FlatOut 4: Total Insanity Reviews
In so many ways this feels like a driving game from another age, but no matter how much you miss old school arcade racers FlatOut 4 will end up driving you crazy.
Instances of blind fury which come with inconveniences related to both level design, and in-game AI, are extremely troublesome when taken in context of the fact that FlatOut 4: Total Insanity relies on circuit racing. And it doesn’t matter if one undertakes the challenge of the campaign, multiplayer, or of the handful of featured stunt modes, because each and every time, the same issues occur, without fail. And that’s not only disappointing, it is as mentioned previously, simply infuriating.
With its weird physics issues and inept AI, FlatOut 4 is a frustrating game that simply disappoints on every level.
FlatOut 4 is a frequently irritating game that's held down by incredible amounts of grind, it has some saving graces with a variety of game modes and track types, but they don't do enough to balance out against the negatives like AI, physics and more.
FlatOut 4 is an average "destruction racer" that fails to deliver a constant dose of fun to the player, who is mostly frustrated by the collisions.
Review in French | Read full review
We desperately tried to like FlatOut 4, but we simply couldn't. Despite some fun game modes and a decent multiplayer offering, the gameplay is sooo confusing, and bugs abound all around. Well, the steep price doesn't help either.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Flatout 4 brings the franchise into the modern day and gets away from the line with a dash, but nonsensical progression and frustrating AI quickly kills its drive.
There should be no doubt that long-time fans of the series will be happy to finally have FlatOut return, but it will be more for the lack of anything like it available on the market right now, rather than the quality of the game this time round
FlatOut 4: Total Insanity fixed the issues of the previous game, but it's still not enough. If the biggest problem of the game centered around crashes is the collision model, then it's not worth much. If you're tolerant enough, maybe the game will appeal to you, just wait for a discount.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
FlatOut 4 is an over-the-top racer that's got the potential to entertain. However, the stingy payouts and an unrewarding unlock/progression system flattens a few tyres and holds back this decent game from being a great one.
FlatOut 4: Total Insanity is what you make out of it. Though its Career mode drags on, the game has a number of different options that are sure to appeal to almost any kind of racer. It's not the most polished or refined racer on the market today, but its raw thrills will resonate with old-school gearheads yearning for days gone by.
While it is heads and shoulders above its predecessor, FlatOut 4 still leaves you wanting more. Fine tuning the difficulty and career mode would go a long way to redeeming the one time great FlatOut franchise.
The short-lived but exciting FlatOut modes are great fun for a minute, but between the unexciting visuals, frustratingly unpredictable collision physics and overly aggressive AI, racing in FlatOut 4 is too hostile to be fun.
All up, FlatOut 4: Total Insanity is quite an improvement over the last game in the franchise.
Flatout 4 is an unpretentious racing game; funny and unremarkable, it's characterized by a driving system easy to learn but not quite satisfying enough.
Review in Italian | Read full review
An irrelevant and bumpy action racing game whose core idea has now overtaken itself.
Review in German | Read full review
FlatOut 4 starts fast, furious, and certainly makes for plenty of early fun. However, after that initial adrenaline boost has passed, there comes a question about the longevity of the title.
Perhaps the main takeaway here is that FlatOut 4: Total Insanity is safer than its name suggests. There's not a lot to criticise in terms of its execution, but its ambition feels firmly rooted in the PlayStation 2 era. There's nothing particularly wrong with that, and if you're looking for a distraction to occupy between juggernaut releases, then the PS4 isn't host to many destructive racers that are better. But while there's fun to be had while you're playing, don't expect this above average car crash to live long in the memory at all.
Flatout 4 feels like a game destined to reinvigorate the franchise and just ran out of steam. I am a massive fan of the original game and its sequel, and while this is light years beyond the abomination that was the third game, it still falls short. More tracks, more variety, and some much needed polish would have gone a long way in bringing back this cult classic. As it stands though, arcade racers still sit dormant in today's gaming landscape.
FlatOut 4: Total Insanity is a valiant effort and a modestly satisfactory sequel. Its track design and relative speeds help make it a much better destructive racer than the last effort. However, it still requires tuning when it comes to stunts, visuals, physics, and vehicle damage.