Post by "Wildfox" Meta S. Foxx on May 16, 2010 21:08:27 GMT -8
I know not many people in here are big racing fans, but I thought it would be at least a little fun to go ahead and talk about this.
Before I get to talking about this game, I should point out something that will make a significant difference. There are two different versions of the game that were designed across four platforms, two versions each. One version of the game was released for the Xbox 360 and PC and was developed by Eden Games (we'll refer to this as the Main version). The other version was released on the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable and was developed by Melbourne Studios (we'll simply refer to this one as the Sub Version).
Okay, now on to the game it self: Test Drive Unlimited. This is another different approach to the series that sees a lot of changes. The game is marked to be an M.O.O.R., which translates to Massively Open Online Racing. Generally this is another way of saying Massively Multiplayer Online Racing game, but to its credit, at least it's not trying to be another WoW craze. I'll get to how it works in a bit. The game itself takes places on the Hawaiian island of Oahu...the ENTIRE island of Oahu! Yes, you heard me right. The game's map of Oahu is modeled after real life satellite images of the island, but it should also be noted that some parts of the island in the game are not like the real thing. Some of the things missing in the game that are on the island include a few military structures, some commercial buildings and a few other landmarks. There's no explanation as to why they aren't present in the game, but one might speculate that it was done for International Security reasons, but I digress. Despite that, what we do get in the game itself is actually really nice representation. No matter which version of the game you get, you do get that sense that you are in Hawaii. Naturally the Main version looks the best, but the Sub version is also pretty impressive as well (even the PSP release).
Anyway, the game starts off with you arriving in Honolulu and the first thing you have to do is purchase a house and then a car. Before you do that though, you're introduced to car rentals. The way this works is you go to a car rental place somewhere on the island and then you rent a car for a set amount of time. You can use these cars to compete in races in which the cars that are required for said race are too expensive for you to buy, or if you just need a ride for a short amount of time. However, it is recommended that you buy all of your cars for all of your future races. Now on to the houses that you purchase. In the game, you need to purchase houses to store your vehicles. There are a great number of properties available for purchase on the island. Condos and small houses are low cost properties that can store up to 4 vehicles in the garage (you'll be limited to these when you start out). Medium sizes houses store up to 6 vehicles while large houses can store up to 8, and the of course you have the million dollar mansions (and I mean that quite literally) that can store up to 10. In order to purchase a house you have to go to a Realtor. There you can buy, sell, or even trade properties. Once you gotten a place, this is where you will start the game everytime you turn it on from here on out. At the house you can look through your garage at your vehicles you've purchase as well as get in-game messages of your status. In the Main game, you can also customize the character you create at the start of a new game by giving him/her clothes you buy from clothing stores on the island. I'll get to that part when I discuss the gameplay. Now I'll get into checking out the showrooms for new cars. When you show up at any dealership, you'll get a select number of cars for the brand that the dealer sells. Upon selecting a car, it is recommended that you look at the specs to see if it is what you might be looking for. You also have the option of actually viewing the interior of the car (unless you have the PSP release of the Sub version in which this option does not appear due to space limitations of the UMD disc) as well as test driving it for 90 seconds. As usual, your choices for cars is limited due to funds and you're only able to select low cost F Class (E class if you're playing the Sub version) cars. Of course as time goes by you'll be able to buy those sweet rides you always wanted. Oh I should also mention that the Main version of the game has motorcycles as well, however they're not available in the Sub version of the game.
Now you have a house and a car, time to get out there and race. Throughout Oahu there are a lot of challenges to choose from. Race Challenges are self explanatory as are Time Trials. Speed Challenges are a new feature. In these challenges your goal is to race though a number of cameras that record your speed, and of course the idea is to go through these cameras as fast as you can to beat the set speed of the course. In some of the challenges you are tested for your driving skills. This is done by the use of a special bar in some of the challenges. If you hit incoming traffic or drive off road, you'll get penalized in the end, and the bar counts down how much you get penalized when you finish the race. In the Main version of the game, there are also separate challenges that you can also partake in: Courier which is transporting cars and Hitchhiker and Top Model which is picking up random hitchhikers and Top Models and taking them where they want to go. In some of these cases, the penalty bar also makes an appearance and you'll be judged on how good or bad you do at the end of the mission. The Courier missions will offer cash upon completing the task, while Hitchhiker and Top Model missions award coupons for purchasing clothing at clothing stores. Of course all of this takes place on a massively open island, so you'll be expected to do a lot of driving in between challenges and missions. While you're out driving around, look around for other marks of interest such as tuner shops, paint shops, as well as other dealerships and such. And if you're the impatient type, you can also use the GPS in the game to get to your next races. The Sub version of the game makes this an automatic feature from the start which makes the game go a little bit faster.
