Mobygames (105)

FlatOut

 

 FlatOut is a driving game where crashing your car can be more fun than racing it. You drive muscle cars around dirt tracks, battle them on destruction derby arenas, and take part in Ragdoll Olympics. That last one may need some explanation. When you crash in FlatOut, your driver (the Ragdoll) is flung through the windscreen, very much like in Rekkaturvat. This feature is used in the Ragdoll sports where the task is to propel the hapless driver as far, as high, or as accurately as possible. On the demolition arena the goal is to wreck other cars before yours is. Simple as that.

The bulk of the game is racing though and it can be performed in typical quick race and time trial modes in addition to the proverbial career mode. There are also two different handling modes for the cars. Normal mode gives arcade type handling, suitable for gamepads. Professional mode seems to be designed for steering wheel owners and provides very challenging simulator-type handling. Not surprisingly since Bugbear's previous racing title Rally Trophy was considered to be very challenging, even demanding, simulation.

Bugbear's experience with simulation dynamics shows in FlatOut. Almost everything on the track can be run into and it behaves as it should in real life. Or at least as in a car-chase movie. Stuff that cars scatter around are there on the next lap too and cars are gradually dismantled when hit to other cars or solid objects around the track.

Multiplayer modes are of course great party hits. Depending on platform, FlatOut has hotseat, split screen, LAN, and/or online multiplay modes.

FlatOut 2

 

As in FlatOut your goal is to drive as reckless as you can and still win the race. But contrary to its predecessor, FlatOut 2 is now a complete arcade-racing game.

The core of the game is the career mode which features 3 different racing-classes: Derby, Race and Street. Every class is also divided into 3 levels. You begin your career in the derby class level 1. Here you drive old, wrecked cars straight from the dump. As you progress to the race class and finally to the street class you can buy better and faster cars which you can then also tune to your needs, like installing a new engine.

Inside the classes you find different kinds of events: from normal races over Destruction Derbies to stunt events. All of the events feature a fully destructible environment. This is not only eye-candy but is also required to fill up your nitro and handicap your enemies.

If you get bored of that, you can play one of the 12 mini-games. Like in FlatOut your goal here is to do all kinds of crazy stuff with your driver. You can use him as a football, throw him through burning rings and more. These mini-games can also be played with up to 8 players on one PC in a hot-seat mode.

 

FlatOut : Chaos & Destruction

 

FlatOut 3: Chaos & Destruction is an entry in the racing game series and the second title in the franchise developed by Team6 game studios following the Wii game FlatOut. True to the original spirit it is a fast-paced racer that also involves ramming opponents and objects in the environment combined with physics that can launch the driver through the window. The cars have a damage model that is shown as a percentage next to the visual clues.

Players can choose between 47 vehicles including monster trucks, bulldozers, tanks, and muscle cars. These can be fine-tuned and the skin can also be determined. There are twenty racers and ten main racing environments with variations for a total of 62 tracks. Compared to previous titles it is much faster and requires better reflexes to keep the car under control. Next to the main racing tracks there are stunt tracks and Destruction Derby environments for up to 24 cars in a single arena. The game can be played in split-screen or online for up to sixteen players simultaneously. New cars and courses are unlocked by performing well.

Some of the game modes include Speed where the handbrake is removed, Night Shift where the races are done in the dark with rainy and thunderous weather, Stunt Man where the driver has to be launched ragdoll-style to reach a target, Off Road, Challenge, Monster Truck (new to the series), Stunt Man, Big Battle, and Battle Arena.

Fleet Defender 

 

Fleet Defender is a single player F14 combat sim with many finer details represented, including the ability to switch between the pilot and rio seats. This is the type of simulation where the player is a realistic part of a mission and not necessarily a 'rambo.' 

Flight of the Amazon Queen

 

Joe King is the hero of this point and click adventure. His plane is carrying actress Faye Russell when it crash lands in a remote jungle, and he must battle through 100 screens of adventure and puzzle. The game's feel is influenced by hammy B-movies, and the characters are quite stereotyped and comic. As standard in point and click adventures, a set of icons at the bottom of the screen allow you to interact with visible characters and items in the main view area. 

Mobygames (104)

the Firemen

 

You play as a firefighter, together, you and your squad are sent in into a big building which is on fire. Your mission is to rescue the people inside the building and also put out the fire. Use your watercannon to put out fire or use your waterbomb to put out bigger flames. Be sure to listen to every word your squadmate tells you, or you may be toast.

