FlatOut

About

FlatOut is a simulation game that offers single-player and multiplayer modes, supporting up to 8 players in local multi-player. The game boasts impressive graphics, physics, and damage modeling, along with 16 upgradeable cars and 48 tracks. Its open environments allow for taking shortcuts, and it includes wacky mini-games featuring ragdoll physics and humor.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

+10

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,568 reviews

music158 positive mentions

stability16 negative mentions

music
374 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
49%
9%
The music in the game is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of rock, punk, and alternative tracks that enhance the racing experience but can become repetitive over time. While many players appreciate the energetic atmosphere created by the soundtrack, some criticize the inability to change songs during races, leading to frustration with looping tracks. Overall, the soundtrack is generally seen as fitting for the game's theme, though opinions vary on its quality and memorability.
- “The soundtrack consists of grunge, garage rock, and punk rock, which emphasizes the racing dynamics and keeps players energized.”
- “The soundtrack, featuring a mix of rock and alternative tunes, adds to the high-energy atmosphere, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “The soundtrack is awesome and really fits the feel of this game.”
- “I was excited to relive childhood nostalgia with this one, but what I got were slippery tracks and an annoying soundtrack.”
- “As far as I can tell, this is a game where you sell your soul to the devil, robot or otherwise, to cheat death, and thus have to suffer through a thousand car crashes while listening to awful music that ranges from emo to imitation Nickelback.”
- “The soundtrack is just trash, unlike the other games.”
graphics
224 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
58%
7%
The graphics of this game, released in 2004, have generally aged well, with many reviewers noting that they remain impressive for their time, particularly in terms of car models and environmental detail. While some aspects show their age, such as character models and occasional pop-in issues, the overall aesthetic and physics still hold up, especially for players using modern hardware with ray tracing capabilities. Despite comparisons to newer titles, the game's visuals are often praised for their charm and retro appeal, making it a nostalgic experience for many.
- “The graphics are good for its days, but there's a bonus treat for those with NVIDIA RTX cards... there's an RTX remix config available for Flatout that adds ray tracing to the graphics.”
- “Despite the fact that the game was released quite a long time ago, it does not cease to amaze with its graphics and physics to this day.”
- “The graphics, though showing signs of aging, still hold up well, especially considering the game's release date.”
- “The graphics are kinda dated.”
- “This game sucks and is not worth buying, it has crappy 1980's graphics and very few levels.”
- “The graphics are fine but the gameplay is horrendous, not acceptable for today's standards.”
gameplay
187 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
55%
3%
The gameplay of FlatOut is characterized by its fun, chaotic racing mechanics and innovative physics, which have aged surprisingly well since its release. While some players find the driving mechanics simplistic and the AI mediocre, the game's unique features, such as the driver-launching mechanic and destructible environments, contribute to an entertaining and unpredictable racing experience. Overall, it remains a light-hearted arcade racer that balances enjoyment with a degree of frustration, appealing to both nostalgic fans and new players alike.
- “The physics and gameplay of this original FlatOut are unsurpassed by any successor since-- until Wreckfest.”
- “An arcade racer at its core, FlatOut offers fast-paced, crash-riddled gameplay showcasing a fantastic physics and deformation engine all the way from 2004, great track variety including racetrack, farmland/town, snow, forest, and mine sites, and a great underrated soundtrack which is very dated but fitting to the racing and destruction.”
- “Great gameplay, solid physics engine, satisfying damage model, and loads of fun game modes.”
- “I am sure there is some flatout pro out there who will say that I simply need to 'get good' at the game, but for such a simple game I expected to be able to enjoy it casually, without having to worry too much about its outdated mechanics and physics.”
- “The graphics are fine but the gameplay is horrendous, not acceptable for today's standards.”
- “The actual driving mechanics of Flatout aren't terribly complex or deep, and they rely pretty heavily on lots of powersliding and crazy smashups for entertainment value, rather than on any real racing strategy to speak of.”
humor
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is primarily derived from its absurd ragdoll physics and the comedic ejection of drivers upon crashes, which players find both hilarious and unique. Mini-games that involve launching characters and the chaotic destruction of vehicles add to the overall comedic experience, making it a fun and entertaining arcade racing game. While some mechanics can be frustrating, the game's blend of humor and racing keeps players engaged and laughing, especially in multiplayer settings.
- “The maps are amazing, the cars feel great to drive, and the comedic ejection from the car is always funny to see.”
- “What makes these games so entertaining is the ridiculous rag-doll physics Bugbear has given your drivers, making them contort in horrifically hilarious ways that never fail to make you cringe, even if just a bit.”
- “Along with your standard racing, FlatOut goes a further step and gives you semi-fully destructible vehicles as well as often hilarious bonus activities, such as throwing your character at a dart board or bowling with the top of his skull.”
optimization
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
69%
7%