The game works on a leveling basis, kind of similar to an RPG. In the Main version, you gain experience via Achievement points (yes this is one of those games where the dreaded Achievements actually DO matter). As you progress and earn Gamerscore points, you advance to the next level. Here's how it works. As usual, you start out at the bottom at Rookie level, but once you've earned 30G, you advance to Amateur level granting you access to new challenges and a new part of the island. 90G advances you to Pro level, 180G advances you to Expert, 450G advances you to Champion, and of course 1000G advances you to Ace (that's only for bragging rights, really). The Sub version of the game works a little differently. In this version, you of course start out at the Rookie level, but the way you gain experience is by either driving or performing stunts such as airtime, drifting, or drafting which nets you extra points. Unfortunately I lost my copy of the PSP release along with the system itself so I can't tell you for sure of the points structure. However I can tell you that keeping up with your level status is easier in the Sub version than in the Main version because the Sub version gives you the points meter on the screen and you can see it build up as you drive, whereas in the Main version you always have to go to your home to see where you are in your level status.
The Multiplayer aspect of this game works differently in both versions. Of course if you bought the Xbox 360 version of the Main version you are required to have a Gold account to partake in the Multiplayer challanges and to be challenged by anyone free roaming around the island, and I'm pretty sure if you have the PC release as long as you have a net connection you're good to go. There are a few Achievements that can be earned from Multiplayer races, however if you're not one for bragging rights, then don't worry about them. You'll make enough to be at Champion level anyway. The Sub version, however, is not able to play online anymore due to Atari abruptly shutting down the servers for the game (possibly to work on the servers for the PS3 version of Test Drive Unlimited 2...I'm not sure, it was never explained nor was it never announced).
Oh I should probably also mention this. As you're driving around the beautiful island of Oahu, you'll also have to deal with...you guessed it: the Police! Yes, police officers will be patrolling the island, but most of the time their presence is very limited. This goes for both versions of the game, but there are three levels which will initiate a police chase: one badge, two badges, and three badges. Anytime a badge flashes on the Badge meter, it's a warning. This happens when you strike an innocent car in traffic. If you strike another car while in a warning state, the badge then goes solid and a chase will ensue. This is just one police car chasing after you for now, and it's pretty easy to escape as long as you don't hit any other cars in traffic (if this happens, the next badge flashes as a warning). If you managed to get all three badges solid, it's pretty much suicide. The police will stop you by any means necessary and will utilize road blocks which are impossible to escape going head on. If you get stopped by the police, depending on the badge level, you'll either get a ticket or go to jail (you don't want to go to jail because it will leave you broke).
I think I've covered the core of the game enough, so I'll go ahead an wrap it up. If you're a race junkie, definitely give this game a try. It doesn't really matter which version you get. Both offer a really good driving experience. Pure racing enthusiasts will enjoy what this game has to offer, a great line of cars, and the entire island of Oahu to roam around and explore. It's a beautiful looking game that even if you're not into racing, just driving around the island is a relaxing experience. Definitely check it out if you want.
Before I get to talking about this game, I should point out something that will make a significant difference. There are two different versions of the game that were designed across four platforms, two versions each. One version of the game was released for the Xbox 360 and PC and was developed by Eden Games (we'll refer to this as the Main version). The other version was released on the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable and was developed by Melbourne Studios (we'll simply refer to this one as the Sub Version).
Okay, now on to the game it self: Test Drive Unlimited. This is another different approach to the series that sees a lot of changes. The game is marked to be an M.O.O.R., which translates to Massively Open Online Racing. Generally this is another way of saying Massively Multiplayer Online Racing game, but to its credit, at least it's not trying to be another WoW craze. I'll get to how it works in a bit. The game itself takes places on the Hawaiian island of Oahu...the ENTIRE island of Oahu! Yes, you heard me right. The game's map of Oahu is modeled after real life satellite images of the island, but it should also be noted that some parts of the island in the game are not like the real thing. Some of the things missing in the game that are on the island include a few military structures, some commercial buildings and a few other landmarks. There's no explanation as to why they aren't present in the game, but one might speculate that it was done for International Security reasons, but I digress. Despite that, what we do get in the game itself is actually really nice representation. No matter which version of the game you get, you do get that sense that you are in Hawaii. Naturally the Main version looks the best, but the Sub version is also pretty impressive as well (even the PSP release).
Anyway, the game starts off with you arriving in Honolulu and the first thing you have to do is purchase a house and then a car. Before you do that though, you're introduced to car rentals. The way this works is you go to a car rental place somewhere on the island and then you rent a car for a set amount of time. You can use these cars to compete in races in which the cars that are required for said race are too expensive for you to buy, or if you just need a ride for a short amount of time. However, it is recommended that you buy all of your cars for all of your future races. Now on to the houses that you purchase. In the game, you need to purchase houses to store your vehicles. There are a great number of properties available for purchase on the island. Condos and small houses are low cost properties that can store up to 4 vehicles in the garage (you'll be limited to these when you start out). Medium sizes houses store up to 6 vehicles while large houses can store up to 8, and the of course you have the million dollar mansions (and I mean that quite literally) that can store up to 10. In order to purchase a house you have to go to a Realtor. There you can buy, sell, or even trade properties. Once you gotten a place, this is where you will start the game everytime you turn it on from here on out. At the house you can look through your garage at your vehicles you've purchase as well as get in-game messages of your status. In the Main game, you can also customize the character you create at the start of a new game by giving him/her clothes you buy from clothing stores on the island. I'll get to that part when I discuss the gameplay. Now I'll get into checking out the showrooms for new cars. When you show up at any dealership, you'll get a select number of cars for the brand that the dealer sells. Upon selecting a car, it is recommended that you look at the specs to see if it is what you might be looking for. You also have the option of actually viewing the interior of the car (unless you have the PSP release of the Sub version in which this option does not appear due to space limitations of the UMD disc) as well as test driving it for 90 seconds. As usual, your choices for cars is limited due to funds and you're only able to select low cost F Class (E class if you're playing the Sub version) cars. Of course as time goes by you'll be able to buy those sweet rides you always wanted. Oh I should also mention that the Main version of the game has motorcycles as well, however they're not available in the Sub version of the game.
