FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction

About

"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.

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FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction screenshot

20%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,518 reviews

humor45 positive mentions

graphics68 negative mentions

The game can be entertaining in a chaotic and humorous way, especially when played with friends.
There is a wide variety of game modes and vehicles to choose from, providing some replay value.
The ability to use custom music adds a personal touch to the gameplay experience.

The graphics and physics are significantly worse than previous entries in the series, making the game feel outdated.
The controls are unresponsive and the handling of vehicles is poor, leading to frustrating gameplay.
The AI is often incompetent, leading to unpredictable and unsatisfying racing experiences.

graphics
205 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
53%
33%
The graphics of the game have been widely criticized, with many reviewers describing them as outdated, poorly executed, and reminiscent of early 2000s titles or even earlier. Common complaints include muddy textures, subpar visual effects, and a lack of polish that detracts from the overall experience, leading to comparisons with previous entries in the FlatOut series, which are considered superior in terms of visual quality. Overall, the consensus is that the graphics are a significant drawback, making the game feel unrefined and disappointing, especially for a title released in 2011.
- “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.”
- “Anywho, away from that tangent: this game is so incredibly beautiful, the imagery and graphics so picturesque and serene that I forget that I am simply playing a video game and not viewing gorgeous images of our magnificent earth.”
- “Good graphics, a bunch of cars, and different kinds of game types.”
- “The graphics are terrible, especially for 2011 standards.”
- “The graphics look worse than Flatout 2.”
- “The graphics are abysmal.”
music
137 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
60%
21%
The music aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players expressing disappointment over the lack of an engaging in-game soundtrack during races. While the option to use personal music files is appreciated, numerous users reported issues with this feature, including crashes and repetitive loops. Overall, the soundtrack is described as generic and uninspired, failing to capture the excitement typically associated with racing games.
- “The soundtrack complements the fast-paced action perfectly, enhancing the overall immersive experience.”
- “This game is actually really good, you can put custom music in it and the steering is really great too.”
- “Drive quality was excellent, physics engine was phenomenal, and the soundtrack was the best thing I've ever heard since Tron Legacy :)”
- “Man... I heard that this game uses your own music files for the OST, I was disappointed when nothing played.”
- “The soundtrack is so dark and mysterious which doesn't help with that fun part either.”
- “There is no music during racing - none.”
gameplay
121 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
60%
29%
The gameplay of this title has been widely criticized for its chaotic and frustrating mechanics, poor graphics, and lack of depth compared to its predecessors. Many reviewers noted that the driving mechanics feel clunky and unresponsive, with a significant downgrade in quality from earlier games in the series. While some found moments of fun in the chaotic racing and destruction, the overall consensus is that the gameplay is subpar, lacking the engaging elements that made earlier installments enjoyable.
- “The expansive roster of vehicles provides a diverse range of choices, each with its own strengths and quirks, adding an extra layer of strategy to the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is alternatively smooth.”
- “Never have I run into an issue with gameplay, mechanics, nothing: this game is a gift from the gods, crafted for the sole purpose of displaying perfection and bliss within a video game.”
- “The gameplay is overly chaotic, which takes away the fun and makes it more frustrating.”
- “The gameplay is atrocious, the cars feel like they have no weight, the tracks are badly designed.”
- “The gameplay is outdated and stiff, the graphics are horrible, and the game contains a decent amount of bugs.”
humor
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
4%
The humor in this game is largely derived from its absurdity and unintentional comedic moments, with many players finding it entertaining despite its poor quality. While some reviews highlight that the game can be hilariously bad, leading to laughter with friends, others express disappointment in its lack of genuine humor and tedious gameplay. Overall, the game's charm lies in its chaotic physics and silly scenarios, making it a source of amusement for those willing to embrace its flaws.
- “Weird feeling - at first I was ready to toss this game aside at any moment, but it started to win me over a little bit, with the sheer amount of absolutely hilarious stuff happening basically every race.”
- “This is like one of those poorly made N64 games that you and your friends play out of boredom, but you end up pissing yourselves laughing at each other for the stupid decisions that you did not intend to make.”
- “There's enough silly things the engine can do, between using a tank and a double-decker bus pile-up, that it's worth laughing at with some friends.”
- “You're not funny!”
- “Wide is not funny in this case...”
story
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
70%
19%
The reviews present a mixed perspective on the game's story, with some praising its depth, character development, and emotional impact, while others criticize the lack of a coherent narrative and the presence of poorly written plots. Players appreciate the unique backstories of the 21 characters and the meaningful choices that influence the experience, but many also note that the game lacks a clear storyline, making it feel disjointed or superficial. Overall, the story aspect seems to be a highlight for some, while others find it lacking or non-existent.
- “You can select from 21 characters, each with a unique backstory.”
- “The story is dense with character drama, and to spoil any part in this review would keep me up at night.”
