Thank you Jujubee S.A. for sending us a review code!

Flashout 3D was originally released in November of 2012. The sequel, Flashout 2, came out a couple of years later in 2014. To promote the release of Flashout 3, the Enhanced Edition of Flashout 3D was made freely available on Steam. Unlike the previous entries, Flashout 3 supports VR. The game is playable in standard mode as well. It also runs wonderfully on the Steam Deck.

Flashout 3 is a futuristic racing game that features eight racing ships, ten tournaments, and ten race tracks that you can experience normally and in reverse modes. What sets Flashout 3 apart from many other racing games is that you can equip your racing ship with weapons and use them against your opponents to secure your place in the races.

Flashout 3 has many race modes to choose from when doing a quick race. The tournament mode has a mixture and you’ll be getting familiar with the various modes as you progress through it. In order to unlock the next tournament level you need to end the previous race in one of the top three spots. No matter how you fare, you’ll earn experience points which goes toward unlocking more weapons, defense devices, and racing vehicles. Each vehicle has different ratings on their stats. The higher the numbers, the better it will perform. The stats include speed, handling, durability, and energy. Most of those stats are self explanatory but the amount of energy determines how much equipment it can have installed.

Below is a breakdown of the five race modes:
Destruction – The racer who destroys the most racers within the time limit wins
Elimination – Every twenty seconds the racer in last place will be eliminated. Only the remaining three will be able to finish the race
Speed Lap – Your main objective is to beat the best lap time
Standard – Try to be the fastest racer while dodging attacks from your competitors
Time Trial – Race by yourself and see how your lap times stack up against the competition

Like many racing games, many of the tracks have speed ramps that are crucial to utilize in order to maintain your lead. Oftentimes you’ll have multiple paths to choose from. Your decision could be based on taking the least popular route to avoid gunfire, or a choosing a path because the obstacles are easier to maneuver.

Whether you play in VR or pancake mode you’ll need to use a gamepad. Between the two modes, I found the non-VR version easier to play. Unfortunately the fonts are jumbled and hard to read as a result in VR mode. I am happy to report that this title runs well on the Steam Deck.

The only moral issue in Flashout 3 is that violence toward other drives is encouraged. Especially in the Destruction race mode. Sure, you can play peacefully, but you probably won’t be in the top three spots by doing so.

Flashout 3 has some controversy regarding the developer revoking Steam codes obtained through OPQuests (https://opquests.com/). Many negative Steam reviews have been posted as a result. Despite the unflattering press, Flashout 3 has a mostly positive Steam rating.

The normal asking price for Flashout 3 is $19.99 which is fair. I have seen it as low as $2.99 on sale though and for that price, it’s a steal. Just make sure that you buy it through Steam or GOG.com or else you may find your code revoked.