Flatout 3: Chaos & Destruction

14%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,179 reviews
  • graphics
  • music
  • gameplay
Flatout 3: Chaos & Destruction Game Cover
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"FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction" is a demolition racing game with intense action and real world physics. Race across 60 tracks while causing destruction in various environments, with 47 vehicles and 9 game modes available. Compete in online and offline options, including monster truck and stuntman modes, creating chaos and destruction along the way.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

14%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,179 reviews
humor38 positive mentions
graphics58 negative mentions
  • The game offers a variety of modes, including unique ones like Splatout and Monster Trucks.
  • Some players find the chaotic nature of the game amusing and entertaining, especially in multiplayer.
  • The ability to use custom music during gameplay is a nice feature.
  • The graphics and physics are significantly worse than previous FlatOut titles, making the game visually unappealing.
  • The controls are unresponsive and the car handling is poor, leading to frustrating gameplay.
  • The AI is often described as terrible, making races feel unbalanced and unfair.
  • graphics169 mentions

    The graphics of FlatOut 3 have been widely criticized as subpar, with many reviewers noting that they appear outdated even for its 2011 release, often comparing them unfavorably to earlier titles in the series. Common complaints include poor textures, excessive bloom effects, and a general lack of polish, leading to a visual experience that feels more akin to early 2000s games rather than a modern racing title. Overall, the consensus is that the graphics significantly detract from the gameplay experience, making it a major downside for potential players.

    • “This game is an apex in its genre, the controls handle like finely aged wine, the graphics are exquisite and are worth the 10GB on my SSD.”
    • “Nice graphics - although some compare the game's graphics to PlayStation 2 era video games (I agree), they are still really high, despite turning them down to the minimal, meaning that the game actually looks really well, and even has world reflection.”
    • “Weird controls, but awesome graphics and music.”
    • “The graphics are abysmal.”
    • “The graphics are just awful and look worse than the first FlatOut game, which, for reference, was released in 2004, a whopping 7 years before this pile of fail.”
    • “The graphics look worse than FlatOut 2.”
  • music121 mentions

    The music in the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players criticizing the lack of a proper in-game soundtrack during races and describing the default music as generic and unmemorable. While some appreciate the option to use their own music, this feature has been marred by technical issues, such as crashes and repetitive loops. Overall, the absence of a compelling soundtrack significantly detracts from the gaming experience, especially compared to previous installments in the series.

    • “The soundtrack, which has been a hallmark of the identity of the series, returns with equal aplomb, featuring lesser-known artists than the previous installment. Although it's a mixed bag of wailing rock and energetic numbers, I believe it has been well-received by those who hold the game near and dear to their hearts.”
    • “As a fun thing you can do is have your own music.”
    • “One thing FlatOut has gotten right for me in the past is having a pretty good licensed soundtrack.”
    • “The soundtrack, which was a big plus for me in the other games, is complete garbage.”
    • “There is no music during races - none.”
    • “The menu music is just generic and, bafflingly, there's no music at all when you race.”
  • gameplay93 mentions

    The gameplay of Flatout 3 has been overwhelmingly criticized for its poor mechanics, lack of depth, and overall execution, with many reviewers describing it as a significant downgrade from its predecessors. Players have noted issues such as clunky controls, unresponsive driving physics, and poorly designed tracks, leading to a frustrating experience that feels more like a cheap imitation than a true sequel. While some found moments of humor in the chaotic gameplay, the consensus is that the game fails to capture the fun and excitement of the original Flatout series.

    • “Each game mode is handcrafted with the fullest care to its mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is alternatively smooth.”
    • “However, there is a new mechanic that lets you power up after filling a meter, destroying opponents in your way.”
    • “The gameplay is atrocious, the cars feel like they have no weight, the tracks are badly designed.”
    • “The mechanics make no sense and the events themselves have awful premises.”
    • “The gameplay is outdated and stiff, the graphics are horrible, and the game contains a decent amount of bugs.”
  • humor39 mentions

    The humor in this game is largely derived from its unintentional absurdity and glitches, leading to moments of hilarity, especially when played with friends. While many players find the game to be poorly designed and frustrating, they often describe it as "so bad it's funny," with chaotic physics and silly scenarios providing some entertainment value. However, opinions vary, with some players feeling that the humor falls flat or becomes tedious rather than genuinely amusing.

    • “It's certainly not the worst game on Steam on the basis that it functions as advertised, but it is hilariously bad, good times.”
    • “I won't be playing it again, but the races were at least fun enough to try and get the weird brake mechanics down. Hitting zombies with a monster truck made me laugh like a buffoon, and watching 11 CPU cars all pile up on top of me in battle arena with never-ending crashing sounds until my car was totaled also made me laugh like a buffoon.”
    • “This is genuinely one of the worst games I have ever played, but it's really funny with friends, so whatever.”
    • “The humor falls flat and feels forced.”
    • “I expected more laughs, but the jokes just didn't land.”
    • “The attempts at humor are cringeworthy and miss the mark.”
  • stability20 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its severe stability issues, with numerous reports of glitches, bugs, and poor physics that significantly detract from the gameplay experience. Players have described it as a "buggy mess" with janky controls and frequent crashes, making it nearly unplayable at times. While some find humor in the glitches, the overall consensus is that the game's stability is a major flaw that overshadows any redeeming qualities.

