For many fans of the genre, truly fun arcade-style racing games are hard to come by. For every Burnout 3 that comes along, offering gamers a stunning mix of speed and vehicular carnage, there are dozens of also-rans that only bring one element or the other to the starting line. Not everyone has given up on the demolition driving subgenre, however, as evidenced by the latest release from Finnish developer Bugbear Entertainment. Although FlatOut will never be mistaken for Burnout (even with their strikingly similar names), it's an enjoyable and unique experience in its own right.

FlatOut's most prominent feature is undoubtedly the impressive physics engine that gives nearly every one of the game's movable objects its own characteristics. Hitting the tires stacked against the walls will cause them to fall and realistically bounce around the track, where they'll rest until another car comes by and sends them careening. There are plenty of destructible objects lining the course, from wooden signs and fences to water towers and scaffolding. In a nice twist, hitting an object will not actually destroy it, it will simply relocate it, oftentimes onto the track itself. This helps to make later laps a bit more challenging, as you've got to avoid the debris while simultaneously keeping track of the whereabouts of your competitors.


The only reason that the track is covered with debris is because you've got to destroy the environment with your car if you want to get ahead. Confused? Although the recipe for success in most racing games is to avoid whatever obstacles are in your path, FlatOut rewards your destructive tendencies by supplying you with the all-important nitro. Every time you hit a movable object, you'll get a bit of extra boost, making it that much easier to keep your lead or make a play for the lead. Surprisingly, you get very little nitro for taking out an opponent or pushing him into a solid, unmovable object. Of course, that won't stop you from doing it and watching the driver get ejected through the windshield.

Don't go into the race thinking that your opponents will be pushovers, though, as they're far from it. From the beginning, you'll be challenged by foes that don't make many mistakes, forcing you to somehow drive both cautiously and aggressively at the same time. The game's controls don't make this easy, as they tend to be a bit unresponsive, which can be a killer on some of the tougher corners. If you've got some boost left, your best bet is to rocket out of turns, while early braking works well if you're out. You'll get punished for your errors, too, either by getting spun in the wrong direction or being tossed from your car. Either way, resetting is generally your best option. Thankfully, the developers decided to let you keep whatever nitro you had left in your tank.