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Xbox 360 : Test Drive Unlimited Reviews

Gas Gauge: 80
Gas Gauge 80
Below are user reviews of Test Drive Unlimited and on the right are links to professionally written reviews. The summary of review scores shows the distribution of scores given by the professional reviewers for Test Drive Unlimited. Column height indicates the number of reviews with a score within the range shown at the bottom of the column. Higher scores (columns further towards the right) are better.

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ReviewsScore
Game Spot 78
Game FAQs
GamesRadar 80
CVG 90
IGN 80
GameSpy 70
GameZone 88
Game Revolution 80
1UP 80






User Reviews (1 - 11 of 54)

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The beginning of virtual tourism?

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 29 / 30
Date: September 15, 2006
Author: Amazon User

The real star of this game is the island of Oahu. The whole thing, with terrain and streets modeled down to the meter. Mountain passes, ocean drives, back streets, it's all there. You can even refer to online maps to find your way around the virtual version. There's plenty of eye candy for the sightseer. Lush forests, beaches, rock formations, plantations, private homes, and just enough traffic to make it feel populated. It's surprisingly fun to just pick a luxury car and go for a Sunday drive. And it's not even wasted time, because you get achievements for exploration.

Of course, nearly every mile of roadway is incorporated into one of the pre-planned races and missions, so you will see most of the sights just playing those through. One race in particular takes a 118 mile loop around the entire island. And racing and completing time trials earns money that can be used to buy more cars and homes to store them in.

The selection of vehicles is disappointing, no doubt due to licensing issues. There are plenty of supercars, and the American major manufacturers are all well-represented, but there are no Japanese brands besides Nissan, which only offers two versions of the 350Z. BMW and Porsche are also missing. Customization is limited to a choice of wheels, paint, and pre-set performance levels. As a result, the cars all feel somewhat interchangeable, with little reason to pick one high-downforce, 200MPH+ monster over another.

The cars that made it into the game are nicely modeled, however, and some of the older models do have some character. The option to set seat position for the inside view is a nice touch that makes it feel more realistic. The physics model seems decent, especially with the traction control turned off.

I doubt I'll end up buying every car in the game, but I may pick up the achievement for exploring the entire island. And if I really need to take a Porsche through Kolekole Pass, I might just have to book a trip to Hawaii and do it for real.

Cruisin down the highway...lookin for adventure..

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: November 02, 2006
Author: Amazon User

They actually recreated Oahu to exact specs. This game is just fun to drive around and see the sites. If you haven't been to Hawaii now is the time to take this affordable trip. I gave this game a lower rating in general because the racing is actaually a little lackluster. Driving a car seems to move a little slower than usual. While recreating a Hawaiian Island they have failed create a great racing sim. I would recommend this game to others just for sheer beauty. Although if you are looking for a great racer turn head.

Great open ended racing game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: September 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I tried the demo for this game the day it was released (the demo). The game looked nice but the controls were horrible and the GPS not very well done. After reading some reviews of the actual game and hearing about it from various sources I decided I'd give it a try seeing as I was done with PGR3 and Need for Speed Most Wanted. I'm now very glad I gave this game a second chance.

First the car controls are A LOT better in this final game than what they were in the demo. It's a case of night and day. The GPS is also a lot better, although this might just be me.

The amount of road is simply amazing. you can seriously drive anywhere on the island with roads that never seem to end. The island is very nicely detailed and beautifully rendered. The cars however, while they do look very nice, in my opinion do not look as good as in other 360 racing games. Don't get me wrong the cars look exactly like there real world counter parts, but graphically they could have been a bit better.

The map looks exactly like what you'd see if you went to google map and looked at the sattelite shot. This is a cool feature, but again in my opinion I would have been quite happy with a fictitious island with a drawn map.

Something I;ve read in a lot of reviews is how the game let's you completly customize your character. I was actually quite disapointed in the very limited customization options, but then again...this is a racing game not the Simms.

I;ve also read mixed reviews about the amount of cars. some saying there are a lot, others saying 125 is not enough. I think there is a very wide array of cars to choose from, and let's face it, not many ppl will actually use every single car in this game. I think everyone out there will be able to find at least a handfull of cars they want to buy. Personally I'm glad they have ferrari's but even happier at the fact they have included a good selection of some very nice old american muscle cars.

