UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2024-2025 PLAY-OFFS PHASE SUMMARY

 

The qualifying stage somehow managed to prove me wrong. Don’t misunderstand me, as I still believe this new format is truly weird, even though I got the general hang of it. The matches that were played during this qualifier stage were quite exciting, especially when teams such as Club Brugge, Feyenoord and PSV pulled off some wonderful shocks to shake things up in Europe. Of course not to forget the clash of the giants that are Real Madrid and… Okay Manchester City are not giants. I always make sure to not show my somewhat weird bias towards Manchester United whenever I write reports, because after all, I support them, but City? OH HELL NO!!! They were, are and never will be giants. They’re fakes and frauds. That being said, the matches they had to play against “Los Blancos” were easily the highlight of the qualifier/play-off rounds. So let’s see what went down through some short notes, see who’s going to be playing who in the Round of 16, and make some quirky remarks about that, too!

 

FLATOUT 2 ULTIMATE CARNAGE REVIEW

 

Developer: Bugbear Entertainment

Publisher: Empire Interactive

Series: FlatOut

Release date: June, 2006

Platforms: Windows, PS2, Xbox

Genre: Racing

Mode: Single Player & Multiplayer

 

 

 

Understatement is not a word that should be used when describing the success of FlatOut, as it made people turn their heads when it released in 2004, despite not reaching the heights or being an established series like Need For Speed and Gran Turismo. Extremely realistic damage models + arcade gameplay with silly, fun and entertaining minigames = A recipe for a good time for yourself or with others. The stages were also a welcome change of pace from the conventional race tracks. Gravel, mud, snow, and a tiny amount of asphalt made the racing in FlatOut extremely fun. Not to forget, the stunts and bonus races, too. In the stunts, the objective was to launch the driver through the windshield and score as many points as possible in… Let’s say bowling. And if you missed your target, that’s okay. Seeing the ragdoll physics in all of its glory was amazing back then, and even now. The bonus tracks were very much different from the normal ones: Circle of Eights, a NASCAR inspired track, a Crash Alley. All in all, FlatOut was a smashing hit for Bugbear Entertainment.

With the team striking gold, letting the hype down would’ve been a huge mistake. The team carefully followed the praise and criticism for the game (upgrades breaking the car control, the AI being too tough in some arrears to beat, the minigames, although fun, there was barely any control of the driver, the music not working properly, etc., etc.).

2 years later, they released their magnum opus. Let the intro speak for itself about the game’s greatness…