Not the bugbear you would think.
Cars are split into four catagorys Derby (bangers), Race (well looked after bangers), Street and Stunt cars. The career is split between different events and money is earned via career mode in order to buy new cars and parts to customize your vehicle. It is an established and frankly well trodden formula which is growing tedious in the racing genre, but not so much in this game. The cars feel different enough and the games thirty nine different tracks are spread evenly so as to not become stale, mixing races, time trial events and destruction derbies. There is a long career mode which will take the gamer a considerable amount of time to win every race, and it feels fun for the majority of its length. There is also Carnage Mode which runs alongside the career, including specific events with different cars. All of the games modes are included such as Stunt, Race, Derby and time trials to unlock some of the games more iconic cars such as the batman inspired 'flatmobile.' At this point it would be good to mention that none of the cars included in the game are real life creations due to copyright issues or the fact that Bugbear didn't want the baggage which comes along with destroying trademarks, but this isn't a detriment to the experience.
The Stunt mode involves 12 difference events including bowling, high jump, downhill skiing, free throw and others. They involve propelling your rag doll inspired driver into obstacles for example free throw, involves you propelling your driver through basketball hoops to score points, and stone skipping entails propelling your driver down a pool and keeping him above water for the longest distance possible. It sounds utterly bizarre and it is, and the game serve their purpose as a momentary aside from the games circuit led racing.
The graphics have had an overhaul since Flatout 2 and the car models, environment, and particle effects look good without the game ever straining or stuttering. I have played this game for over 40 hours and I cannot once remember any instance where slowdown has occurred even amongst multi-car pile ups in the busier environments. Textures look more functional than incredible, but they embody the atmosphere of the game, without seeming dull or pale. The cars sound like you would expect them but after being treated to Forza sound, gamers might be under whelmed. The music is particularly noteworthy in encapsulating the gaming atmosphere, but gamers must beware it is a strictly 'Emo' affair and unfortunately no diagonal fringe gel is included.
The previously unpredictable handling of the Flatout series has been expelled in favour of distinctly arcade handling, in which when you move the stick to the left, the car moves to the left, with little friction or feedback. Its not anything special, but it feels good enough for a non simulation title. The handling feels right, the damage effects on the cars are done well and the twelve AI drivers are so angry that you'll be sure they have parenting issues. Drivers which previously felt flat and unresponsive in prrior Flatout's are given new life in F:UC, where you will immediately identify the most dangerous AI opponents to take out and those to leave alone to destroy themselves. Drivers are given names and identifiable paint jobs so you will at least know who you are bumping into a wall, it would be rude not! I swear if I ever run into Lei Bing (named AI Driver) in real life I'm definitely going to steal her car keys, for her sake and my own. It is a nice touch and further immerses the gamer into the crash experience. Another factor which aids the racing experience are the Flatout environments which contain plenty of destructible race objects such as tires, planks of wood, and after the first lap default locations they more across the track and are fully dynamic, so if a car hits a red cone it will stay in the place it has been hit to, until the end of the race, unless hit by another car. Unlike the last Flatout, the different weight of the objects is much more varied this time and accurate. Running into these obstacles can give you boost but at the same time stops momentum and can seriously through you off course.
The game play isn't perfect for example hitting a tire can flip your car multiple times, and on the third lap of a four lap race, your anger at the game is considerable, but it will be dispelled the next race when that kind of folly effects one of your competitors. The tracks can also at times feel restrictive as despite the game encouraging you to find shortcut's there are places where it will demand you return to the race track via the Y button. It is obvious why the developers would need such a restriction but it is rigidly enforced, you either encourage the gamer to find short cuts or don't have them at all.
The online multi player is where F:UC really shines and is potentially the best reason to purchase the game as you can drive against 8 other players in any of the games previously mentioned modes, including destruction derby's. Laying waste to one of your friends in an arena littered with fallen foes is brilliant, and should at least be experienced once by everyone on Live, lag isn't an issue and as a whole it feels well coded and more importantly working, with few player drop outs. Unfortunately there is no local multiplayer and that is a real shame, not even stunt mode can accommodate split screen which is just plain odd. Surely players can take turns of flipping a seatbelt ignorant driver?
F:UC is the culmination of the previous Flatout games from Bugbear, feeling much more like Flatout 2 than the original. As a result F:UC is a tried and tested formula and is a chance for 360 owner to experience for themselves what they missed on last generation consoles and PC. It is a well rounded product with multiple game modes and options, and despite interesting omissions is still worth a look. If you enjoyed games like Destruction Derby, and arcade racers such as Sega Rally, Flatout: Ultimate Carnage is definitely worth a look.