There is a wide variety of races to participate in, most of which are original (to me anyways...). I;ve heard it said often this game is repetitive, but which racing game isn't?

It has been said very often, if you aren't on live, you will be missing out on a lot in this game, but I've found single player only very enjoyable. It is quite cool to be driving along and have another player blast by you in a high end car.

If your done with PGR3 and other such 360 racers, I highly recommend TDU. Don;t base your choice on the demo however.

Best Driving game EVER!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: July 08, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I have had this game for about 5 or 6 months now, and it has to be one of the best games I've ever played, and the best driving game. Great graphics, and tons of places to go. Hundreds of miles to drive all over Oahu, Hawaii. One negative thing is you can only play one person at a time, unless you're online. Online is ok, but not to great. Not really good at all without a mic. A very wide selection of cars/bikes, with more being added each month available for free download and microsoft points via xbox live marketplace. Can tune almost every car, with the exception of the ones you win by completing all the challenges in a certain type. (i.e. racing, timed, speed). But very fun to do, and takes a while to finish so you'll be playing for a while, depending on how long you play each day. Another thing I don't like is that to finish the game depends about maybe 15-25% online. You have to win I think it's 5, 10 , and 20 races against another players which will take a long time. I havne't even found anyone to go in a headsup match with me yet. Just unranked matches, that don't count. You also have to join or create a club, which isn't hard at all, but there are a few more things you'll need to do online to finish the game 100%. All in all a GREAT game that you will play a long time. Here's the list of cars and bikes in game, and available for download via xbox live marketplace. I made this list myself, and there shouldn't be any missing, unless a new download has been added to marketplace in the last few weeks, as I haven't checked back yet. Enjoy, and buy the game!

CARS

AC 289
Alfa GT 3.2 V6 24V
Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione
Ascari KZ1
Aston Martin D89 Coupe
Aston Martin D89 Volante
Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
Aston Martin DB7 Zagato
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Aston Martin Vanquish S
Audi A3 3.2 Quattro DSG
Audi A6 4.2 Quattro
Audi S4 Cabriolet
Audi TT Quattro Sport
Cadillac XLR-V
Caterham CSR 260
Chevrolet Camaro Z-28
Chevrolet Corvette C6 Coupe
Chevrolet Corvette Coupe Z06
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 69
Chevrolet SSR
Chrysler 300C SRT-8
Chrysler Firepower Concept Car
Chrysler ME Four-Twelve
Dodge Viper SRT 10
Enzo Ferrari
Farboud Supercharged GTS Prototype 2005
Ferrari 280 GTO
Ferrari 575M Maranello
Ferrari F430
Ferrari F430 Spider
Ford GT
Ford Mustang GT Convertible
Ford Mustang GT Coupe
Ford Mustang GTR Concept
Ford Shelby Cobra Concept
Ford Shelby GR-1 Concept
Jaguar Type E Coupe
Jaguar XJ220
Jaguar XK Convertible
Jaguar XK Coupe
Jaguar XKR Coupe
Koenigsegg CC85
Lamborghini Gallardo SE
Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder
Lamborghini Miura P40GSV
Lamborghini Murcielago Coupe
Lotus Elise R
Lotus Espirit V8
Lotus Sport Exige 240 R
Maserati 3500 GT
Maserati GranSport
Maserati MC12
Maserati Spyder 90th Anniversary
Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa
McLaren F1
McLaren F1 GTR
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing
Mercedes-Benz CLK 55 AMG
Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG
Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG
Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG
Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
Nissan 350Z Coupe
Nissan 350Z Nizmo S-Tune
Noble M12 GTO-3R
Noble M14
Pagani Zonda C125
Pontiac Firebird
Pontiac GTO
Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo
Saturn Sky
Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe
Shelby GT500
Spyker C8 Laviolette
TVR Sagaris
TVR Tuscan S
Volkswagen Gold R32
Volkswagen W12 Coupe
Volkswagen W12 Roadster
Wiesmann Roadster MF3

BIKES

Ducati 999 R
Ducati Monster S4R
Ducati SuperSport 1000 DS
Kawasaki Z1000
Kawasaki Ninja ZK-10R
MV Agusta F4 Brutale 9105
MV Agusta F4 Tamburini
Triumph Speed Triple