    • “It is a terrible game overall and is totally buggy.”
    • “The game has a lot of glitches and bugs (car randomly blowing up, car jumping 300 meters into the air, the character becoming a bar of nonsense during stunts, etc.) - although it has only crashed once - if that's an upside.”
    • “Expecting something at least halfway decent, I got a buggy, crashing, and barely playable pile of mess dumped upon me.”
  • optimization19 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues, including constant frame drops, freezing, and overall instability. Many users noted that the graphics are underwhelming and poorly optimized, leading to a frustrating experience that detracts from the otherwise enjoyable gameplay. Overall, the lack of optimization significantly hampers the game's potential, making it difficult to run smoothly even on capable systems.

    • “In my opinion, there are more pros than cons, but you can easily remove the pros because of the AI problems, optimization, and graphics.”
    • “If it was optimized, fine.”
    • “It offers an exhilarating and fun racing experience with its unique focus on destruction, but this is marred by underwhelming graphics and a maddeningly unstable performance.”
    • “Performance issues when comparing to previous versions (at least on my laptop), freezing when there shouldn't really be any freezing, and of course bad optimization, as expected.”
    • “Nothing makes sense, the game is horribly optimized, the camera swings about wildly and it still looks generally horrible.”
  • story16 mentions

    The game's story aspect is highly polarizing, with some players praising it as one of the most profound narratives they've experienced, while others criticize it for lacking a coherent storyline and depth. Many reviews highlight the absence of a specific story mode, leading to a perception of the game as primarily focused on gameplay rather than narrative. Overall, the story is seen as either a significant strength or a glaring weakness, depending on individual player perspectives.

    • “It's not a story the Jedi would tell you.”
    • “Incredibly deep and detailed story.”
    • “Finally, it is worth mentioning that this game features one of the most undeniably prodigious stories I have ever played in my life.”
    • “The only thing I see effort put into is the cameo characters and their backstory, which is completely pointless.”
    • “There is no real storyline that is apparent or obvious, and the AI is pretty terrible as well.”
    • “There’s absolutely no storyline, but there are several game modes.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    Overall, the reviews on replayability are mixed. While some players appreciate the variety of game modes and features that enhance replay value, others criticize the lack of incentives and express a strong disinterest in revisiting the game.

    • “✔️ Score/time attack for replay value.”
    • “- Endless replay value.”
    • “There is a large variety of game modes that one may find enjoyable, and that adds a lot of replayable content.”
    • “Replayability: there is no reason to even look at this game again, not only because of how terrible it is, but also because there is no incentive, like, really!”
    • “404 - replayability not found”
    • “time trial for replay value”
  • emotional7 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mixed response, with some players expressing feelings of connection and nostalgia through shared experiences, while others report frustration and discomfort, highlighting unexpected emotional reactions in a racing game context. Overall, it seems to evoke strong feelings, both positive and negative, leaving players divided on their experiences.

    • “At least it made me feel something again.”
    • “Racing alongside these newfound friends made me feel like I wasn't alone.”
    • “Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized exactly what was at stake.”
  • monetization7 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with users expressing disappointment over its reliance on the FlatOut name and its connection to promotional content for Bulletstorm. While some appreciate the absence of microtransactions, the overall sentiment is that the game serves primarily as an advertisement rather than a standalone product, leading to a negative perception of its value.

    • “No microtransactions, thank you!”
    • “The DLC policy is fair and adds value to the game without being intrusive.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers a complete experience without pushing for additional purchases.”
    • “This game is nothing more than a cynical cash grab from Strategy First to profit from the FlatOut name along with the technical incompetence of Team6 Games in developing this sorry excuse for a game. It can be safely said that the FlatOut we know and love is now too badly damaged that there is little hope that it can be brought back.”
    • “Blatant cash grab.”
    • “This game is a terrible cash grab based on their name.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere of FlatOut 3 has been widely criticized for failing to capture the essence of its predecessors, instead feeling like a lackluster imitation that lacks competitive energy. Reviewers describe it as depressing and mediocre, likening it to a cheap mobile game with uninspired sound effects and visuals. Many believe that a complete overhaul is necessary to revive the game's atmosphere.

    • “It captures the atmosphere of FlatOut but overall just feels like a cheap, mediocre mobile racing game that double dipped into the stock sound effects archive.”
    • “If they want to save the game, they need to completely remake it; it has so many bugs. Also, they need to change the atmosphere; it is just depressing, even with the music and colors.”
    • “I struggle to see how this is even related to FlatOut, other than feeling like a fan-fiction made by borrowing elements of the prior games without capturing the true game mechanics and atmosphere.”
    • “Unlike other arcade racing games, FlatOut 3 fails to inspire a competitive atmosphere.”
    • “If they want to save the game (I don't think they will mostly because they changed the studio), they need to completely remake the game. It has so many bugs, and they also need to change the atmosphere; it is just depressing, even with the music and colors.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game has been widely criticized, with reviewers highlighting poor character design that is described as cringy, demonic, and creepy. Overall, the lack of depth and coherence in character portrayal contributes to a negative perception of the game's overall quality.

    • “The character designs are demonic, crazy, weird, and creepy.”
    • “The character development is lacking, with poorly designed characters that detract from the overall experience.”
    • “The game features cringy character designs that feel out of place and poorly executed.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and unenjoyable, leading to feelings of frustration and dissatisfaction. The repetitive nature of the grinding detracts significantly from the overall experience.

    • “Team 6 really put an effort into this game; unfortunately, that effort was to make the game as unenjoyable, mundane, unsatisfactory, monotonous, tedious, and rage-inducing due to the excessive grinding required.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

10% average critic score

Buy Flatout 3: Chaos & Destruction

Play time

106hMedian play time
137hAverage play time
50-333hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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