FLATOUT (XBOX)

FlatOut is a driving game where crashing your car can be more fun than driving it. You drive muscle cars on dirt tracks, compete against them in destruction derby arenas and compete in the Ragdoll Olympics. The latter may need some explanation. When crashing in FlatOut, your pilot (the Ragdoll) is thrown through the windshield, much like in Rekkaturvat. This feature is used in Ragdoll sports where the task is to propel the unfortunate pilot as far, as high, or as accurately as possible. In the demolition arena, the goal is to destroy other cars before your own. As simple as that.

Most of the game is racing and it can be run in typical fast-paced and time trial modes in addition to the proverbial career mode. There are also two different driving modes for the cars. Normal mode gives arcade-like handling, suitable for gamepads. Professional mode seems to be designed for steering wheel owners and offers very challenging simulator-like handling. This is not surprising since Bugbear's previous racing title, Rally Trophy, was considered a very difficult, if not demanding, simulation.