Games that invent concepts which are then taken up by an entire industry exist everywhere in video games, but generally, they often retain authorship. With Test Drive Unlimited, we must constantly remind ourselves of this, because the series has disappeared from the radar a little and above all has never really exploded in the eyes of the general public. And yet, in 2006, it was the French studio Eden Games which came up with this brilliant idea of proposing an open world in a racing game, by reproducing the entire island of Hawaii on a 1:1 scale. A formula which was taken up with Test Drive Unlimited 2 in 2011, also integrating a social and lifestyle concept, undoubtedly inspired by licenses such as The Sims. And it was the island of Ibiza which had been entirely modeled for this sequel, a place also little used in the video game. With this third episode, called Solar Crown, the charming island of Hong Kong was selected as the playground, and it too was the subject of a complete scan, at 1:1 scale, this which means that if you know the places well, you will love finding your favorite neighborhoods. Concerning the studio in charge of the project, it is Kylotonn, or rather KT Racing, co-founded by former Eden Games employees who have worked for a long time on the WRC series. In short, they are true experts in the field.
ENTER THE DRAGON
So Hong Kong was selected by the developers, and it’s an excellent choice. Not only because it’s in Asia, but also because it’s a city that has been used very little in video games. Obviously, we think of Sleeping Dogs and Stranglehold, but in a car game, this is a first. Generally, you know, publishers and studios often focus on the United States, for the simple reason that they think that by choosing a city in the USA, they are guaranteed to attract American players, and therefore achieve high sales figures. Personally, I think it’s an error of judgment, that this is no longer really the case, especially if we offer something fun. So why not focus on the name of Hong Kong in the title of the game? Test Drive Unlimited Hong Kong still has more class and impact than Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. According to the developers I asked, it is a question of the right to use the city of Hong Kong and that by placing the name on the title of a game, the developers are even more exposed to licensing fees and everything has to go straight. It would therefore complicate the legal task to add Hong Kong to the name of the game. So be it.
In any case, Hong Kong is a good choice because the city has a very interesting topography, especially for a racing game. Since it is an island, it is therefore surrounded by water, which ensures pretty panoramas with the sea. It is also a place with a lot of relief, which also offers interesting height differences and therefore everything a course of often winding roads. We can perfectly move from a heavenly setting thanks to the bays to more urban city centers where it’s teeming with people, in terms of car traffic I mean because the presence of pedestrians has simply been hidden in the game. It’s a choice on the part of the developers, who did not want their game to transform into a sort of GTA where the desire to run over the first pedestrian that comes along takes precedence over driving and exploring the city. By banking on the name Solar Crown, KT Racing is also banking on the already existing community, because despite the 13 years that separate the game from the previous episode, there are still players who play it, not necessarily to race, but for the more social, more realistic aspect. And since the Solar Crown festival already existed in Test Drive Unlimited 2, you might as well focus on something that was known to fans, just to make the transition, while standing out from the competition. And when we talk about other licenses, it’s hard not to talk about The Crew, or Forza Horizon which has become the benchmark for colorful open world racing games, its hundreds of cars that we buy or collect almost too many easily. Here, in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, we took the opposite direction to stay in the spirit of the series, that is to say take our time. Take your time to earn money, take the time to buy your car, to the point where each purchase of a new car in the game must be a unique moment of joy and satisfaction. Every new car has to be earned. Unlike other car games which reward players almost too easily, progression in Solar Crown will be slower, but more authentic, we are told, with a significant investment on the part of the player.
KNOWING TO TAKE YOUR TIME
Moreover, to create an attachment to the vehicle you are about to buy, it is possible to look at it at the dealership, from its bodywork to the interior, and even to test it out by doing a few laps around the track. . A reminder that the name Test Drive also serves this purpose. There is also an RP side to this Test Drive Unlimited 3, with the possibility of putting on your indicators before turning, activating or not activating your windshield wipers, lowering or raising the windows, adjusting your headlights, etc. etc. We agree with the proposal or not, but at least Test Drive Unlimited refuses to do like the others, and that is a lot of respect. That said, developers know that by being so radical in their proposal, they can turn away from the public, and since the objective is also to sell games, it is possible to personalize your experience and avoid leaving people on the side of the road. And that translates into driving that adapts to everyone, with different styles. You can perfectly opt for a more arcade style of driving for beginners, or more simulation-oriented for those in the know. All this is configured in the game options. What will not change, however, is that depending on the vehicle, the behavior will change and that each brand, each model needs to be tamed before being mastered. .
There will therefore be food and drink in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, even if the game is above all made for car lovers who like to take their time. I’m not necessarily on this side, but I understand the approach. Being a slightly less impatient player and with sporty driving, I also found what I was looking for, especially since the game offers its share of missions to carry out to progress, earn points and money, while traveling through the Hong Kong Island. In any case, the social component will always be relevant and KT Racing has already planned a whole bunch of content to fuel its game after its release, via new seasons which will arrive once every three months. The idea for developers is not to release their game and move on to another project, but to support the title for as long as possible.