"Causing huge pileups and crashing into things has never been this much fun!"

Flatout 2 doesn't try to be the next Gran Turismo. It's not trying to be deep or complicated. What it is is a very entertaining high-speed arcade style racer with an appetite for destruction. If you're not anal about having all your racing games as hyper realistic as possible, you'll have a great time with Flatout 2.

Gameplay: 9/10

The object of the game is simple: Drive really really fast, knock the other drivers off the road, win money, and buy new cars. The simplicity of the controls and the premise is what makes this game really shine, because within its simple exterior lies a degree of depth in the driving. Half of the game is total arcade action, the other half is semi-realistic, meaning you won't be able to just stomp on the gas pedal and blaze your way through each track. If you suffer a hard enough impact, your driver will actually burst out the windshield and onto the track! Crashing into normal items on the road such as fire hydrants, light posts, and small trees will fill up your nitro meter, which will allow you to perform boosts to increase your speed. One bad thing about the gameplay is the controls. The cars seem really floaty and generally tend to slip around a lot if you're not careful.

In addition to the races there are also stunts, demolition derbies, and special events. The stunts can range from the High Jump (Launch your driver out of the windshield and into a wall as high as possible) to Basketball. All these games are extremely fun and are hilarious to watch. Rag-doll physics applied to your driver make it all the more hilarious. Demolition derbies pit you against 7 other drivers in a free for all crash-fest, with the winner being the one doing the most damage and staying alive the longest. Special events are races held in special arenas.

Graphics: 9/10

The screenshots of the game don't do it any justice. The game looks superb in motion, with great looking cars, beautiful, realistic scenery, and all sorts of obstacles in your path to glory. The cars themselves are the best part about the game: They are completely destructable. Everything from the hood to the back bumper and everything in between can be knocked off your car as you slam into your opponents and any obstacles in your way. Eventually, if you take enough damage your tires can fall off as well, resulting in a loss of turning speed. The game looks especially good when you activate nitro. The entire world turns into a Burnout-like perspective as you zoom along at breakneck speeds. The lighting in the game looks extremely good, with the sun glaring down on you as you race along a highway. The only problem is that it could have used some more motion blur, everything seems a bit too clear and crisp and the game never really feels really fast unless nitro is activated.

Sound: 8/10

Everything from the roar of engines to the crunch of your driver's limp body rolling across the ground sounds good. Every car has a distinct sound. The music is a sampling from all over the mainstream airwaves, with one distinct track from Megadeth that sounds out of place amongst pop-rock/punk/emo bands like Fallout Boy and Yellowcard. The fast pace music fits the game pretty well, even if you're not (I know I'm not!) a fan of the bands in the soundtrack.

Value: 10/10

With tons of cars to unlock and LOTS of tracks, this game would've been fine as a single-player racing title. HOWEVER, the kind folks who made this game also included an awesome online multiplayer feature, allowing you to race against players from all over the world. The incredible replay value mixed with online play make this a solid title worthy of purchase.

Total: 9/10

Flatout 2 is an incredibly fun arcade-semi-realistic racing game that is simple to play but difficult to master. Pick it up now if you enjoy games like Burnout and the Need For Speed series.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/21/06