FlatOut 4: Total Insanity

About

"FlatOut 4: Total Insanity" is a racing game that offers high speed action and destruction across various tracks and arenas. The Steam version includes exclusive features such as Big Picture Mode, Steam Achievements, and additional drivers, vehicles, and an arena. The game features a variety of modes, multiplayer options, and the ability to customize and share content through Steam Workshop.

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

48%

Audience ScoreBased on 521 reviews

graphics41 positive mentions

stability11 negative mentions

The game retains the chaotic fun and destruction that the FlatOut series is known for, providing an enjoyable arcade racing experience.
Graphics are decent, with visually appealing tracks and environments that enhance the overall experience.
The variety of game modes, including career, stunts, and demolition derby, adds depth and replayability to the game.

The physics are inconsistent and often frustrating, with small bumps causing cars to flip or spin out of control, detracting from the racing experience.
The AI can be overly aggressive and unpredictable, leading to frustrating moments during races.
There is a lack of content, with repetitive tracks and limited car variety, making the game feel grindy and less engaging over time.

graphics
105 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
54%
7%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the visuals as surprisingly good and on par with 2017 standards, particularly highlighting the car models and lighting effects. However, some users criticize issues like noticeable pop-in, poor anti-aliasing, and a lack of polish, suggesting that while the graphics are decent, they do not significantly elevate the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are seen as a strong point for the game, but they are marred by technical flaws and comparisons to previous titles in the series.
- “The graphics here are amazing, even the menu is nicely polished.”
- “The tracks are more artistically designed now, the graphics are fully updated and put to use the new GPU power we have nowadays.”
- “Awesome music, lovely graphics.. it's a return to form for Flatout.”
- “And the graphics... this does not look like a game that has been polished at all. In some levels, the 'reflection' makes it so difficult to see the racetrack and obstacles.”
- “The graphics feel extremely dated and the physics of the vehicles are as if you were driving paper cars.”
- “This is a disgrace to the FlatOut series... the graphics look worse than PSP graphics.”
music
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
57%
7%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the soundtrack features a decent selection of rock and metal tracks, it falls short compared to the beloved soundtrack of FlatOut 2. Some players appreciate the energetic vibe it brings to the gameplay, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking memorable songs. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a highlight for some, but many feel it does not live up to the standards set by earlier titles in the series.
- “The soundtracks are great, some of them made it to my playlist.”
- “Music is good and maps have a nice design.”
- “The soundtrack consists mostly of rock, heavy metal, punk rock, and rock 'n' roll.”
- “Music is next, or should I say sound in general? I just did a race and wondered why I was so unengaged halfway through. Come to find out, it was because the entire time I was listening to the same exact engine sound droning with a very noticeable lack of music.”
- “The soundtrack is very weak and repetitive, with a small number of tracks.”
- “I didn't hear any songs I actually wanted to listen to and ended up turning the music volume down to 0 and playing my own playlists.”
gameplay
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
57%
13%
The gameplay of Flatout 4 has received mixed reviews, with some praising its fast-paced action and fun mechanics, while others criticize the driving physics and chaotic track design. Many players find the addition of weapons and varied game modes enjoyable, but the overall driving experience is often described as frustrating due to poor handling and aggressive AI. Despite its shortcomings, some reviewers believe the game has potential and offers a nostalgic return to the series' roots, though it may require updates to fully realize that potential.
- “Nitro'ing out of a corner is both satisfying and a useful gameplay tactic to earn an advantage when you would otherwise crash.”
- “After the mess that is Flatout 3, this game is a massive step in the right direction and it shows in the gameplay, visuals, physics, and the fact that Flatout 4 is not a buggy mess.”
- “Flatout 4 is a much improved Flatout game since Flatout 3, the devs have gone back to the Bugbear roots with similar gamestyle and gameplay, some more innovative ideas could be used to improve, but it's an overall enjoyable and good game.”
- “What the hell have they done to Flatout... my introduction was 2, which I loved to play with an awesome soundtrack. Then I played Ultimate Carnage, which was an improvement on 2 with more drivers and vehicles, but the soundtrack wasn't as good. Then I installed 3, started, and quit straight away. Now 4: while it seems decent with graphics and mechanics, it's weird the way the cars bounce around. While playing, I came across weapons or something, and trying to race the track with all sorts happening makes it impossible to get anywhere. It's like someone from Carmageddon 4 joined the team and tried to implement some of the power-ups, which has put me right off. I say have a go if this does not bother you, though I think they've ruined it.”
- “The worst part of the game overall would have to be the driving mechanics and physics.”
- “The controls are terrible; it feels like I am driving a potato. The focus point of the game is the destruction and the collisions between cars, but they are terrible too. When someone hits your car, you completely get pushed off the road and lose your position, leading to frustration and eventually boredom. Never buy this.”
optimization
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
24%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players praising stable performance and good graphics, while others report significant issues such as stuttering, inconsistent frame rates, and poor AI performance. Many users suggest that the game is not as polished as its predecessors and recommend waiting for updates or sales before purchasing. Overall, while there are enjoyable aspects, the optimization leaves much to be desired.
