Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown has kept its fans waiting. It was announced over 4 years ago, and its fanbase has been remarkably patient. Sadly for them, though, the Early Access hasn’t gone smoothly. Server issues have caused countless problems and this taints the end product. This is particularly relevant as the game requires a persistent online connection. Accordingly, losing data and issues with races are but a few problems I’ve discovered.
This racing simulation title was developed by KT Racing and published by Nacon. Furthermore, it can be enjoyed alone against AI bots or online with others. If you plump for the latter option, you’ll prove your worth against fellow racing fans. Alternatively, if you try your luck against the computer, you’ll come up against imbalanced action and a sense of unfair action. However, it isn’t all doom and gloom as Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is extremely good when it works.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown tells a familiar story.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown treads familiar ground. You play the part of a relatively unknown entity as you try to break into the world of elite racing. Along the way, you’ll select a clan to represent whilst driving some spectacular vehicles. The story is very “Fast and Furious” and it rarely influences the action. Instead, your ability and your car do the talking as you race to your heart’s content.
Set in a sprawling open world map, drivers can enjoy urban neon-lit streets or spectacular rural locations. Hong Kong has allegedly been recreated to a 1:1 scale. Yet, I cannot attest to the accuracy as I’ve never been to that part of the world. Consequently, more well-travelled gamers can challenge the developer on their huge claims.
The best part of this racing sim is the Forza-style gameplay and the exceptional environment. Drifting across busy city streets and trundling through narrow rural roads never gets boring. Additionally, the ability to find hidden gems and lush temples was fantastic. On top of this, you are rewarded XP for your efforts. Therefore, you improve your character and you get to witness some spectacular scenery. In my opinion, that’s a big win.
Realistic cars.
Racing is all about the cars and the competition. Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown gets half of this battle right! The cars are phenomenal and the level of detail and the customisation options will blow you away. As you race and you earn money, you can upgrade your car to tackle tougher scenarios. Alternatively, you can buy a large range of cars from the many showrooms you discover.
With all this power behind you, you’d think you’d stand a chance against your AI opponents. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Equally tuned cars fly by you like you are driving a Citroën 2CV. This was utterly disappointing and frustrating. When XP determines your ability to progress, it is often unfair that an imbalance in approach holds you back. Hopefully, this is something that can be sorted out as the game gets patched.
The ugly side of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown.
Modern games and horrible bugs are commonplace. This doesn’t make it right, but I’ve learned to accept the shortcomings. Disappointingly, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown has a ridiculous amount of glitches, graphical errors, and bugs. The list is too long to mention, but here are a few issues I’ve discovered.
Connecting to each race can be problematic. In fact, I spent 2 hours on one session unable to race at all. Instead, I scoured the map unlocking new locations. Now, this nicely sets me onto my next issue. As I unlocked each location, it meant they were accessible. However, upon reloading the game, this progress had been wiped. It was frustrating as it always felt like 1 step forward and 2 backwards.
Finally, graphical issues taint to the end finish. I lost count of the texture faults, screen tears and other minor problems. I’m sure these will be ironed out, but currently, the problems are hard to ignore.
Plenty of things to discover.
I loved the ability to smash down asphalt streets or jump into an off-road vehicle and hit the dirt. As you explore every nook and cranny, you’ll find petrol stations, meet-up points, and showrooms. Alongside this, there are plenty of amazing gems to uncover. This blend of progression landscapes and the freedom to explore was great.
Like Forza, you are awarded points for drifting, burnouts, and other driving skills. Furthermore, discovering each special location boosts your reputation to open more race opportunities. Accordingly, your aimless driving is rewarded and this increases the depth of gameplay. On top of this, there are speed traps to activate and in-game currency to collect. Therefore, there is plenty to do besides the core racing elements.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown has great potential.
Despite the visual issues, this has the potential to be a great-looking game. The neon-infused streets look amazing in the rain. Furthermore, the dust and gravel from the unmarked areas were phenomenal. This visual experience is enhanced by the fine-looking cars and the attention to detail. The mixture of alloys, paint colours, and different parts will make petrolheads salivate. Moreover, the sense of speed and the lush movement of the cars were enthralling and brilliant to look at.
This sense of realism is complemented by the ear-splitting audio. The sound of engines roaring and tyres screeching was great. Each vehicle has a unique sound and I admire the developers’ pursuit of realism. If you then consider the exceptional list of songs and the opportunity to pick your favourite radio station, then you’ll agree that there is something for everyone.
Excellent controls.
Though I found the AI to be unfair and poorly balanced, the cars handled strangely. The asphalt roads feel slick but grippy. What’s more, each vehicle has a nasty sense of doing as it wishes. This behaviour is tough but fun to manage. If you love to drift and slide off-road, you’ll adore the brutal terrain and the tough handling. Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown pushes each vehicle to its limits and the unique handling and qualities were apparent from the off.
The progression system seems a little off-kilter. Once you get to a certain point, you have to grind to open new races and opportunities. This is made worse by the problematic AI and the XP blocking from these races. I can see this holding things up and unless you love to explore, you are going to hit a bottleneck pretty quickly. Yet, if you adore driving around and you don’t mind working to the end game, this has plenty of replay value and longevity.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is good but flawed.
I enjoyed Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. However, I cannot ignore its faults. If these are ironed out, this has the potential to shine. Yet, until they sort out the server issues, this will put people off and that is a shame. Once the developers get to grips with the shortcomings, this will be a phenomenal racing experience. Accordingly, despite its flaws, I recommend buying it here! Can you become a pro and represent your clan? Pick a car, explore the streets, and race to be number one.
