you'll come to know them all by name and curse them when they knock you out. According to the splash screens during loads, each one is said to have a unique driving style and personality, though you don't really get a sense of this during any given race. What does work, however, is that they always use the same vehicle for each class of car, making them easy to spot in the midst of a race. The result is that when you're in the fifth race of a cup and you're a point behind in the standings, you'll immediately recognize who you need to beat (or knock out) in order to stand on the highest step of the winner's podium.
The other really cool part about the other racers this time out is that they get vengeful. Everyone starts out calm and collected, but if you start pushing other racers around and attempting to knock them off the track, they'll turn around and do the same to you. This applies to each and every racer, so you'll constantly see one computer opponent trying to knock another one out.
Visuals:
Like its predecessor, one of the most impressive aspects of the game is its visuals. Almost everything on the track can be destroyed, and the cars dynamically deform on impact. The tracks are literally littered with debris, pillars, boxes, and more to add a lot of visual and destructive effects.
About the beautiful...
The musical accompaniment goes well with the game. As always, the track-list is made up of licensed, but unlike the first part, more well-known music. For the second part, such bands as Fall Out Boy, Rob Zombie, AudioSlave and one of the fathers of heavy metal - Megadeth were invited to cooperate. The tracks are really high quality and fit well with the atmosphere.
Verdict:
FlatOut 2 never gets old, it's like a classic, it's always a pleasure to play it again and again and again.