Test Drive Unlimited Review (Xbox 360) By barneystuta

9 / 10
14 Sep 2006 at 02:53

Review by: barneystuta

Been playing Test Drive all night, i don't understand why most of the media has not given it such a high score (seems to average around 8/10 or 80%) not opted for it.

I noticed alot of the reviews, had complained about server issues when they was play testing it. Which is fair point, but i feel they should re-review it after. Because that may have nocked off that few % to lower the games score. Atari full credit to them, has addressed server issues straight away. Alot of other 360 games still have problems months into their releases. But i have noticed Atari being active on forums and showing their presence watching for bugs and issues. It was a little frustrating but they are trying to get it itch on spot on perfect and full credit to them.

So the game... Its awesome, really is. I nocked the handling before thats because the cars where a bit poop and i didn't realise i had some of the driving supports on Turned them all off, got some more powerfull beasts and its great.

I have never really bothered with the 'Achievments' in games, i mean, if i got them i got them great. But if i didn't, well i carried on.

But in TD:U you need to do the achievments, to progress through the game. You need to gather up your achievment points to unlock the pro, expert and champion levels and etc. Which then unlocks new races and things.

It really is amazing, not just the time trials, speed cameras, races, deliveries everything, but just the free roam driving and chitt chatting to everyone.

If you haven't downloaded the demo, do. I highly recommned that atleast. But you wont get a true feel of the game.

I haven't even mentioned the teams and clubs (equivelant of clans) and you can have inter and intra club competitions, races, and many many other things.

I just joined a club with a few live friends. Not done anything with it yet, but reading the xbox.com forums, its great.

Loads of clubs, have different rules. Eg a Super Car club, a Classics car club, etc. So you can set limits on which car you have to have to 'cruise' with teh club and things. Its very nice idea.

This game is only just young too, it had server issues, they where fixed the next day. And Atari have been very active on the xbox.com forums looking for bugs and things to fix. There was a rumour that new content will be released atleast every few weeks, and most of it free too.

Not forgetting the custom challenges, you can make and challenge or take other peoples I love it, i haven;t even got near to starting to do any of these things, and i have clocked up alot of hours and miles. Just so much to do.

I'd seriously reccomend getting it for a weekend, and lock yourself away.

But saying that, you don't use your headset so meh .

At one point i saw some dude had stopped, so i pulled along side him and said 'Hey when the light changes green, we will race to the end of the road'. Haha and well, we did. That was just for fun, but you can set it as a challenge too with an 'isntant challenge'.

Say i could goto someone 'Fancy a race?' set a course, and race it for money.

This game is by far the most fun i have had on the 360 If that doesn't sell it too you, then rent it !!

So i have sang its praises - so why is it not 10/10. Well some of the Bikes do handle a bit 'funny' but i guess, they where difficult to code in the game. Because of the nature of the game, in real life if you drove like you do on TD:U you would be off your bike half the time. But when you do come off your bike you just re-spawn back on it and start again from 0mph. It takes a mad crash for you to come off your bike though, or being cocky with a wheelie!!

The rest of the handling, well the more advanced cars you get the better it feels. The inevitable comparison with PGR yes, but it does handle almost as well. Yo udon't get the same feel at first, but hang in, and build up your cars and you will.

Also the modding, its nice idea, but too easy. Would have been nice to mod your cars in more detail instead of dropping them off at the shop paying the money, and your car is upgraded. And also damage, non existant. But i am sure that when they came up with the game they toyed with these ideas and had to leave something out due to the sheer size and content of the game.

So to conlcude, to compare this to PGR is unfair. They are two very different games, and if they came together they would blow away any type of racing game ever. But what TD:U offers to the xbox live community is unlike anything released before and could even further boost sales.

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