Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown review

Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown does a great job of giving you plenty to do and a fair amount of direction along the way to get stuck in and explore the open road. The goal is like any racing game whereby your goal is to become the best racer out there. The way you do that is complimented by the size of Hong Kong Island, the various races you can participate in, the wealth of upgrades and new cars on offer, and the joy found in finding a collectible or area you haven’t seen before. Perhaps the largest part of it is the MMO aspect which, at this time, will take time to really prove its worth in longevity and appeal.

Part of why I enjoyed Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown is the freedom you’re given to drive. Hong Kong Island is massive, with various secrets, races, and places to find and visit. There’s plenty to do if you’re willing to take your time and explore each location. Your goal is to earn reputation through various means, win races to earn money to spend on upgrading your car parts or buy new vehicles, and earn bragging rights on your way to the top. There’s a bit of a grind at first, but when you unlock the ability to join a clan, that’s when things pick up significantly.

You can gain reputation by completing side quests like acquiring a certain amount of money in a particular area or earning a number of stars from speed traps. Getting the best position in a race, finding reputation point icons on the map, and driving to new areas are a few other examples of how to become more noticeable, and as you do new races will unlock and more opportunities will arise. You’re never short of something to do, and when you can join a clan, be it the Sharps or Streets, you’re given some tougher races that reward you greatly for coming first.

Being an online game, there’s a great social element to Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown. You’ll be able to flash your lights at passing players to signify you want to race them, meet up with other players in the various workshops if clan HQs, and generally make friends or show off. Unfortunately, my world wasn’t hugely populated due to the early access nature, but the possibilities for it seem pretty cool. When you join a race, the game will populate it with AI, so at least you can still take part in races without waiting for a lobby to fill with real players.

You can visit gas stations to clean and repair your car; head to showrooms featuring tons of real world manufacturers to buy new cars; upgrade your car at workshops, and more. The map is available at the press of a button, with fast travel instantly accessible as long as you’ve driven past a gas station or workshop. The world is beautifully designed, with skyscrapers and dense cities, sunny beaches and shorelines, and forests, but there’s a distinct lack of people wandering around that makes the world feel rather lifeless. It’s not the worst thing in the world, but it would be cool to see crowds gather and interact as you race for gold.

Different race types make challenges more enjoyable, whether it’s a one-on-one with an opponent or a full-on race with others. Driving feels pretty responsive if a little uneven coming out of corners, but it’s just as much about mastering each car’s individual handling than it is about lucky breakaways from opponents. The DualSense feels superb as you wrestle with the speed and control, feeling the tension in accelerating and breaking, making you fight for superiority rather than handing it to you on a silver platter. There’s a wide range of options for how your car runs and works, immersing you in the control of your car.

You can open the sunroof or the flick the headlights on, switch radio stations, or lower your windows, and if you’re ever stationary the engine turns off so you have to press the right trigger to turn it on. These little details sets it apart from other racing titles, and while these nice touches are cool features, it’s the racing that makes it enjoyable. It’s not perfect, but there’s an arcade-y feel to it that makes it accessible to everyone. For players who prefer to remove assists and tweak the finer details, the options are there. You can play how you want regardless of your skill level.

There is also the opportunity to represent who you are in different ways. Car customisation is a big thing, allowing you to change paint jobs and interiors. You can also buy new clothes and change your hair, physical features, and skin colour, and show off your car collection in the Solar Lounge. Lots of items are available for unlock, with rewards available in every nook and cranny of the city. You’ll also earn rewards from beating rivals or your own clan members, so take every opportunity you can to make your look unique.

Time will tell just how successful Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown will be, and the recent roadmap reveal suggests some features will be integrated at a later date. Being an online multiplayer requires players to populate the world, so hopefully when the game releases these hotspots and lobbies, along with the streets of Hong Kong Island will fill up with players trying to make a name for itself. The racing is pretty responsive despite a few issues with the weight of the cars feeling too heavy, but I had a great time exploring the streets, finding things to do, and earning reputation any way I could. I just hope more is added in terms of race variety and challenges, but I believe that fun will come when more people get involved.