FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage
Xbox 360
Bugbear/Empire/Activision



'FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage' couldn't have been released at a better time, really - as a destruction based arcade style racer it's bound to elicit comparisons to Criterion's 'Burnout' series, but with 'Burnout Revenge' having been out for almost 18 months now, and the next title not due for at least another six, Bugbear's game fills the gap nicely. That's not to say that it's a 'Burnout' clone, exactly, though; the races in 'FlatOut' are rather a lot more reliant on track knowledge and knowing the best racing lines than simply taking your opponents out of the running.

However, that won't stop your opponents from attempting to take you out, which is one of the game's most obvious weaknesses, especially later in the game where the twitchiness of the cars means a slight tap can send you spinning off, ruining all chance of winning. And although the destructible track objects - everything from fences to finish line sign posts - are a great addition and add a lot to the atmosphere, it's annoying to catch a light post at the wrong angle and find yourself flipped into the air just metres away from a big win. As for the ability of AI opponents to catch up and match your record winning track times again and again, the less said about that the better - fortunately, the slight over-reliance on luck doesn't affect the game as a whole too much: it's still gloriously addictive.

It's also a stunning looking game, for the most part. Some of the car textures are a little over-shiny and unrealistic, but that's just picking faults for the sake of it really, and in high definition it's right up there with the best looking games on the 360, especially in regards to its incredible water effects. The sound track is a little less impressive, with lame efforts from the likes of Alkaline Trio and Fall Out Boy, but that's rarely a concern with the 360 anyway, since you can always revert to a custom soundtrack.

With 39 tracks, plus numerous destruction derby tracks and a whole set of stunt based challenges as well, there's no lack of content - plus there's a well constructed online mode to boot. It's held back a little from being truly spectacular by its few niggling issues with physics and AI, but 'FlatOut' is still a fantastic game, and well worth your time - at least until the next 'Burnout' title hits.

Alistair Wallis