- “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.”
stability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is overwhelmingly criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and crashes that severely impact gameplay. Many describe the controls and physics as janky and unresponsive, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game is perceived as a "buggy mess," with players recommending alternatives due to its poor performance.
- “It's super buggy, it's boring, the handling sucks, it's frustrating. Just get Ultimate Carnage instead; you will have a better time than this hot garbage.”
- “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.”
optimization
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
42%
46%
The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users reporting severe performance issues such as frequent stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, particularly on lower-end systems. While some players experienced stable performance, the general consensus highlights that the game's graphics are outdated and poorly optimized, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. Overall, the lack of customization and significant performance problems detract from the enjoyment of the racing experience.
- “I noticed that there's a really significant difference between cars when it comes to handling and performance.”
- “Yet gameplay aside, in-game technical performance was actually fairly acceptable.”
- “Performance-wise it runs stable and smooth for me, although I have heard of people experiencing frequent crashes.”
- “It's 11 years old now and the visuals are badly dated, and there are optimization problems as I experienced stuttering every 10 seconds or so, making the game somewhat unplayable.”
- “This game is terribly optimized, and it's certainly not a worthy successor of the FlatOut series.”
- “Terrible optimization, terrible controls, and an excessive amount of forced post-processing effects you can't turn off.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the variety of enjoyable game modes and multiplayer options that enhance replay value, others criticize the lack of incentive to revisit the game, citing poor quality and limited content. Overall, the experience varies significantly among players, with some finding endless replay potential and others feeling there is no reason to return.
- “There is a large variety of game modes that one may find enjoyable, and that adds a lot of replayable content.”
- “Multiplayer modes contribute significantly to the game's replay value.”
- “Endless replay value.”
- “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”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
75%
The monetization aspect of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers expressing disappointment over its reliance on the FlatOut name without delivering quality gameplay. While some appreciate the absence of microtransactions, the overall sentiment is that the game serves primarily as an advertisement for another title, leaving players feeling exploited and dissatisfied.
- “No microtransactions, thank you!”
- “The DLC policy is fair and adds value to the game without being intrusive.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers optional purchases without pressuring players.”
- “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.”
- “Get FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage instead; this is just a waste of money, as it is a cash grab by the publisher on the name of FlatOut only. Bugbear wasn't even involved with this pile of garbage.”
- “This game is a terrible cash grab based on their name.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a strong response, with players experiencing a mix of heart-wrenching storytelling and subtle world-building that fosters a sense of connection and loneliness. While some found it deeply moving, others felt overwhelmed and frustrated, leading to a desire to disengage from the experience altogether. Overall, the game provokes significant emotional reactions, both positive and negative.
- “At least it made me feel something again.”
- “Where do I even start: the graphics, used sparingly but effectively; the music, ominously absent; the story, heart-wrenching and I yet couldn't look away; the open world, some of the best and most subtle world-building in gaming history.”
- “Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized exactly what was at stake.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The atmosphere of FlatOut 3 has been widely criticized for failing to capture the competitive and engaging spirit of its predecessors, instead feeling like a poorly executed fan-fiction. Reviewers note that the game lacks emotional depth and inspiration, with a depressing ambiance that detracts from the overall experience, making it feel more like a mediocre mobile game than a true arcade racer. Many suggest that a complete overhaul of the game's atmosphere is necessary for any chance of redemption.
- “The game starts in a way that perfectly builds the atmosphere; the sudden title screen shows there is no padding throughout the story (and like a Telltale game, your choices matter). The lack of an icon on the taskbar may scare you into thinking it's malware; however, this is subtly foreshadowing how this game will make you feel raw emotion.”
- “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 (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.”
- “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 development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
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 character aspects seem to detract significantly from the gaming experience, contributing to a negative perception of the game.
- “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.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and unenjoyable, often describing it as monotonous and rage-inducing. Many feel that the effort put into the game has resulted in a frustrating experience, particularly when compared to its predecessor.
- “Team 6 really put an effort into this game; unfortunately, that effort was to make the game as unenjoyable, mundane, unsatisfactory, monotonous, tedious, and lastly rage-inducing (at having to pay a price for such disk clutter).”
- “And now... for the long and tedious negative list... I could probably just sum it up to: 'it sucks!', but I will mention just a few of the downgrades (in comparison to its predecessor, it seems lesser of a game) and downfalls of the game.”