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| | Title:
Test Drive Unlimited
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System:
Xbox 360
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Genre:
Racing
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Publisher:
Atari
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Developer:
TBA
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Release:
09/05/2006
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Online:
Yes
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ESRB:
Everyone (E)
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In early May, a demo for Test Drive Unlimited was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Unlimited is a self-proclaimed ‘massively open online racing’ game, or MOOR for short. In it, you’ll be able to freely drive the streets of more than 1000 miles of roadway in Hawaii’s Oahu Island, although just how fun this will be isn’t clear after spending some time with the demo.
You begin the demo in a luxurious home, which will act as the hub to your garage, character customization, and more. It seems as if you’ll be able to customize your character with clothing and other material goods, while also bolstering your car collection and list of vacation homes. None of these features are accessible in the demo, although you can see the menu options for them. In the garage you’ll find three cars: a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, a Lotus Sport Exige 240R and a Shelby GT500, a.k.a. Eleanor from the movie Gone in 60 Seconds. (Editor note: I love that car)
After selecting a car, you’ll find yourself on the open road, free to go wherever you wish. There wasn’t much of anything to find outside of the few available races, triggered by either driving near the respective checkpoint and pushing the 'A' button, or simply selecting it from your map, which is accessible from the d-pad. Light traffic is scattered across the island, including rivals whom have their name and distance displayed above their vehicle. Driving recklessly does have its penalties, as the police will pull you over and force you to a pay a ticket, straight out of your (virtual) pocket. Luckily, the law doesn’t apply during races so you’re free to speed and hit traffic as you wish.
There were only two types of races to try out in the demo, and they were both very standard: a race against the clock, and against other opponents. You can also race online, although it's too short and a fairly simplistic affair.
After giving each of the three vehicles a good chunk of road time, it’s hard to come away with the impression that you were ever driving fast. If not for the blur effect on the surrounding landscape, the argument could be made that you were barely exceeding the speed limit. In addition, the cars simply seemed far too floaty; it seems as if you’re driving slightly above the road, only making contact when you crash into a wall or another vehicle. This is a fairly serious problem, as it restricts any sense of realism or fun.
The graphics are extremely sub-par, especially when this game is put in comparison with launch day titles like Project Gotham Racing 3, or even Need for Speed: Most Wanted. The environments looked very dull and lifeless, especially trees and plants, which looked very 2D. Car models, on the other hand, are fairly well done and the inside-the-car view is a nice touch.
All in all, it’s hard not to be disappointed with the demo of Test Drive Unlimited. What is displayed is extremely simplistic and lacking of any advances over previous racing titles. The massively open online racing component is intriguing, but without being able to really try it out, remains difficult to say whether it’s a great feature or a simple gimmick. Eden Studios still has some time to work on shaping up Unlimited before its September release, but as it stands, this may just be your average racing game.
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