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Reviews » Test Drive Unlimited
| Game Ratings |
| Graphics | 8 |
| Gameplay | 8 |
| Controls | 8 |
| Multiplayer | 9 |
| Difficulty | 9 |
| Sound | 8 |
| Overall | 8.3 |  Test Drive Unlimited
Eden Games
by Jeff Haug
One of the best driving games ever
The Test Drive franchise has been one of the longest running and most popular racing games ever. I still have fond memories of playing the original version on my PC when it was first released way back in 1987. The graphics and sound were very basic by today's standards, but at the time this game was cutting edge. Test Drive Unlimited once again is pushing the limits and this just may be one of the best driving games ever.
When the game starts you arrive in the airport on the island of Oahu. Before you can start racing you have to rent a car, buy a house to store your cars, and get your first car. Your initial funds are very low and your choices of cars are very minimal, but you will have ample time to upgrade as you play.
The map of the island is very detailed. If you have checked out Google maps then this will look very familiar. You can easily zoom in and out to view details of the island. At first only the roads are visible, but as you drive around the island you will discover races, car showrooms, houses, and more. Once you have driven on a specific road you can later go right to that road from your map without driving there. This will allow you to quickly do any challenge on the map once you have driven everywhere. Although the roads have been mapped exactly to represent the streets and highways on the island, the scenery and buildings do not match what you would see on the island. Some real landmarks added to the game would have been a nice touch.
There is a good selection of cars in the game, but many manufactures that are missing including Honda, Suzuki, Harley Davidson, Toyota, Acura, BMW, Porsche, and others. Before you can buy a car you have to both find the car dealers and save enough money to buy it. Cars are rated in different classes depending on their speed, performance, and body style. You will need a car in each class to participate in all the races. Motorcycles are unlocked only once you have found all the car dealers. Both cars and motorcycles can be upgraded with a stop to the car parts store that matches your car. Three levels of performance kits will give you increased speed, acceleration, braking, and handling. It would have been great if there was more customization or accessories that could added to your car.
When you crash while playing Test Drive Unlimited your car will never get damaged. You can run into another car at 200 miles per hour smashing the other car to bits and sending car parts flying down the highway, but still no damage. What does happen is that you will get a police warning and as you get more warnings police will be alerted and they will pursue you. When they catch you a fine will be charged to you.
If you are a member of Xbox Live the game has some very cool features. While you drive around there are 50-100 other people driving on the same map. As they get closer to you you will be able to see how far away they are and hear them talking as they drive. Any person you drive by you can request to take part in a instant challenge. The challenger will map out the course and the race will begin. These can be done for fun or you can place stakes on these races.
If you are looking for a race against more than one person you can go to your map and always find live races where up to 8 people can go head to head. You may want to practice driving and pick a good car before you try to race others or you will get spanked hard. The live features of the game is what will keep you entertained and playing long after you complete all the single player races and challenges.
The graphics of the game are very good. This title supports HDTV 1080i resolution so if you have the display then the game will look great. The artwork of the cars is top notch and the passing scenery looks good. A shortcoming on the graphics is the cut-scenes which could have been higher quality, but this is a racing game after all.
The game-play is very fun and will keep you entertained for countless hours. It will take you time to master each of your cars and motorcycles. There are over 300 racing challenges to keep you busy. Each of these challenges will give you a chance to win money which you can use to buy more cars and houses.
Controls are very straight forward feel natural. There are several settings that you can configure to help customize your controls. Traction control can be turned on and off. When enabled your car will stick to the turns better than normal. You can also position your seat position. This has an effect on the view you see when you are in the drivers seat. Steering sensitivity can be adjusted to fit your controller or steering wheel. Motorcyles are great fun to ride, but their turning radius is very poor. You are unable to powerslide the bike or really lean the bike into sharp corners at speed.
The sound effects are very cool although the noise from the engine of your car can get monotonous. Luckily you can adjust the volume level of all the effects easily under the options. There is a radio with several different stations and some great songs, but there could always be more. The Dolby 5.1 surround brings the game to life. During races you can hear the cars behind you as they close in or listen to the car and you blast by for a pass.
In conclusion we would give Test Drive high marks. Keep in mind that this title was released with a retail price of only $39.95 so that makes this an extremely great deal. Take the game for a spin and lets race! |
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