This is unabashed arcade racing, the concepts simple, race around a bunch of tracks and win races. There are three classes, basically faster cars, in the career mode with you having to finish in the top three of a cup to open the next events in it's class—it’s not rocket science. The cars all have “cool” names probably avoiding having to pay some license for using the real car name but they look rather close to your Cobras, Mustangs, Evos and you can buy different vehicles as you progress. You can also upgrade the cars with a new engine and wheels there is no real skill in this other than buy what you can afford.
Track wise they range from, race track to city streets to dirt tracks with a few more I'll leave you to discover and theres enough of them to keep you entertained. The one standout feature is carnage and you could possibly add ultimate to the start of that, you see nearly everything is destructable in the game, be that your opponents, the fencing, the sheds, the shopping mall and it all adds to the arcade fun. The debris you leave on your first laps there for the second lap and so on. The crashes are magnificent and really make the game stand out.
You also get a horde of mini games to unlock which mainly consist of propelling your driver at things, over things or through things, like bowling and the high jump. While they can be fun for a few moments and might be a laugh with some mates round I personally found them rather tedious after the first time. Thankfully they are separate to the main racing and can be happily ignored.
Sound wise, I can’t complain really; the engines sound loud and the squeal of tyres on tarmac is adequate. The tunes which go along with it are enjoyable enough, though it seems they couldn’t get the band they really wanted so went for a sound alike, basically it sounds like Limp Bizkit or Fall Out Boy but it’s not them, though This is Menace do make an appearance but I can't help thinking there could be more tunes, still you can always turn the tunes off and stick the CD player on.
The graphics are rather lovely to look at and stand up nicely against Motorstorm on the PS3 and Burnout which is probably this games main competitor. Though they arn't without glitches like grass sticking through your flatbed truck floor or a fence sitting through your car, it’s the little things that can ruin the atmosphere. When it comes to the physics it’s not got a jot on other titles out there and some of the ways track-side items, which you can smash into, behave isn’t so realistic, for example tyres that don’t bounce after the first time you've mowed them down.
Multiplayer is sadly lacking the split screen and opting for allowing you to compete at the mini games. If you want to race then you have to get online but you can also take part in the mini games or even just the destruction derbys.
It’s bloody fun to play, sure the physics aren’t right, the graphics have some clipping problems, the sound’s not perfect but it’s still great fun. Slamming round a corner and nudging your opponent into a tree, nitro into the rear of the guy in front and sending him spinning off the track, slamming though a pile of tyres and watching the carnage on the next lap as everyone tries to avoid them. Ploughing through a huge greenhouse complex or smashing through the shopping mall or local diner are just simply smile inducing.
Flatout: Ultimate Carnage 