First Samurai

 

  "The Demon King descends from his mountain domain to you, the First Samurai and your master. Defenceless against the Demon's magic, you succumb to his powers, leaving the your Master to fight the Demon King alone. Your master falls in combat, dying. But, with his last breath, he summons the Wizard Mage. The Demon King fearing defeat, escapes to the future. Tormented, the young samurai seeks the teachings of the Wizard Mage in the ways of magic. Boiled with revenge and armed with a magical sword, the young samurai follows the Demon King into the future and the unknown..."

The First Samurai is a platform action game very much similar to other platform games, but with a medieval oriental touch to it in addition to various unique features.

Arriving in the new unknown land, you are defenceless hence your fists and kicks. But as you journey forth, you'll find your trusty magical sword as well as throwing weapons such as knives and axes. With your martial art skills, your enemy best beware with those sudden moves that may prove fatal!

The First Samurai offers a wide array of weapons, special items and other objects. Combat is usually melee, either relying on your punch or kicks or using the magical sword to slash some pretty skillful blows in whatever direction possible.

Monsters are forever regenerating but food for health is plentiful. It actually takes an effort to be killed...

Flames of Freedom

This sequel to Midwinter takes place years after the events of the first game. The world has thawed and Midwinter has dissapeared beneath the ocean. It's legacy, the Peaceful Atlantic Federation is facing an invasion by the slave trading Saharan Empire. Between the two lie the Slave isles, a chain of islands under the oppressive thumb of the Saharans.

You are a covert operative for the Atlantic Federation. Your mission is to conduct assassinations, enlist rebels and sabotage the Saharans operations in the slave isles. As you carry out these open-ended missions, the islands will rebel and aid your efforts when the Saharan invasion finally comes.

Flames of freedom uses the same engine as Midwinter for land, air, and sea travel (and combat) but now, you control only a single customizable character. A strategic map allows you to identify key islands for your cause and determine the mission objectives that will sway it's population to your cause. Then, it's up to you to head in and carry out the mission as you see fit (perhaps guns first, perhaps with a big bag of money, perhaps just relying on your charm).

Flames of Freedom mixes first person action with strategy, vehicle combat, and diplomacy for a unique gaming experience that carries on the Midwinter legacy.

Flashback : the Quest for Identity

 

The year is 2142. The player takes control of Conrad B. Hart, a man who has lost his memory. After barely escaping from hostile aliens, Conrad's bike crashes on an unknown planet. Conrad finds himself in the jungle, and from that moment on his quest for survival and his lost identity begins.

Flashback: The Quest for Identity incorporates elements of platforming, shooting, and problem-solving. The game can be described as a "cinematic platformer" (commonly referred to as Prince of Persia-style), following a design philosophy that was also manifested in Delphine Software's previous work, Another World. Compared to that game, Flashback focuses more on platforming and exploration of large levels.

While a large bulk of the gameplay is dedicated to running, jumping, and shooting enemies, there is also a considerable exploration element in the game, as well as some puzzle-solving. The player navigates Conrad through platform structures, performing various moves. It is possible to simply jump or do a longer run-and-jump, run, climb, hang off ledges, and pick up objects lying on the ground.

To defend himself, Conrad can shoot enemies with his gun and also use various objects (such as stones) to harm or distract them. Crouching and rolling are possible (and often essential) moves that can be executed during combat. The gun has unlimited ammunition; however, shields that Conrad uses to protect himself from attacks are depleted when he is hit, and can be recharged at special stations. Though most environments in the game are hostile, there are a few locations that are devoid of enemies. The player is usually required to talk to characters, gather information and compete tasks in an adventure-like fashion in these areas.

Most of the versions utilize cutscenes with polygonal vector graphics. The CD versions replace those with pre-rendered 3D animations. The Sega CD version also features voice-overs.

the Flash

 

The Flash is a side-scrolling platformer starring the eponymous D.C. comics hero. The game is divided into six rounds, each round has two stages and a boss fight. Within each stage, Flash must get to the exit before the time limit runs out, though the exit must first be unlocked by activating a switch.

Apart from a speedy protagonist, the game has some similarities to Sonic the Hedgehog, as the levels have a similarly complex structure with different passages and many optional areas.

While Flash moves very fast in general, he can also move with even higher SuperSpeed, but only as long as the necessary SuperSpeed energy is not drained. The energy is also used for performing vibrating attacks and can be recharged by at Star Food vendors scattered in the levels. Vibrating attacks can be used to destroy blocks (which contain either traps or power-ups) and to get rid of bad guys. For the latter, Flash also has a spin attack. He can use it only while moving, but no energy is required.