Flatout garnered some reasonable success when it launched last year under the wing of Empire Interactive, what with some insane demolition style racing and a blistering soundtrack and let’s not forget those flying bodies out of the windscreen after a rather nasty impact with a tree or some other sturdy, firmly rooted object. Well a year has passed (for Americans at least and slightly longer for Europeans) and Flatout 2 is here not only offering more of the same manic racing that made the original so popular but also with the inclusion of more of everything; read on!

Gameplay

Flatout 2 offers the same kind of racing that was seen in the original which is to take some beat up cars and race them around various courses that are full of bumps, sharp turns and of course, many obstacles to smash into. However this time round Flatout 2 offers 3 different class of vehicles in which to race which are derby cars, racing cars and street cars. For gamers wishing to get stuck right into the action then they can embark on challenging single races which means from the off gamers can choose whichever vehicle and whatever track to race. There is far more variety in the number of tracks this time round as well as more varied locations to race in including cities, off-road, countryside and canals. For those looking for a career mode then that’s included as well whereby players start at the bottom of the racing circuit and earn money by participating in races (preferably winning) so as to buy a better class vehicle enabling them to partake in the tougher more rewarding challenges. What is more there are now a number of extra events to take part in which have a striking resemblance to Olympic events although it does include the awesome destruction derby itself. These extra events are interesting distractions from actually racing which to be frank can become quite frustrating at times. This is due in part to the races simply being unforgiving at times because one tap or nudge can send your wheels flying off the course resulting in being first almost at the finish line to being last in the blink of an eye. Flatout 2 features many more cars than the original game and with the 3 classes offers a little more variation. The customization options return and again make slight differences to the performance of your chosen vehicles as you can add exhausts, tyres, suspension, brakes and engine components.

Graphics

Graphically Flatout 2 looks pretty similar to its predecessor; however there are a number of obvious changes. For starters the damage model is much more detailed than before, which becomes more noticeable during the destruction derby events. Panels warp and buckle and even wheels will come off during these events and certainly looks convincing enough. The physics engine seems to be improved also with a far greater number of objects on and around the track to crash into such as barrels, parked cars and too many other objects to name and list here. Flatout 2 isn’t the prettiest racing game but due to its gritty nature works well and has enough charm for anyone playing to overlook any graphical imperfections.

Sound

Flatout featured an impressive rocking soundtrack that suited the style of the game quite well and Flatout 2 does more of the same by offering more tunes and more rocking beats to get you into the racing mood. I’m sure there are many bands listed that players will recognise although none fitted my tastes. I did appreciate the musical vibe the game oozes and I’m sure many of you will too as it simply suggests speed and fast cars. The sound effects are as you would expect from car engines to metal upon metal and you’ve got to love the high pitched screams of your female driver crashing through the windscreen after going 70 to 0 mph in .005 of a second!

Longevity

Flatout 2 has plenty to work towards and as well as having a career mode and high scores to beat also comes fully equipped with split screen and Xbox live play, with the latter hosting up to 8 players in a game. The party mode can be fun as each player takes turns doing the various stunt challenges with the aim of performing better than the In general there’s a lot to keep you entertained and certainly a lot more on offer than its predecessor.

Overall

Flatout 2 ultimately remains a fun and addictive game which improves on the original yet remains faithful to what made the original popular. With its destructive, albeit a little unforgiving racing that is fast and of course very furious; players should have a fun time with the game, especially as the focus isn’t on the usual high performance racing cars that don’t take much damage from impacts. Flatout 2 should appeal to casual and hardcore racing fans and with its budget price point is well worth a look.