Test Drive Unlimited
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| Test Drive Unlimited | |
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| Developer(s) | Eden Games & Melbourne House |
| Publisher(s) | Atari |
| Distributor(s) | Akella (Russia) Microsoft (Japan) Moving Editora (Brazil) CD Projekt (Poland) |
| Version | 1.66A |
| Platform(s) | PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360 |
| Release date | Xbox 360:
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| Genre(s) | Street Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer, Xbox Live |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Everyone +10 (E10+) PEGI: 3+ USK: Without age restrictions CERO: B |
| Media | DVD (PC/PlayStation 2/Xbox 360), UMD (PSP) |
| System requirements | Operating System : Windows 2000/XP/Vista
CPU : Intel P4 @ 2.4 GHz or AMD Athlon 2800+. GPU (Video Cards) : ATI Radeon 9800 256MB VRAM or Nvidia 6600 GT with 256 MB of VRAM. Video Cards with vertex/pixel shaders 2.x and above are recommended. SPU (Sound Cards) : DirectX 9.0 compatible Sound Card. System Memory : 512 MB, 1 GB recommended Hard Disk free space: 8 GB DVD drive: 8x minimum DirectX 9.0C (included) |
Test Drive Unlimited is an arcade-style racing game, the 15th game of the series (or 16th, if including Demolition Racer) that features 90 licensed sports cars and motorcycles and a terrain modelled after the Hawaiian island of Oahu that features some 1000 miles of roads and highways.[1] Test Drive Unlimited is the latest installment of Test Drive, one of the longest running racing game franchises.
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[edit] Game play
In Test Drive Unlimited, the player is able to drive both on-road and off-road, challenging any real life racers they encounter. Oahu is modeled to within a meter of detail of its real life counterpart, as the developers have used satellite imaging for precision modeling.[1] The terrain differs from rain forest and mountains to sandy beaches and Hawaii's capital city, Honolulu. The Xbox 360 version has supported steering wheel controllers since launch. Following the third free update, Test Drive Unlimited supports force feedback wheel controllers such as Microsoft's Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel.
Although advertising material for the game suggests it to be an exact depiction of the Hawaiian island, numerous government buildings (such as those on Pearl Harbor, Camp H. M. Smith, and Hickam Air Force Base), commercial buildings (Ala Moana Center, the convention center, the entire commercial strip in Pearl City and the Pearlridge Center), and notable landmarks (statue of King Kamehameha I, etc.) are not present in the game. Many roads and highways are also missing or placed far from their real-life counterparts.
[edit] Single-player game
The game begins by purchasing a car and a house. The player is then free to explore the island; as this happens key locations on the map are revealed. These include:
- Car/Bike dealerships
- Car rental agencies
- Tuning Shops
- Real Estate Agents
- Paint Shops
Challenges can also be found, which include:
- Race vs CPU cars
- Time challenges
- Speed challenges
- Top Model
- Courier (Package Transport)
- Vehicle Transportation
- Hitchhikers
Success in challenges is rewarded with in-game money, or in the Hitchhiker and Top Model challenges, coupons. Using these coupons, the player can buy clothing for their character at the many branded clothes shops on the island. Money earned may be spent on buying new vehicles, renting cars, upgrading cars and buying houses. Players can acquire sports cars from various manufacturers including Ascari, Aston Martin, Audi, Caterham, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Edonis, Farboud, Ferrari, Ford, Jaguar, Koenigsegg, Lamborghini, Lexus, Lotus, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Noble, Pagani, Pontiac, Saleen, Spyker, TVR, and Volkswagen, as well as motorcycles from Ducati, Kawasaki, MV Agusta and Triumph.
[edit] Missing content on PS2 and PSP
The PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable versions of Test Drive Unlimited are missing the following features:
- Manual transmission(although in options it can be seen permanently set to auto)
- Avatar customization
- Certain vehicles such as Ferraris, Maseratis, and all motorcycles
- Certain mission types
- Cockpit View (PSP)
- Background characters in buildings
- Rear-view and side mirrors are not functional (blurred out)
- Some shops, like custom car paint
- USB steering wheel support (PS2)
The overall visual and audio quality is also lower due to hardware limitations. It is unknown why the content is missing. However, the PS2 and PSP versions also contain features that the Xbox 360 and PC versions do not have such as Master Points (points awarded for drifts, slipstreaming and airtime) and Auto GPS (which automatically directs you to a new challenge). Additionally, several cars that are only available in download packs for Xbox 360 are available from the start in the PS2 and PSP versions.
[edit] Multiplayer game
The multiplayer component (branded as M.O.O.R. or Massively Open Online Racing) works as an extra layer on top of the single-player game - that is all activities available in single-player are also available in multiplayer. The following challenges are also available in multiplayer only:
- Race vs other players
- Challenge players to complete tasks
- Attempt other player challenges
Racing against other players works by using the player match/ranked match system employed by Xbox Live, while the PC version uses the GameSpy network. It is also possible to create an immediate, ad-hoc race against another player by flashing headlights at their vehicle.