Now you have a house and a car, time to get out there and race. Throughout Oahu there are a lot of challenges to choose from. Race Challenges are self explanatory as are Time Trials. Speed Challenges are a new feature. In these challenges your goal is to race though a number of cameras that record your speed, and of course the idea is to go through these cameras as fast as you can to beat the set speed of the course. In some of the challenges you are tested for your driving skills. This is done by the use of a special bar in some of the challenges. If you hit incoming traffic or drive off road, you'll get penalized in the end, and the bar counts down how much you get penalized when you finish the race. In the Main version of the game, there are also separate challenges that you can also partake in: Courier which is transporting cars and Hitchhiker and Top Model which is picking up random hitchhikers and Top Models and taking them where they want to go. In some of these cases, the penalty bar also makes an appearance and you'll be judged on how good or bad you do at the end of the mission. The Courier missions will offer cash upon completing the task, while Hitchhiker and Top Model missions award coupons for purchasing clothing at clothing stores. Of course all of this takes place on a massively open island, so you'll be expected to do a lot of driving in between challenges and missions. While you're out driving around, look around for other marks of interest such as tuner shops, paint shops, as well as other dealerships and such. And if you're the impatient type, you can also use the GPS in the game to get to your next races. The Sub version of the game makes this an automatic feature from the start which makes the game go a little bit faster.
The game works on a leveling basis, kind of similar to an RPG. In the Main version, you gain experience via Achievement points (yes this is one of those games where the dreaded Achievements actually DO matter). As you progress and earn Gamerscore points, you advance to the next level. Here's how it works. As usual, you start out at the bottom at Rookie level, but once you've earned 30G, you advance to Amateur level granting you access to new challenges and a new part of the island. 90G advances you to Pro level, 180G advances you to Expert, 450G advances you to Champion, and of course 1000G advances you to Ace (that's only for bragging rights, really). The Sub version of the game works a little differently. In this version, you of course start out at the Rookie level, but the way you gain experience is by either driving or performing stunts such as airtime, drifting, or drafting which nets you extra points. Unfortunately I lost my copy of the PSP release along with the system itself so I can't tell you for sure of the points structure. However I can tell you that keeping up with your level status is easier in the Sub version than in the Main version because the Sub version gives you the points meter on the screen and you can see it build up as you drive, whereas in the Main version you always have to go to your home to see where you are in your level status.
The Multiplayer aspect of this game works differently in both versions. Of course if you bought the Xbox 360 version of the Main version you are required to have a Gold account to partake in the Multiplayer challanges and to be challenged by anyone free roaming around the island, and I'm pretty sure if you have the PC release as long as you have a net connection you're good to go. There are a few Achievements that can be earned from Multiplayer races, however if you're not one for bragging rights, then don't worry about them. You'll make enough to be at Champion level anyway. The Sub version, however, is not able to play online anymore due to Atari abruptly shutting down the servers for the game (possibly to work on the servers for the PS3 version of Test Drive Unlimited 2...I'm not sure, it was never explained nor was it never announced).
Oh I should probably also mention this. As you're driving around the beautiful island of Oahu, you'll also have to deal with...you guessed it: the Police! Yes, police officers will be patrolling the island, but most of the time their presence is very limited. This goes for both versions of the game, but there are three levels which will initiate a police chase: one badge, two badges, and three badges. Anytime a badge flashes on the Badge meter, it's a warning. This happens when you strike an innocent car in traffic. If you strike another car while in a warning state, the badge then goes solid and a chase will ensue. This is just one police car chasing after you for now, and it's pretty easy to escape as long as you don't hit any other cars in traffic (if this happens, the next badge flashes as a warning). If you managed to get all three badges solid, it's pretty much suicide. The police will stop you by any means necessary and will utilize road blocks which are impossible to escape going head on. If you get stopped by the police, depending on the badge level, you'll either get a ticket or go to jail (you don't want to go to jail because it will leave you broke).
I think I've covered the core of the game enough, so I'll go ahead an wrap it up. If you're a race junkie, definitely give this game a try. It doesn't really matter which version you get. Both offer a really good driving experience. Pure racing enthusiasts will enjoy what this game has to offer, a great line of cars, and the entire island of Oahu to roam around and explore. It's a beautiful looking game that even if you're not into racing, just driving around the island is a relaxing experience. Definitely check it out if you want.
