FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction - New Game of the Day #34

What? Long running car crash-em-up FlatOut series gets a surprise PC-exclusive sequel from a new developer. For those that don’t remember FlatOut, it was the racing game that made mini games out of comically hurling your driver through the windscreen on impact.

When? December 13th.

Where? PC – Steam only download.

Despite many hailing it as a Burnout clone, I’ve always had a soft spot for Bugbear’s FlatOut series since it began in 2004. Its unique brand of destructive off-road racing was refreshing for its time, though you could argue that MotorStorm has since superseded it this generation.

Truth be told, we haven’t seen a proper sequel since FlatOut 2 in 2006. Instead there’s been a slew of spin-off titles starting with Ultimate Carnage in 2007, which was billed as a remake of FlatOut 2 exclusively for the Xbox 360 and later ported to PC in 2008, along with the PSP in 2009 under the name of “FlatOut: Head on”.

While Bugbear is currently busy applying the finishing touches to Ridge Racer: Unbounded, the FlatOut series was left in limbo. Work had started on an official sequel, but publisher Empire Interactive closed leading to Bugbear subsequently losing the rights to the Flatout franchise.

After demand for a new FlatOut game by the community began to increase, Dutch developer Team6 came to the rescue and the result is FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction due for release December 13th as a Steam download.

Feature-wise, it certainly sounds like a traditional FlatOut game. 47 cars, some reprised from previous FlatOut games, will be available to trash including traditional muscle cars and a more wacky ensemble of buses, bulldozers and monster truck, and the 62 tracks will be littered with 20,000 destructible trackside objects, which has always been FlatOut’s signature trait. Destruction Derby-esque bowls also make a return, along with a slew of new game modes including NightShift, Speed and Off Road events. And yes, the sadistic driver-flinging mini games appear to be back with 12 new stunt tracks.

As a long-time fan of the series, I should therefore be excited by the prospect of a belated new numerical sequel, right? Well, not quite.

The fact is that Turn6 don’t have a single successful game release to their name, having churned out a series of laughably low budget games over the years that would make supermarket shelf games look appetising, so seeing them take charge of Bugbear’s baby raises ample cause for concern.

Now before you start to think I’m being presumptuous in thinking this is going to be a complete write-off, let’s take a look at the trailers they have hastily released to promote the game at the last minute:

Oh dear. “One of the Best Driving Games of the Year,” the first trailer proudly proclaims. Seems they obviously haven’t heard of a little game called Forza MotorSport 4.

I don’t think you need me to point out the myriad of flaws presented here, but they’re worth reiterating. What’s immediately apparent is that the graphics look woefully dated and even the frame rate looks suspect. 

Then there’s the crashes, i.e. what should be the game’s main guilty pleasure appeal, which look utterly underwhelming since Team6 apparently couldn’t afford proper real-time damage modelling. Panels appear to flap about, but there's no evidence of bodywork crumpling whatsoever. 

But the prize for the most heinous failing goes to the erratic physics on display. You know the car handling is going to be tip top when the trailer used to promote the game spends the majority of time depicting cars misjudging corners and slamming into walls. Check out the stunning “real world physics” of the car at 0.50 of trailer 2 which somehow manages to drive up a wall, land and then get seemingly pulled by a magnetic force into the next wall.

I can’t remember the last time I saw a game trailer so catastrophically bad, let alone one that then has the effrontery to arrogantly declare itself “one of the best driving games of the year.” Part of me wants to laugh, but the other wants to cry at what FlatOut is seemingly about to become.

Developer legacy: In all honesty, Team6 aren’t exactly renowned for producing quality games. Think of them as the Davilex of this generation, another Dutch developer previously responsible for the abominable London Racer series.

Case in point: the absolutely abysmal Taxi 3: Extreme Rush was developed with so much care and attention that they forgot to include any playable taxis whatsoever.

They say: “FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction is demolition racing at its extreme. Real world physics with 9 different game modes, and over 47 different vehicles available. Players may choose to race, smash and destroy their opponents in a wide variety of online and offline options."

We say: It's a crying shame Bugbear lost the license to FlatOut. Team6 are in danger of tarnishing the FlatOut name, although ironically Bugbear is being accused of the exact same thing for their treatment of the Ridge Racer franchise.

We’re hoping we won’t be saying R.I.P. to FlatOut, but considering the fact FlatOut 3 was only announced a week before its release speaks volumes about the confidence in their product, which doesn't hold us with much hope. Was nice knowing you, FlatOut.

Can’t wait? Play this: I seriously doubt many of you will be dying to play FlatOut 3 after watching those terrible trailers. If for some unfathomable reason you are, then you would be much better off playing any of Bugbear’s previous FlatOut games. Alternatively, there’s a good chance that Ridge Racer: Unbounded will share some of the mechanics of Bugbear’s lost FlatOut project before Empire went bust.

Website: flatout3.team6-games.com

Words by Martin Bigg (Twitter: @drivinggamespro)

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