As the lighting effects and backgrounds are extremely well done with a realistic lens flare approach that has rarely been matched. ![]() Would it have hurt much to add a couple more cities though? Graphicssize=5>Visually, Pitbull's creation is a mixed bag. Populated with landmarks, stunt ramps, and all sorts of things to keep you busy, the available areas are well designed. Spread throughout popular locations in London, Monte Carlo, San Francisco, and Tokyo, each stage has its own feel and hazards, and will keep you on your toes at incredibly high speeds. At the very least it could have been an option to turn on and off.Luckily, the tracks are imaginatively designed and based on real world locations. completely and knock them out of the race, while leaving you completely unscathed. Where's the reward/risk factor of piling through traffic if it doesn't have a consequence? Forgivable perhaps because of Test Drive's status as an arcade racer, we still found it strange that crashes would stop the A.I. While going head-on with concrete barriers will certainly slow you down or even stop you, it won't affect the performance of the car you're in one bit (making obstacles a near useless track element). Hop in a Lotus Elise and it's light low-horsepower architecture feels like you're riding on a feather, get behind the wheel of a fat 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS 454 on the other hand, and the extra muscle and weight will quickly make a difference in your movement.It's too bad that crashing into objects doesn't hinder gameplay much. Happily, we're proud to report that your choice of cars legitimately affects how well the car drives. A throwback to our favorite racers of yesteryear, it was a nice change of pace not to have to be overly ambidextrous to move my vehicle through the track.This is Test Drive however, so the synonymous "floaty" feeling when steering the cars is back. Shifting is reserved for the shoulder pads, and camera angles (both forward and back) can be altered with the "Circle" and "Triangle" keys. Throwing the newer fad of accelerating and braking via the shoulder buttons out the window, the latest Test Drive goes classic with a standard face-button configuration.Using "X" for gas and "Square" to brake, the simplified manipulation scheme makes for easier to get into races and a more intuitive feel. Gameplaysize=5>If you've played Test Drive or Ridge Racer before, then you'll be entirely familiar with this old school setup. ![]() While we're on the subject, a few more multiplayer options wouldn't have hurt much either. It would have been pretty cool to race as competing drivers under Mister Clark in the same household, and could have increased the competition factor that much more. Best of all, the game keeps track of all your statistics of play: track records, car specifications, and other little nuggets of info are yours at the push of a button.The only feature missing that we wish was in there, was a duel story mode. Quick Races, Single Races, and a Two-Player split-screen mode help round out the package, including a short but fun drag racing option for a pair of button-twitching buddies. Not only will the story mode allow you to see the most tracks, but it also adds a face to the usually lifeless racing genre.Of course, most standard features are in the game too. An "Underground" story mode that follows the exploits of Dennis Black, Donald Clark, Lisa Lux, and other make believe characters, underground is the best way to go. Featuressize=5>Constructed with the single gamer in mind, Test Drive has a respectable lineup of options and possibilities. And while the title of greatest racer ever is still secure with bigger names like Gran Turismo 3 and World Rally Championship, this Test Drive could still be the best in the series so far. A follow-up to the popular PlayStation series that sold gazillions of copies all over the planet, the first PlayStation 2 game is looking pretty good. ![]() An adventure all over the world waits, with your passport sitting in a dirty garage inside a newly painted yellow Barracuda.That's the premise behind Infogrames and Pitbull Syndicate's latest street driver, Test Drive. Recruited by a mysterious (re: English) wheelchair-bound ex-roadster on a mission to collect buckets of money for the both of you, you've been thrown into a world of fast talkers and even faster cars. You are Dennis Black: An underground street racer with a reputation a mile wide, little money and no car to call your own.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |