Test Drive Unlimited 2 gives the player the best of both worlds by combining the single player and multi player experiences in a dynamic world of flashy cars and racing.
The racing genre in the videogame industry has seen quite a number of new titles being released recently, making their presence felt on the computer and television screens of gamers. With a burgeoning growth in this genre, what are the game developers doing to create a product that truly stands out in the sea of competition as they vie for market share? With Test Drive Unlimited 2 (TDU 2), a game developed by Eden Studios which combines the online functionality of a Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) with a traditional arcade racer, TDU 2 has certainly caught my attention.
Based within a lovely Mediterranean locale of the island of Ibiza, exotic cars to drive and the amalgam of Grand Theft Auto and Gran Turismo's playing dynamics, TDU 2 in my opinion does have the makings of a truly enjoyable multiplayer racing game.
Using actual topographic information of Ibiza to design the environment and recreate a number of the island's towns in detail, the developers at Eden Studios have designed the road networks to be as accurate as possible, to give the gamers a sense of realism when they drive their favourite exotics on Ibiza itself. The game also includes a full 24 hour day/night cycle with different weather conditions, so gamers can have the opportunity of testing their cars through the limits in rainy nights or cruise leisurely towards the brilliant sunset.
Unlike other racing games which has the purists in mind, TDU 2 is designed with the automotive genre portrayed as a luxury lifestyle in mind. From expensive super cars to lavish mansions, the game puts the gamer in a first person role, experiencing a "rags to riches" story, in which the gamer has to work his or her way up the ladder of life as a parking valet to the talk of the town racer in the Solar Crown racing league. It is a refreshing change for me to experience a 'racing' game that includes attention to other details apart from all out racing.
But if the purist in you implores that you stick to good old racing, there is plenty of that to keep the appetite of the Stig in you satiated. Gamers can participate in competitions, create their own challenges or bet on races and instantly challenge another A.I car in the area. There is also another interesting aspect of the game which appeals to those who are more interested in growing their own car collection and it doesn't end there for gamers will be able to customise their cars with special paint jobs, decals, rims and more.
Even though TDU 2 incorporates various styles into one game, it still lacks that final finishing found in the rest of the games, for example, the vehicles are not that photo realistic at all, but the game compensates with its picture perfect landscape, and even though the super cars don't really handle exactly like their real world counterparts, but when driven there is still a sense of speed. I guess we just can't have the best of both worlds can we? But I am pretty sure this game will keep me occupied after six daily as I wait for the PIE jam to subside.
