MMORPG Game Previews

by Michael Lafferty, June 16, 2010

Sooner or later, every automobile requires a tune-up, and for Test Drive Unlimited - a car-centric game that sported a persistent online world and allowed players the opportunity to buy cars, race and decorate homes - that tune-up resulted in the September 21 release of Test Drive Unlimited 2.

For those that may not know, TDU takes place online in a world that will now feature weather effects as well as day and night cycles. TDU2 is a lot bigger than its predecessor, sporting nearly 3,000 kilometers of road in Hawaii and the Mediterranean island of Ibizia.

The driving forces (pun intended) behind the game are the customization and social aspects. Players begin with a character that is basically broke but has enough money to buy a car and then embark on a series of challenges that earn more money and enables them to buy new cars, or houses and customize wardrobes as well as interior decorate. It is an inviting environment for those who enjoy car racing in an open-world environment.

The roadways are all based off real-world counterparts, which are modified only for gameplay reasons. The original game sported motorcycles that were quite hard to control, let alone race. They are gone from TDU2 and replaced with off-road vehicles instead. Cars also are representative of a fine selection of real-world vehicles from the likes of Aston Martin, Chevrolet, Ford, Lancia, Lotus, Mercedes and Dodge.

The in-game characters will now be able to socially interact better than in the original and can even sit next to each other in a showroom vehicle.

It is evident that the developer of Eden Studios listened to fan input about the first series and implemented characters that are certain to resonate with the community. The vehicles handle well and the game looks quite good.

If you like racing cars or owning a stable full of automobiles, then TDU2 is definitely a game to keep an eye on in the coming months.