FREE DOWNLOADABLE CARS

Audi RS4 Quattro Saloon
Cadillac CTS-V
Chevrolet Corvette C1 1957
Dodge Challenger RT
Lexus GS 450h
Lexus LS 350
Lexus LS 460 L
Nissan Skyline GTR R34
Saturn Curve

DOWNLOADABLE CARS FOR MICROSOFT POINTS

Alfa Brera
Audi S6
Cadillac Cien
Cadillac CTS-V
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible 1971
Chrysler Crossfire SRT6 Roadster
Corvette C6 Convertible
Dino 246 GT
Dodge Viper SRT-10 Coupe
Edonis
Ferrari 250 GTO 1962
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
Ferrari Challenge Stradale
Ferrari F40
Koenigsegg CCR
Lamborghini Countach 25th
Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster
McLaren F1 GT
Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR
Noble M4000
RUF RGT
RUF RK Spyder
RUF RT 12
RUF Rturbo
TVR T440R

Awesome game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: December 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This is an awesome game. The only gripe I have with it is that you have to visit all the car dealers to unlock the bikes. Thats a major pain. Online play is fair. If you get this game, get a wheel too!

Some of the cars handle really well, and are pretty realistic. Some of the high powered cars are unrealistic, for example, a little more gas than necessary and you're spinning out, a little over sensitive!

Some of the challenges are stupid. Still don't understand why game companies don't give you an unlock option for those of us who aren't kids and don't have umpteen hours to spend playing :)

Must try it!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 10
Date: September 07, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I've had my 360 for a few months now and like most people, I am always looking for games that deliver on the promise of what the 360 was supposed to deliver. TDU may not be perfect but its pretty darn close. The graphics look like a movie. While I may never be able to afford 99% of the cars in the game, the variety of cars is unreal. I also think it is very cool that there are motorcycles in the game to go with the cars. Hawaii also felt like a perfect place for this game to take place because it adds to the fantasy element of the game. I can't wait until the game comes out officially and there are a bunch of people to race with.

Anticipation mostly realized

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: October 10, 2006
Author: Amazon User

When TDU was announced a year ago, I followed it closely, reading every piece of news and preview articles on it. The idea of driving around a fully open environment like Oahu was a thrilling concept. Well, TDU is here and for the most part it is a thrilling joyride. Of course, like many titles, it isn't perfect. It IS a fantastic journey in it's own right mind you.

THE PLUS's

INTRO TO OAHU AND CHARACTERS
As you may know, the island of Oahu is fully rendered and accessible right from the start. Yes, it's said from some that most major streets and highways are in tact and in the game, as well as some of the islands landmarks. I can't dispute this, as I've never been to Oahu. I can say though, that the island is enormous. This being the case, you have the opportunity to begin driving the entire island very early in the game. The way you are introduced to the island is a nice touch. Not simply pick a character and a car. Instead you arrive at an airport and are standing in line with a host of characters. You can pick either a male or female. If you don't particularly like the way they look or the clothes there are wearing no problem, you can modify your character as soon as you buy a home. After picking a character you then head to the rental car place to get a car. There are a few choices ranging from Chevy to Audi to Lotus (this is just a vague listing of the various companies cars you can rent). After renting a car for a few minutes (no, you can't keep the care for more than about 20 minutes or so -- for a cost), you can drive to a car dealership of your choice. Since you only have a few hundred grand, you can only pick from certain classes right off the bat. Don't worry; there are some decent machines out there. To name a few: Audi, Alfa Romeo and a bunch of others. After you get the ride of your choice, you then head to the real estate agency closest to you and pick a house. Since you have a limited budget, you only have a choice of 2 homes. They are both nice, considering the prices. If you like the whole urban yuppie thing, you might want to buy a condo in the city. If you like scenic drives in the country, then the single family home may be your choice. In either case, they are decent establishments with 4 garages apiece. This may seem suitable early in the game, but as you progress and buy different classes of cars, you see that another home with more garage space is needed.

As stated earlier, you can change the appearance of your avatar. The things you can change about yourself are amazing. If you have the time and patience, you can most likely modify your character to at least "resemble" your real world image, which is cool, but time consuming. The trick to this is picking a character at the airport that sports many of your current physical facial features. You shouldn't worry if they are not the same race as you, as you can change skin color quite easily. You can also change your clothes (Street clothes or motorcycle clothing) in your dressing room. The only thing is that you have to first by more shirts, pants, jackets, glasses, sneakers/shoes/boots and gloves from the various boutiques throughout the island. The only way you can do this is by either dropping Top Models off at certain designations or giving hitchhikers rides. After you have achieved your objectives, they give you "markers" to redeem at boutiques. After you have spent some time shopping, the articles of clothing you buy will show up in the dressing room.

THE ISLAND AND NAVIGATION
TDU does a great job at making the island of Oahu easily accessible. If you are familiar with some of the other open world driving games, particularly The Need For Speed: Most Wanted, then the navigation in TDU is a snap.. Since the island is so huge, you will want to get to the heart of races and challenges quickly. You can do so by simply pressing left on the D-Pad (as long as you aren't in a race or mission). When you do so, the view will automatically zoom from your car straight up to an overview of the area you are in. When in this view, you can see either 1) the challenges, missions and races open to you at the time 2) places of interest, such as Car Dealerships, properties for sale, Real Estate Agencies, Motorcycle shops, MOD shops for specific cars or boutiques/clothing stores or 3) Bookmarked areas that you'd like to visit on a regular basis. This can all be done with the shoulder triggers and buttons. When you see a location you'd like to visit, move the curser over the area and an information screen will pop up telling you the specifics of that particular race, building, etc. The info screen also provides you with how much money can be won or markers received by taking the challenge. In an effort to make the game more accessible, you can instantly ward from location to location...for the most part. I'll explain: Many people have complained that it's tedious to drive the island looking for races, etc. Well this is the case part of the time. Let's say you are downtown and a race opens up in the mountains. You mark the race in the mountains for instant transport; however, you'll receive a message saying basically that if this is your first time to said location you'll have to drive. No problem. Set the GPS and drive out there. Now this is where the usefulness comes in. By driving to that location from the city, you have in effect opened up challenges that pop up along the way. These can then be instantly accessed via the navigational system, without all the driving. You won't have to drive to that particular mountain location in the future anymore either, as now it is basically locked in for instant transport. Also by doing a bit of driving, you receive "achievement" for sightseeing certain miles, etc. So it pays a little to drive around.

THE OFFLINE CHALLENGES
I think TDU did a great job with these. Races are broken into various classes (G - A) and car types. In the beginning you'll find you'll need to have a class F car to do most of the available races. As you progress through the game more, other classes will open up progressively working down from G to A. Of course other classes are thrown in at varying times, but for explanation purposes we'll keep it simple and say classes G - A. The races are broken between standard races with up to about 8 cars, radar-like best time trials, beat the clock, "get 170 mph in traffic", etc. Nothing special or out of the ordinary here. The missions include "get the super model or hitchhiker from here to there". These individuals have their own criteria such as the make and model of car they'll be seen in, along with how many seats. These missions are actually interesting as you have to pay attention to certain conditions, such as a countdown timer, not hitting too many cars or running off the road. The rewards are decent, all helping you acquire new clothes. When you want to net loads of cash, look for transport missions. These one try events are great. They are one try if you succeed in winning them. If you lose, you can try again. The money you gain is huge. In the few I won, I netted 40 thousand and 80 thousand dollars respectively. They are also a great way to experience using another type of car that you may not have the funds to afford as of yet, such as the Enzo Ferrari mission where you have to deliver the car to point B without scratching it. Or perhaps the other Ferrari mission where you have to deliver a rental back to the dealer a) with minimal damage and b) with a strict time limit. Considering the game has only been out 3 days, I'm sure there will be tons of other cool missions to find.

THE CARS
Although the cars may not look as good as some in PGR3, they sure are fantastic. A close connection is made between you and the car of your dreams because of the addition of being able to view the interior of the car. Yes, it's nice to buy a 600K car and speed it around the streets, but it's even nicer when you can almost feel like it's real, due to viewing the seats, radio, nav system (in select models), carbon fiber, brushed aluminum or wood interiors, etc. from inside the car. I personally like to drive in bumper view when racing, but when just cruising around the streets, it's nice to drive in the interior view and be able to look up-down-left and right, just like in any other car in the real world. Because of the detail, pricing, options and appeal of these cars, people just WANT to attain them. It's great to race all day and finally be able to drop a load of hard earned cash on that rare Noble M12 GTO-3R or Aston Martin or Lamborghini or whatever your heart desires...just to show it off in the on-line world. Speaking of which, if you spent a lot of time making your avatar closely resemble yourself, you might want to show it off in an expensive convertible. You know, so everyone will see you.