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, running smoothly on modern hardware at 60 fps with max settings, even 17 years after its initial release. Players appreciate the performance upgrades available for cars, although the fragility of vehicles and damage mechanics can impact performance. While the upgrade system lacks depth, the overall experience is enhanced by well-implemented car damage physics and a solid reboot that meets contemporary standards.
- “Now 17 years later, the game got its deserved reboot update and fixed and optimized the game to today's standards.”
- “The game ran perfectly and it’s incredibly well optimized!”
- “There's no optimization issues for modern hardware either, as I was able to run it at a perfect 60 fps with everything on max at 1080p.”
- “The whole idea is to crash into things to get more money, but cars in the game are so fragile that you end up having to avoid obstacles more often than not because damaging a car enough will reduce its performance and cause misalignment, steering problems, and other issues.”
- “The only stat shown for each car is horsepower; to compare any other aspect of performance, you have to drive them in a quick race, and it's not always clear in career mode what buying a certain upgrade will do for you.”
- “However, while the game does allow you to do some modifications that some other developers who aren't really into cars would never think of implementing, such as upgrading the exhaust for actual performance purposes rather than cosmetic, or the engine's flywheel to make it linger at high revs for longer, generally there's no real depth to the whole upgrade system.”
story
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
71%
14%
The game's story is minimal, primarily revolving around simple tournaments and lacking complex narratives or additional missions, which allows it to focus on racing mechanics. Many reviews emphasize that the absence of a substantial storyline is a deliberate choice, enabling players to enjoy extended gameplay without the distractions of a traditional story. Overall, the consensus is that while the racing experience is engaging, the story aspect is virtually non-existent or very simplistic.
- “The story had me never wanting to stop playing, for fear that I would die before I found out the twist.”
- “A pretty decent game with a really fun story mode.”
- “That's just one story of many cool things that may happen in this game.”
- “The absence of complex storylines and additional missions keeps the game focused on its core element — racing.”
- “The story is just a simple few tournaments to complete.”
- “This game type is only based on racing in career mode, so it doesn't have a story.”
stability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and issues with controller support, particularly in the menu. While it runs well on modern systems, many players note that its dated graphics and physics engine contribute to an overall experience that feels unstable and underwhelming. Despite these issues, some still find enjoyment in the gameplay, albeit with the caveat of occasional technical problems.
- “Runs great in modern systems.”
- “While this runs great out of the box on Proton with controller support, it's obviously a dated game.”
- “Controller support for the menu is so weird and buggy.”
- “Disappointing, buggy and all in all underwhelming - avoid.”
- “Be ready for 2005 graphics and a buggy physics engine.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive effort to unlock upgrades and tracks. While the races can be challenging, many feel that the grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, making the experience feel repetitive and boring.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Just kinda boring and grindy.”
- “Grinding is required to achieve 100% completion.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, particularly through its soundtracks and visuals, which evoke nostalgia and even tears. However, frustrations with gameplay mechanics, such as poor respawn points and unrealistic physics, detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the emotional impact remains a significant highlight for many players.
- “Now I am already an adult uncle, but when I heard the soundtracks and saw the picture, I shed a tear.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players enjoy the hotseat mode, which enhances fun and interaction, others find the overall replay value lacking, rating it as low as 2.5/10. For fans of the racing genre, it offers around 20-40 hours of gameplay, but overall, opinions on replayability vary significantly.
- “Hotseat really adds to the game's replayability and has hours of fun, especially when playing with others.”
- “Content/replayability: 2.5/10”
- “🔲 404 - replayability not found”
- “Replayability: 20-40 hours if this is your kind of racing genre.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The game is praised for its monetization approach, as it features no microtransactions or downloadable content (DLC) that cuts out in-game content, and it does not include digital rights management (DRM). This has been positively received by users who appreciate the absence of additional costs beyond the initial purchase.
- “No microtransactions, thank you!”
- “They didn't cut out in-game content and sell it as DLC; there are no microtransactions in-game and no DRM, most importantly.”
- “They didn't cut out in-game content and sold it as DLC; there are no microtransactions in-game and there is no DRM, most importantly.”
- “=== Microtransactions / DLC Policy ===”
- “☑️ No microtransactions, thank you!”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
29%
14%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its beautiful art style, featuring stunning sunsets and winter light, which evoke a sense of immersion. The energetic soundtrack, blending rock and alternative music, further enhances the experience, making it more engaging than similar titles like Wreckfest. Overall, the combination of imaginative routes and a vibrant aesthetic contributes to a captivating and enjoyable atmosphere.
- “The soundtrack, featuring a mix of rock and alternative tunes, adds to the high-energy atmosphere, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “The beautiful atmosphere: the sunsets and the winter light which you can also find in FlatOut 2.”
- “Yup, it's more challenging than the arcade-y over-the-top atmosphere suggests.”