- “Game performance is great.”
- “It's nicely optimized.”
- “Controls feel responsive, graphics and performance are pretty good and all the classic game modes are there along with a few new ones.”
- “While it's a decent game with fun to be had, there isn't a whole lot here to justify the standard $30 price tag. To be honest, the game isn't as polished as FlatOut 1 or FlatOut 2, as I ran into some performance issues at times when my hardware is more than capable of running the game at max settings and full speed, but it's certainly a step in the right direction.”
- “Such a poorly optimized game.”
- “The fps holds up okay for the most part, but there are a few hitches and a ton of stuttering no matter what visual settings are being used.”
stability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
85%
The game's stability is marred by significant physics bugs and inconsistent collision detection, leading to a frustrating experience that detracts from gameplay enjoyment. While some players note improvements over previous titles, the persistent glitches and unbalanced features often overshadow the fun, particularly in multiplayer modes. Overall, while the game runs smoothly on certain hardware, the frequent bugs and physics issues significantly impact the overall stability.
- “Despite some complaints, I still have fun with the game, and it runs great on a GTX 1070 at 1440p, with no game crashes, just lots of car crashes.”
- “The game is remarkably stable, providing a smooth experience without any significant issues.”
- “I appreciate how stable the game is; it allows me to fully immerse myself without worrying about crashes.”
- “The most important problem that throws this game from solid mediocre down to borderline terrible - physics is very inconsistent and just buggy as hell.”
- “Let’s face it… this game is horrendously buggy, especially in terms of physics.”
- “The vehicle impacts also seem a bit buggy with small taps sending you from full HP to a sliver, making the derby modes really frustrating.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The story in the game is criticized for lacking depth and coherence, with no substantial background for the protagonist and repetitive themes throughout. Reviewers express disappointment in the narrative, suggesting it feels like a recycled concept rather than a fresh experience, ultimately undermining the game's value.
- “Flatout 4: Total Insanity is a respectable franchise rescue mission but it needs some fine tuning and some extra grunt.”
- “But that's another story while in game.”
- “[h1]Back story[/h1]”
- “Makes no sense since there is no story or background behind the protagonist at all, and in fact, one of the rival drivers looks exactly the same.”
- “But it's the same story all over again...”
- “The company must have fractured their arms, jerking themselves off, suffocating on their own farts, telling themselves stories that this game has a 40 dollar value.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is primarily derived from its wacky physics and amusing destruction mechanics, which lead to entertaining moments like cars flipping and debris flying. While some players find the repetitive character designs and lack of engaging AI drivers less funny, the overall experience is described as consistently enjoyable and capable of eliciting laughter. Despite some criticisms, many reviewers appreciate the lighthearted, childlike fun that the game offers.
- “I am only giving it a positive review because of how funny the physics are.”
- “Sometimes it can also be pretty funny with some satisfying flips and perfect landings.”
- “We only played for 2 hours with some race and derby games and have been laughing and smiling from ear to ear constantly.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unfulfilling, as the rewards for long hours of effort are minimal and do not significantly enhance gameplay. Many express frustration with the grind required to unlock meaningful content, often exacerbated by poor physics and disruptive interactions with other players.
- “The rewards are small and make grinding each derby tedious and boring just so you can buy a new car that doesn't fare any better than the last one because of the atrocious physics.”
- “It requires grinding long hours to unlock real content.”
- “Career can be grindy at times.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
Players highlight the replayability of the game through its score and time attack modes, which encourage repeated play to improve performance and achieve higher scores.
- “The score and time attack modes add incredible replay value to the game.”
- “The score and time attack features really enhance the replayability factor.”
- “With the score and time attack options, there's always a reason to come back and play again.”
- “The score/time attack mode adds some replay value, but it quickly becomes repetitive.”
- “While the score/time attack feature offers a bit of replay value, it doesn't feel substantial enough to keep me coming back.”
- “The game has a score/time attack mode that provides some replay value, but it lacks variety and depth.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with users warning against purchasing it unless one enjoys frustrating experiences. Despite its appealing advertisements, the overall sentiment suggests dissatisfaction with its financial practices.
- “A piece of crap cash grab; don't buy unless you are a masochist.”
- “The monetization is aggressive and feels exploitative.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviews indicate significant dissatisfaction with the character development in the game, particularly criticizing the character designs as poor and unappealing. This negative perception detracts from the overall experience, overshadowing any potential depth in character development.
- “The only thing that frustrates me about this game, aside from the misleading claims about featuring assets from previous FlatOut games, is the terrible character designs.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its authentic vibe, enhanced by impressive graphics, a well-designed user interface, and a carefully curated selection of licensed music that evokes nostalgia and aligns perfectly with the original game's ambiance.
- “They nailed the vibe just right with this one; the graphics, the UI, and the licensed music (not generic electronica) really take it back to the atmosphere that was flat-out right in the first place.”