When it was
first released on the Xbox 360 and the PC, Atari’s Test Drive Unlimited
played like a racing game but it felt like a refreshing change of pace for the
genre. Think of it as a CaRPG with an excellent dose of a massive multiplayer
online feature that filled the created environment with real players taking up
the role of racing challengers. This was a game that blurred the lines between
single-player action and online multiplayer goodness that made up a giant
playing field where you can still complete single-player tasks with
computer-controlled racers but also compete against real players. Now Test
Drive Unlimited finds itself on the PSP and, racing fans, you will be
pleased.
Like the console
version, the game begins at the airport as your avatar prepares to head out to
gorgeous Oahu to participate in a series of races. Yet unlike the consoles, you
won’t be picking your avatar. This means you’ll be stuck with a generic male
avatar instead of being able to pick from a short number of other racers
including the female avatars. Still, that’s fine seeing as most of the game’s
best features make it in this portable version. You’ll still be able to drive to
a car dealership and purchase a brand new Aston Martin Vanquish S or a Dodge
Viper SRT-10. You can even purchase a home in this game that acts as your hub
and garage to store your vehicles.
The best part,
though, happens to be the fact that the open world map is available so you can
freely drive around Oahu to your heart’s content. You’ll be able to drive past
the lovely beaches, cozy resorts and the downtown area and stopping every now
and then to join a race. You can customize your car as well, although the
customization options aren’t as robust as the console version but at least you
can upgrade your vehicle’s speed and handling to fit your needs. Most races
require you to purchase different cars for specific class races. Some race
classes require all muscle cars to show up to the starting line while others
require luxury cars. The races vary from the usual make-it-to-the-finish-line
races to timed races that have you racing against the clock as well as rivals.
Speed races have you attempting to clock in the highest speed as you zip past a
series of cameras.
Still, the game
allows gamers to play this game offline or online. Playing online allows you to
continue to drive through the open world and participate in all the usual
single-player activities but you’ll encounter other gamers doing the same thing
as if you were playing an MMORPG. You can challenge any racer (by flashing your
headlights with the Triangle button) or accept their challenge or head to the
nearest Drive-In and join other players in the lobby to set up a major race.
It’s a blast playing the game and encountering other gamers racing around but
you’ll wish there was more to the online multiplayer. Still, it’s hard to
complain since the game pulls off online good enough.
There are some
problems that do crop up in the PSP version and that’s thanks to the PSP itself.
The camera can sometimes be a bit of a nuisance and will sometimes not give you
a good view of the racing. You can switch views but this proves to be
distracting. Collisions in the game are also unrealistic and so is the police
response (although I have to admit it is fun giving them the slip). I don’t miss
the clothing shopping – because we don’t see much of your avatar anyway – but I
do miss picking up girls and giving them a ride (a timed mini-race that was
sometimes fun and often challenging).
Graphically
speaking, Test Drive Unlimited looks amazing on the PSP and the level of
detail is quite impressive despite some noticeable jaggies. Still, there have
been many moments in this game where I just drove around to admire the scenery
that is nicely detailed throughout the game. While the cars don’t display a
sense of speed, they do look good enough that you’ll be checking them out in
your garage every now and then. The cars don’t get dinged up in this game and
car crashes in this game look extremely unrealistic, though. The game’s
soundtrack might not be my cup of tea either but it works nicely. The rock tunes
are fairly decent in this game and the sound effects do their job. The voice
acting is also good but there’s not a lot of it … unless you count the voice of
the GPS.
Test Drive
Unlimited for
the PSP comes close to capturing the essence of the amazing console version and
even in its portable form this is one fun and inventive racing game. While some
features of the game have been removed and the online multiplayer goodness has
been shaved down a bit, this is still a racing game that plays beautifully on
the PSP and is challenging enough to satisfy racing fans. If you love a good
racing game with a massive open environment, you will definitely want to buy
this one right away.
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Gameplay: 7.6
With a wealth
of real-life cars and an open world to explore, Test Drive Unlimited has
a lot to offer. The fact that you can play the game online to challenge real
players is what sets this one apart from other games in the car-racing genre.
The game sacrificed a few cool features from the console game but consider this
one a near perfect port.
Graphics: 8.0
The game’s
visuals are actually excellent and zipping through Hawaii in a sharp-looking car
is a major highlight. The backgrounds are nicely detailed and so are the cars so
color me impressed.
Sound: 7.0
The soundtrack
isn’t bad and it fits the game’s theme nicely. There are some solid sound
effects here as well, especially when it comes to the crashes and the few bits
of dialogue are pretty good.
Difficulty:
Medium
Different
series class races offer different challenges and some of them will have you
thinking twice before tackling them on without at least some kind of tuner
upgrade. Some racers really know how to make some serious sharp turns so you’ll
watch your back in this game.
Concept: 8.5
While you’re
not able to go clothes shopping with your very own chosen avatar like in the
console game, you’ll still be able to go car shopping, hit the tuning scene and
even look for new property prospects. There are plenty of race types here and
online play is good.
Multiplayer:
7.5
Hardly the MMO
racing experience the console and PC version brings to the table but this
portable version is still able to offer online multiplayer goodness and that’s a
very good thing. While you can burn rubber with a friend through Ad Hoc, zipping
through the open world looking for other racers online is the real treat. Plus,
the game runs seamlessly online so see you on the streets of Oahu.
Overall: 8.0
Hardware
limitations aside, Test Drive Unlimited for the PSP does an amazing job
of bringing all the elements found in the console version of the game to make
this a fun racing title. It would have been great if the online multiplayer
delivered the same massive open-world racing goodness but what is here is
actually good enough for racing fans to love either way. Do yourself a favor,
racing fans, and pick this one up.