The handling of the cars feel very good as well. Unlike NFS:MW, where all of the cars could be broken down into feeling like just 4 differing groups, most of the cars in TDU have a very different feel and reaction to the driving conditions. You really have to take this into account when driving in certain areas such as on straight-aways or curvy winding roads or single laned highways. The strategies and approaches are endless.

THE MINUS's

While only a few, I thought I'd list them here.

POLICE
Firstly, the voice acting is outrageous, in a bad way. With the superb voice acting found in NFS:MW, playing TDU and hearing theirs is such a shame. It sounds like they got a few people off the street to read cue cards, without any note of realism, or varying phrases. The cops in the game are a sorry addition. Not only are their verbal phrases annoying, they hamper a great driving experience. Ever get charged $16,000 for slightly rubbing2 cars? You will here if you don't high-tail it from the accident. You're probably saying "well, you should out run the cops anyway". Well, yes you should, but the whole cop theme is so unbalanced, that after tapping just 3 cars, you can be looking at an astronomical fine. Tap one car, the cops come out, if you don't out run them for some reason (to much traffic or you bump them by accident) and you scrape another car, they'll really become aggressive. Hit a third and they send masses of cops. As they come for you, you'll most like tap more cars. You may also hit a few of the police while avoiding their road blocks. After they inevitably catch you (by slamming into you), you'll have such a high fine, all the work it took for you to gain x amount of dollars would have been in vain. It would be better for you to just shut down and restart the console then to try to out run the cops after a 3 shield level.

RACERS AI
This may only be my own gripe, but it's amazing how easily the AI will do a pit maneuver on you and win a race, but you can't do one on them. For instance I had an all wheel drive, highly modified Audi and was pitted by a cheap, low end, Mustang. I figured "ok, no prob, I'll get him back". Well, low and behold, I tried to pit him in a twisty section of the race, did he spin out? No. Did he slow down? Of course not. Not only that, but after my feeble attempts at pitting him were unsuccessful, he accelerated to eventually win the race. Mind you, his top speed could be no more than 150ish. My Audi can do 167 easy. I could and had sped past him all day long. We were only a few feet apart in distance when I was trying to pit him. Should he theoretically have won? Of course this is just one area where I've seen miraculous actions by the AI. When you get online, this "cheating" shouldn't be a problem.

Well, there you have it, a high level review of a game that was well worth the wait. With the online content to come out in the future (downloads, etc.),I think this game will have a very long console life.

new genre takes the cake, eats it and burns pavement

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: October 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Welcome to the world of M.O.O.R. (Massively Open Online Racing). The emergence of a new genre takes the cake, eats it and burns pavement at insane speeds through blurring and beautiful landscapes that are not only massive but somehow surprisingly well-done. And here we are, standing amazed on the island of Oahu wondering if something this massive, lush and wonderful can hold up in the area of gameplay and endurance. The quick answer: Yes. The guys at Atari have done their homework despite their generic title and have bum-rushed the scene of MOOR by inventing the genre and re-iventing an old one. If you have never experienced the european lifestyle, here's your chance in a virtual world that takes your breath and makes your heart race simultaneously while you dodge traffic and rush through crudely realistic and seamless landscapes. Your mission is insanely expansive and diverse ranging from timed races, speed traps, trials, knock-out, staged quests involving transporting models and hitchikers, delivering packages and delivering vehicles and more. It's the racing game that 'keeps on giving' for those of you, like me, who thought PGR grew rapidly tiresome after just a few races. Test drive keeps the wheels spinning on some big tires by offering a refreshing arcade/simulation type racing style that makes PGR seem like Rad Racer for the NES. The frame-rates are blistering fast and car models are dead on with their real-life counterparts down to the stick shift. The car models dynamicaly reflect the dynamically lit backdrops that are astonishing and endless. From sunrise to sunset, to artificially lit tunnels to natural shade from valleys, trees, hills and oceans -- it's all here and surprisingly realistic when you realize how massive this world really is. The attention to detail is absurd as you never drive past an area that is remotely identical to another.

