 |
| Game Review |
“Test Drive Unlimited 2,” the Atari racing simulation series for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 and Windows operating system, hit the streets in early February. Over the next month, Sam Schembari — our resident racing game aficionado, and a son of James Schembari, an editor for the Automobiles section — will unravel the layers of the game.
“Test Drive Unlimited 2,” the 10th entry in a “Test Drive” game franchise that dates back to 1987, was released earlier this month after more than four years of development. Eden Games, working here with Atari, is entrusted with keeping the franchise fun and challenging, and with “TDU2,” Eden’s developers do just that.
The upside, however, is that all of the game’s cars demand to be driven. In “TDU2,” the objective is to work through different levels and types of races, earning cash to spend on newer and faster cars, as well as Ibiza real estate and properties like nightclubs. As the game progresses, the driver can change clothes and hairstyles. Among driving modes, the free-roam feature is my favorite. A downside to free-roaming, though, arises on long-distance drives.
While Gran Turismo strives to recreate the perfect car model, Test Drive Unlimited 2 is all about imitating fantasy racing culture. It’s built around indulgent escapism: expensive cars, snazzy haircuts, tropical islands and designer clothes. Whilst utterly materialistic, TDU2 is daftly addictive. Some players will balk at the game’s peripheral activities, but its character development core is what separates it from its peers.
At its core, Test Drive Unlimited 2 is a role-playing game more than it is a racing game. Test Drive Unlimited 2 is not just another pseudo-simulator in an saturated genre, it’s a journey of social interaction, character development, and, yes, a little bit of racing.
Starting out in Ibiza (and eventually opening out into Hawaii), developers Eden Games give you the run of a full island to explore, race and, well, get your in-game avatar’s hair styled. Unfortunately, Test Drive Unlimited 2 is not too hot on working.
We’ve held off reviewing Test Drive Unlimited 2 for a good week or so now as we’ve been unable to test some core elements of the experience. Despite the issues though, developers Eden Games deserve credit for their blunt ambition. When the servers are online, TDU2 manages to marry its virtual world with racing emphatically well. There’s a loose narrative depicting the action.
Of course, the peripheral stuff is just a distraction to the game’s core, which is obviously the racing. With a world reliant on twisty-turny roads and dodging traffic, TDU2’s handling model is a little unusual. Competitive racing is all about the game’s single-player and multiplayer racing action, while collection encompasses the materialistic activities like buying clothes, cars, properties and haircuts. It’s brilliantly in-depth, if a little convoluted in places.
While the game’s hokey handling and peripheral activities will split players down the middle, we’re also convinced there’s a small niche itching for a game like Test Drive Unlimited 2. The game’s enormous sand-box environment and ingrained character development properties offer something that’s both unique and engrossing.
Even from the start screen, Test Drive Unlimited 2 looks like a massive game. This sets up the game like most other racing games — you start at the bottom and must work your way up. None of the characters have much depth, but that’s to be expected from a racing game.
The character customization is vastly improved from the first game. The game now allows you to buy furniture for your properties, haircuts, and plastic surgery. You can also add stickers to customize your car, and these vinyls are much easier to place on your car than in many other racing games.
The game is centered on exploration. Off-road driving is arguably the most satisfying part of the game. Bouncing around on dirt roads is a welcome change from the long stretches of pavement in most racing games. The championships feel much easier than the races in the first game; the largest challenge is mostly the roads themselves.
The game is constantly connected, so the in-game world is populated with other racers on the streets. This gives the game significant depth and makes up for the low difficulty of single-player play.
By. Game Review
No comments:
Post a Comment