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| Reviewer | Platform | Publisher | Developer | Players | Screenshots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Bailey | Xbox 360 | Empire Interactive | BugBear Entertainment | 1-8 (Online, Take Turns) | Here |
| Requirements | Buy from Amazon.co.uk | ||||
| Xbox Live Gold subscription for online play | Click here to buy FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage. | ||||
It has been a busy time for racing games on the Xbox 360 of late. In successive weeks we saw the release of Microsoft's Forza 2, Codemasters' Colin McRae: DIRT (which we reviewed recently), and then Empire's FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage. Each is different, with Forza aiming for the simulation market and DIRT for off-road, while this aims for the madcap arcade adventurer. Ultimate Carnage is an Xbox 360 rejigging of last year's rather good FlatOut 2, which arrived on the Xbox and PC. At the heart it's essentially the same game, but BugBear have given their child a new gloss, with the previously impressive explosions and collections of flying particles turned up a notch to satisfy the new generation's audience.
So, if you know how FlatOut 2 plays, then you already know about Ultimate Carnage. You know that it's an arcade racer with great handling. You know that you earn boost by causing as much damage to trackside surroundings as possible. You know that you can also earn boost through jumps and smashing your opponents. You know that there are plenty of short-cuts and alternative paths on track allowing you to to vary your route around the course and gain an advantage. You know that your opponents are ruthless, and will take every opportunity for a shunt or to gain the upper hand, and that whacking them into side of the road is sometimes the only way to succeed. You also know that that despite being an arcade racing title, it's got a surprisingly high level of difficulty at the beginning, and while it's not impossible, you find yourself restarting races on a few occasions. But most importantly, you know that the game is very enjoyable, and despite the frustrations of being shunted at the last corner for the umpteenth time, you keep coming back for more.
If you haven't, well, now you do know. Now for the bit even those who have played before are wondering about - what's changed? Well, as stated earlier, the graphics have received quite an overhaul in the transition from the Xbox to the 360. PC owners will already be familiar with higher resolutions and a greater level of detail, but even for those people, Ultimate Carnage will be a step up. The amount of detail on the cars and surroundings has been given a boost, but in particular, the vehicular effects - which make up a large portion of the action on-screen, have received a significant increase, with BugBear particularly proud of the improvements they have made in this area. The result is a game which contains plenty of detail, well modelled cars, and realistic surroundings - particularly the urban areas - all of which can be torn apart in a wave of destruction.
Game modes, particularly on the multiplayer front, have also been expanded. The single-player action features two modes of play; FlatOut and Carnage modes. FlatOut is split into three classes - Derby, Race, and Street - and you have to purchase a car for each, with the ability to apply a whole range of upgrades, from visual changes, to an engine upgrade, to improved nitro performance for your vehicles. You then compete in an event, which may be a multi-race cup, a figure-of-eight-type race, or a time trial, with each of these completed by earning a bronze, silver or gold cup, which also earns you credits to spend on the aforementioned upgrades or new cars. Events are split into difficulty levels, ranging from 1 to 3, and are unlocked through completion of previous ones. Carnage mode, on the other hand, is a selection of 15 single events where damage is key. Points are earned by causing destruction to the surroundings, or taking out your opponents. Carnage Race is a unique and exciting idea; it sees you driving around a course with opponents until the time runs out (time is topped up with checkpoints), and you earn more points the higher the position you are in when you cause the damage. Deathmatch Derby does what it says on the tin, but stunt mode - one of BugBear's key components, which makes impressive use of rag-doll physics - sees you taking a vehicle and flinging your driver through the windscreen to achieve various stunts such as the high jump or bowling. Beat the Bomb is the last type, and it sees you driving around a track until the time runs out and your car blows up, with time gained by going through checkpoints - the longer you survive the more points you earn. Overall the modes are enjoyable, varied, and often rather unique - though the stunts can be a bit hit-or-miss.
There are also Single Events you can experiment with, giving you a range of options to take on races, stunts, derbys, time trials and some bonus events however you like. As with FlatOut 2, online play is supported via Xbox Live, with a range of options for up to 8 players. You can take part in a race, stunt or derby, each of which has a selection of different styles of play, and are available in ranked and unranked editions. It seems to be working well, with a large community of players keeping things interesting, and importantly, despite the amount of objects flying about, play seems to be lag free. Disappointingly, this is yet another Xbox 360 title which has dropped split-screen support which, like DIRT, is particularly annoying for the racing genre which thrives on competition in the same room. In fact, unlike that title, there isn't even support for System Link, so you really do have to seek out racing opponents elsewhere via Live, which itself requires the paid Gold subscription. On the other hand, it does attempt to bring competition back into the same room as you with the party mode. With split-screen not included actual racing is out of the question, but up to 8 of you can take turns at the stunts to see who scores the most. It features an interesting selection of events that should appeal to those outside the genre (and therefore make a good party game), and while it is limited, it's at least one step further than Codemasters took local competition.
All of this action takes place on a range of different terrains. Surroundings that look impressive and varied in look but also make a significant impact on the handling of the cars. The handling is best describing as 'curious', as it's not particularly cumbersome, but sometimes finds itself being either a bit light or a bit heavy. However, the variation of handling between vehicles is both noticeable, and works fairly well.
| Graphics | A noticeable improvement upon FlatOut 2, with destruction looking particularly impressive. However, it's not as pretty as DIRT and you can't help but feel they could have done more with a fresh start on the 360. | 8/10 |
|---|---|---|
| Gameplay | Very enjoyable, and also rather varied. This is where FlatOut exceeds; it's able to offer frills and new challenges. | 9/10 |
| Value | There's a fair amount here for your money, though not an awful lot to offer those who already own FlatOut 2, except you can play it on your 360. | 9/10 |
| Lifespan | There are two key game modes, which each provide quite a bit to do, but this isn't an epic career. Multiplayer makes a valuable addition to this, and while party mode can be fun, it doesn't make up for the lack of split-screen play. | 9/10 |
| Audio | Engine sounds are quite good, and the crunching of metal sounds satisfying, but the music choices leave a lot to be desired. Thank goodness for the ability to play your own music on 360 games. | 7/10 |
| Overall | Ultimate Carnage may not be a huge advancement over FlatOut 2, but it's another excellent addition an exciting and enjoyable series that's a worth addition to the collection of any arcade racing fans, and gamers beyond. | 8/10 |
Click here to buy FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage from Amazon.co.uk.
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