Cars: Although this game doesn't house every car out there that car fanatics would like to see,it certainly has chosen most of the ones we care about -- leaning more towards euro-fashion fantastico w/ Ferraris, AshtonMArtin, Audis, Mercedez, Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini (can you say murcielago -- one of the best cars in the game), Volkswagen (GTI), Jaguar, Maserati. They have also done a superb job covering the classics (mercedez, jaguar), muscle-cars, a few japanese models from Nissan (nizmo 350z anyone?) and many more.

Test Drive adds a lot of refreshing elements of an RPG w/ the ability to advance skill level as you progress along with earning cash for each event. Earning cash and buying cars actually has a sense of thrill and achievement unlike PGR where sports cars become easily available. When
you get your hands on one of Ferraris in this game, there is almost a real sense of excitement tapped w/ realistic controls, handling and speed to fit w/ the type of car. To add icing to the cake, Test Drive doesn't stop there as you have the ability to customize your character, buy clothes for your character (can be bought using coupons earned from hitchhiking and transport events) and even houses for your character and cars to reside in.

Probably the most thrilling part of this game is unlocking the bike shops (Ducati, MV Augusta, Kawaski)and blazing past traffic in your Ninja through the beautiful landscapes of the Oahu island. It is the most freedom I felt in a video game in a long time. Further to boot, re-race events with your new found bike or new ones that are specific for motorcycles. Popping wheelies at 130 mph + is also quite amusing or during a race to taunt your opponents.

And for something massive, fun and glorious -- can you beat the price tag?

A must have for your 360...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: September 22, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Test Drive Unlimited takes a new direction in the racing game genre. The many features, easy gameplay, and online options will keep you entertained for hours.

First Impressions: You start out on the island of Oahu, which is your gateway to all of the various features of Test Drive. From here, you can access different types of races, missions, car dealerships, and purchasable homes. It's a very unique way of accessing what the game has to offer, as opposed to the standard racing game: choose car, choose map, rinse, repeat.

Gameplay: I'm not much a fan of racing games, but Test Drive had me hooked. I spent a good amount of time in the character editing mode, where you can edit your own personal avatar/driver. You can change their facial features, hair, and clothing to your liking. From here, you can visit all of the car dealerships and purchase a vehicle. If you are fortunate to have Xbox Live, the game has an online feature where you can buy, trade, or sell your cars. Once your avatar and car are set, you can drive around the island and find a race that suits you. If you do not want to race, you can try an escort mission, which involves you taking a car and driving it to a specific location in Oahu. I found this particular feature to be a lot of fun, and it earns you a fair amount of money in reward.

Controls: I've always had problems with controls in racing games, but Test Drive is very easy once you get the feel of it. Driving around isn't as simple as jamming the button down and flying along the course. You need to learn to control your speed and apply the right pressure on your acceleration. Also, there are several camera angles at your disposal, so you can choose whatever you feel most comfortable with.

Graphics: One of the most appealing things about this game was the graphics. You can see the capabilities of the 360 in the details and shading of the cars, the various racing environments, and Oahu itself. The character models could have been better, but you'll be too absorbed by the nice designs of the cars and environment to take much notice.

Sound: Pretty good. The cars and collisions sound quite realistic. The acceleration noise is a little awkward, but it's not too distracting. Also, there is a radio option that allows you to browse and set stations to play while you drive.

Online Play: Playing Test Drive with Xbox live brings the best out of all of its features. Instead of AI being scattered throughout Oahu, other players will be driving around. You can join player-made races or create your own. If you happen to have a headset, you can even talk to other racers during a match, or hear them while you explore Oahu! You will not get the most of the game until you try it online.

Overall: If you own a 360, give Test Drive a try. It has plenty of replay value due to its wide selection of racing, missions, and online features. Fans of this genre will not be disappointed!

Average

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: November 27, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I do have to admit ... the graphics on this game are really nice ... but that is about as far as I go. The physics on the cars is, for the most part, cruddy. They do not handle even close to way the car would, nor do they really even sound like the car you are in. I thought it would be cool to start out with the Audi S4 in the game because I own one. The sound was way off and I can do burn outs with smoke coming from the rear?! On a 4-wheel drive car I can do dounuts too!? Just try to do that in a real 4-wheel drive car. I know how the car handles at high speed because I have spent some time on the track as well in it. It was not even close. All the cars handle pretty much exactly the same except for acceleration. BORING. I will just wait for Forza to come out for 360. If you are into a game because the graphics look nice then buy it. If you are looking for a realistic racing game, move on.


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