Players may create and join "clubs" which help organize player events. Vehicles may be traded between players through a central "clearing house"-style interface that lists the vehicles for sale along with class, mileage, specification, and price information.
It is also possible to play online with the addition of a network adapter to a PS2 and via Infrastructure Mode on the PSP.
[edit] Downloadable content
[edit] Xbox 360
On the Xbox 360, new cars can be downloaded via Xbox Live, similar to Project Gotham Racing 2 and 3's Booster Packs and Forza Motorsport 2's "Monthly Car Packs". Some individual cars are available to download for free, while others must be purchased (with real money) as part of a pack. All downloaded cars still need to be purchased with in-game money at their respective dealerships before they can be used in the game. There currently 8 Car Packs and 8 Free cars.
There is also a downloadable mode called "hardcore mode" which makes the game experience more realistic. It was designed for players with a Xbox 360 Racing Wheel controller. It is available for 170 Microsoft points.
[edit] PC
To date, there has been one patch for the PC version of Test Drive Unlimited. As part of this patch the Nissan Skyline GTR R34 and Audi RS4 quattro Saloon (B7) cars were released for free.
There is now a 'Megapack' DLC which PC users can purchase, featuring 45 cars and 1 bike. These include the limited edition 'exclusive' cars available for the X360 version as well as the contents of the first 5 DLC packs previously released over XBox Live.
[edit] Special NPCs in PS2 version
There were 1500 total beta testers in Atari's closed beta for Test Drive Unlimited PS2. At the end of the testing period, Atari awarded 30 of the most active testers with "immortality" in the PS2 version of Test Drive Unlimited. These 30 beta testers were allowed to name one of the Non Playable Characters (NPC) in the game. Some chose to use their first and last name; others chose to use their screen names. These 30 special NPCs can be found spread throughout the virtual island of only the PS2 version.[2] Atari and Melbourne House ensured the Beta Testers were given prominent positions as NPCs. Most were granted President or Vice President status in the car clubs around the island, and were put in highly desirable performance cars.[3]
[edit] Soundtrack
- "9 Volter" - Colour of Fire
- "And I’m Hip" - Sgt Rock
- "Angels Go Bald: Too" - Howie B
- "Another Excuse" - Soulwax
- “A Gritty Nitty” - Pazant Brothers
- "Back Again" - Boy Kill Boy
- “Big Bird” - Eddie Floyd
- “Black Powder” - Motor
- “Carbon Kid” - Alpinestars
- “Cissy Popcorn” - Preston Love
- “Compute” - Soulwax
- “Comin’ Down” - The View
- “Feels Closer” - Layo & Bushwacka! feat. Mino Cinelu
- “Finally Free” - Clearlake
- “Fix The Cracks” - Humanzi
- “Funk #49” - James Gang
- “Funky Chicken” - Preston Love
- “Handshakes” - Metric
- “He's Gonna Step On You Again” - “Step On”
- “Here We Go” – Broken Dolls
- “Hired Goons” - Evil 9
- “I Live For” - Johnny Panic
- “(I’m A) Road Runner” – Jr Walker & The All Stars
- “No One Knows (UNKLE remix)” – Queens Of The Stone Age
- “PWSteal.Ldpinch.D” - AFX
- “Restless” - The Cobras
- “Sling Shot” - Lefties Soul Connection
- “Silver Buddha” - The Domes of Silence
- “(Them) Changes” - Buddy Miles
- “Time2Move On” - Malarky
- “You're Wasting My Time (PT1)” - Billy Garner
Beside the official soundtrack, game supports adding custom music (in mp3 format) into up to 4 custom radio channels (4 different folders) per profile.
[edit] Reaction
Test Drive Unlimited has garnered generally favourable reviews, with Game Rankings reporting an average rating of 82%[4] as of April, 2007 for the Xbox 360 version, 82% for the PC version, 77% for the PS2 and 75% for the PSP.[5]
Metacritic, a review averaging site, also reported "generally favourable reviews" on the Xbox 360, with an average score of 82, and an average user score of 8.2 out of 10.[6] The PC version averaged 79 and a user score of 8.4 out of 10.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Experience Racing Reinvented on Xbox 360. Atari press release. GameSpot (2006-08-14). Retrieved on 2006-10-02.
- ^ I’m Officially an NPC in Test Drive Unlimited PS2.
- ^ I'm The Official President of the GTR Racers Club of Oahu PS2.
- ^ Test Drive Unlimited Reviews. Game Rankings. CNET. Retrieved on 2006-10-02.
- ^ Test Drive Unlimited Reviews. Game Rankings. CNET. Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
- ^ Test Drive Unlimited Reviews. Metacritic. CNET. Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
- ^ Test Drive Unlimited Reviews. Metacritic. CNET. Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
