FlatOut Head On Review

Written by: Alec Hilton Posted: 2nd June 2008

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Flat Out crashes on to the PSP.

FlatOut Head On Details:

	Racing
	PSP
	Bugbear Entertainment
	Empire Interactive

12+

Out Now

N/A

After the truly amazing experience on 360, the prospect of having a Flatout title on PSP is down right mouth-watering. The trouble is but a singular question; can the series make the jump to the downsized hardware? Well, there is only one-way to find out, face it head on.

As per usual for PSP games that we have seen on the big consoles the game has had a lot of the content stripped out of it to make the leap onto the pint-sized console. But even so there is more than enough in the game to make the most avid destruction enthusiast happy.

All the content in FlatOut is split into two different sections. The first of which is Carnage, this is a collection of race types that you need to gain points in to achieve three levels of cup, bronze, silver and gold. The other section is called FlatOut; in this section it is a true tournament, racing in different arenas battling it out with the other cars for pole. This section is divided up into three modes, each of which has eight cups to compete in.

The two sections of the game, Carnage and FlatOut, are mashed together in the Ultimate Carnage. This does help with the frustration, which the game is covered by, unfortunately by doing that the flaws and just general problems of the game come to light.

The biggest problem is that the game’s difficultly is unbelievably unforgiving with some drivers managing to always catch up with you no matter how far away you were on the map from them. Another thing that links to the difficultly, is the learning curve of the game, remarkably after playing the game for hours, you still have problems getting that win. Which really isn’t at all fun?

The biggest savour is the reset button, that allows for you reset your car back on to the track if you encounter any problems and boy, do you. If you are tapped by the other cars at all you will be sent spinning uncontrollably off into the sides of the track never to be able to recover your place. Now that would be a game breaker but the reset button manages to save it totally. If you do mess up or get smashed off, one hit of the button places your car back in the spot you were at just before your incident. This would be a brilliant addition barring one small problem with it, the amount of time it takes for the game to reset you, makes sure that you lose at least three positions before you can continue. Now that wouldn’t be too bad, but the amount of times you’re off the track and have to reset is by far too many.

Though the game isn’t bad for a PSP game it just isn’t suited to the restricted content of portable gaming. FlatOut, technical wise is a great feat on the PSP, but the pure gaming goodness just isn’t there.