Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown Review – An Open-World Racing Return That Fails to Deliver

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of racing games under my belt, I must say, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown left me feeling a tad disillusioned and somewhat empty-pocketed. I’ve raced through the streets of Tokyo, roamed the deserts of Nevada, and even conquered the mountains of Switzerland; yet, Hong Kong Island feels like a ghost town compared to its vibrant counterparts.

What attracts your personalized gaming character to Hong Kong Island in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown? Is it the allure of hidden wealth and fame? Or perhaps the opportunity to showcase your driving skills on the city’s bustling streets, with someone ready to finance your burgeoning career? Don’t ponder it too much. This is the setting for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, the latest installment in the TDU series since 2011, which brings open-world racing to Hong Kong Island. Unfortunately, the ensuing experience can be rather ordinary and unexciting, with (at least at the time of writing) problematic online servers adding to the blandness.

In Solar Crown, your grand adventure commences as you’re guided to your luxurious residence, handed some cash to pick your first vehicle, and given the freedom to prove yourself. Essentially, this involves participating in various simple point-to-point and circuit races to accumulate enough experience points (XP) to earn a spot within a guild, followed by more leveling up to unlock additional game content.

In contrast to games like Forza Horizon or The Crew Motorfest, Solar Crown’s depiction of Hong Kong Island appears rather sparse and restricted in terms of activities. There isn’t much variety in the new Test Drive Unlimited other than cruising around looking for things to engage with. You can hunt for wrecked cars to unlock bonus classic or off-road vehicles; travel to gas stations, workshops, and dealerships to gain fast travel points and access their facilities; and race through speed traps, but often you may feel lost without a clear purpose.

It takes a good few hours before you gain access to off-road events, and it’s this gating off of other race types and events that makes Test Drive Unlimited feel anything but. And while it might make sense to steadily drip-feed content as you progress, the amount of progression required to get to the good stuff seems disproportionate. Once you join a clan upon reaching level 12, things start to become vaguely interesting, as you can race on behalf of your chosen allegiance, whether it’s the Fast and Furious rejects of the Streets gang or the slick Gordon Gekko wannabes of the Sharps.

Initially, Test Drive Unlimited and its successor dominated the open-world racing genre with minimal competition. However, Solar Crown is launching into a market that now hosts games like Forza Horizon, The Crew Motorfest, and Criterion’s Need for Speed Unbound. These titles provide richer and more polished open-world racing experiences. Although it’s likely that Solar Crown will expand its content in the future, at present, it may abruptly disconnect you during gameplay, making it challenging to participate in races.

It seems plain bizarre that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown should have no offline option, even as a failsafe for when the servers are having a moment. It’s understandable that TDU’s Hong Kong Island has been designed as a social sandbox, where you can interact with fellow players, but it’d be nice to have the option to play offline and sidestep the launch server woes. This goes for every game that insists on having enforced online play – let’s have an offline option, please? Regardless, Solar Crown’s world feels quite lifeless, and it’s a shame, as the nuts and bolts of developer KT Racing’s game are perfectly robust.

This French studio is known for its rich history in racing games, particularly in the World Rally Championship series, and this experience is evident in the game’s realistic driving model. It’s well-balanced, offering a challenging yet approachable experience. An AI named ‘Alyss’ acts as your guide, but her usefulness is limited to providing navigation directions or control functions like headlights, windshield wipers, and indicators. These features are mostly automatic and not essential for the gameplay. However, there are driving aids and accessibility options for casual players, so if you can maintain an online connection, there’s potential for an enjoyable racing experience in the new TDU.

To put it simply, the management of Test Drive Unlimited by KT Racing leaves much to be desired. Other open-world racers offer a more polished experience and don’t restrict your access to events through server connections. As a result, it’s hard to justify playing Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown in its current form, which feels underdeveloped, sparsely populated, and lacking in open-world activities. In essence, if you’re seeking exciting sandbox racing experiences, I would recommend looking elsewhere for your fix.

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2024-09-12 21:12