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Must try it!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 10
Date: September 07, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I've had my 360 for a few months now and like most people, I am always looking for games that deliver on the promise of what the 360 was supposed to deliver. TDU may not be perfect but its pretty darn close. The graphics look like a movie. While I may never be able to afford 99% of the cars in the game, the variety of cars is unreal. I also think it is very cool that there are motorcycles in the game to go with the cars. Hawaii also felt like a perfect place for this game to take place because it adds to the fantasy element of the game. I can't wait until the game comes out officially and there are a bunch of people to race with.

Test Drive Unlimited is a must buy

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 9
Date: September 07, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Test Drive Unlimited

I loved this game! As a racing fan I couldn't have been more pleased with this game. The M.O.O.R. or Massively Open Online Racing factor of this game makes it above the other racing games. Being able to play with my 7 friends online at the same time makes this game replay able. Endless cars to choose from and endless road to have fun with. This game is defiantly a must.

Without a doubt worth 5 stars!!!!

The beginning of virtual tourism?

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 29 / 30
Date: September 15, 2006
Author: Amazon User

The real star of this game is the island of Oahu. The whole thing, with terrain and streets modeled down to the meter. Mountain passes, ocean drives, back streets, it's all there. You can even refer to online maps to find your way around the virtual version. There's plenty of eye candy for the sightseer. Lush forests, beaches, rock formations, plantations, private homes, and just enough traffic to make it feel populated. It's surprisingly fun to just pick a luxury car and go for a Sunday drive. And it's not even wasted time, because you get achievements for exploration.

Of course, nearly every mile of roadway is incorporated into one of the pre-planned races and missions, so you will see most of the sights just playing those through. One race in particular takes a 118 mile loop around the entire island. And racing and completing time trials earns money that can be used to buy more cars and homes to store them in.

The selection of vehicles is disappointing, no doubt due to licensing issues. There are plenty of supercars, and the American major manufacturers are all well-represented, but there are no Japanese brands besides Nissan, which only offers two versions of the 350Z. BMW and Porsche are also missing. Customization is limited to a choice of wheels, paint, and pre-set performance levels. As a result, the cars all feel somewhat interchangeable, with little reason to pick one high-downforce, 200MPH+ monster over another.

The cars that made it into the game are nicely modeled, however, and some of the older models do have some character. The option to set seat position for the inside view is a nice touch that makes it feel more realistic. The physics model seems decent, especially with the traction control turned off.

I doubt I'll end up buying every car in the game, but I may pick up the achievement for exploring the entire island. And if I really need to take a Porsche through Kolekole Pass, I might just have to book a trip to Hawaii and do it for real.

i beg to differ

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 2 / 19
Date: September 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

i live on oahu, and was very excited to hear about the game. i even live off one of the major highways in the game....but after i played TDU i was very disapointed that it LOOKS NOTHING AT ALL LIKE OAHU! i mean all the buildings and houses, are gone! there are way more trees, and even the sea life park(featured in 50 first dates) was not there! the roads surrounding it were there, but they put some houses instead. is it so hard to at least program some of the major sites if they are boasting about how the map of the island is accurate? that aside, it is not even that great of a racing game, i would recommend need for speed most wanted instead.

Seriously FUN

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: September 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Test Drive Unlimited is a very fun game, definitely my favorite game on the Xbox360 so far. I love the openness of the game and how there is so much to explore and so many races to compete in. I've already bought a bunch of amazing cars and can't stop playing. I can't wait until Atari starts releasing the new car packs too! This game rocks!

Great community

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: September 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User

The original Xbox is home to many an amazing racing game whether you like a straightforward racing simulator of the ToCA variety or an arcade-like racer of the Midnight Club family and so far the Xbox 360 is off to a good start. With Project Gotham Racing and a Ridge Racer game already available, it was only a matter of time before Atari's Test Drive series made it to our new console. Yet Test Drive Unlimited just didn't aim to bring the same old racing experience but put us in an open world where the lines between offline and online have merged into an experience that makes this a racer fans will certainly enjoy.

Test Drive Unlimited begins in an airport where you are given the choice of picking your avatar from a small list of nameless characters. It should be noted that no other modes, at this point, are available to you including the online multiplayer. After you made your choice your avatar reaches his or her destination of Oahu, a tropical Hawaiian paradise with impressive buildings as well as miles of beautiful green scenery that makes up the other of half of the island. Your first stop, aside from a car rental place, is the offices of a real estate agent where you will get to purchase (from a small selection) your home and then off to buy your first vehicle. Now it's time for you to make a name for yourself in the Oahu's racing circuit as well as unlock the online multiplayer portion as well as a few extra features.

From the very start, Oahu is open for you to explore and believe me when I say that there is a lot to explore seeing as the game managed to cram as much of the place as possible into the map. While you won't see pedestrians taking a stroll or crossing the street, there is traffic that makes the place feel alive. Oahu's various locales are well represented in the game, changing the scenery dramatically as you move from the airport district to the city and finally off into the green fields. You'll be thankful for your GPS that is good at pointing out stores and other notable places like a dealership, detail shop and car rental lot (why buy an expensive car to beat a race that requires a specific car when you can rent it instead?).

The good news is that you will never be forced to follow a certain career path by going from major race to major race. You are given the freedom to take on any regulation race at any time and in any level as long as you meet the race's requirements. Some races require you to go behind the wheel of a different class of vehicle and meet certain conditions during a race. Aside from the major qualifying races, there are extra racing challenges that earn you rewards after completing them successfully. For example, the Top Model challenges have you picking up pretty girls that ask you for a ride home in return for some valuable shopping coupons you can use to purchase new clothes and accessories (cute sunglasses and shoes) for your avatar. The catch is that you have to get from Point A to Point B before the timer runs out and without scaring your passenger.

The racing challenges are composed of official trophy races to Speed challenges that have you racing through the map past some stationary radar detectors in order to attain the highest possible average speed. Then there's Time Attack where you try to race to the finish line in the shortest time possible. The racing challenges are actually fun but when it comes to short but enjoyable thrills the Top Model, Courier (deliver a package to a far off destination) and Hitchhiker (like Top Model, you take your hitchhiker from Point A to Point B) are fun distractions that will have you ignoring the main races for awhile. You'll even encounter other racers just zipping through traffic, oftentimes slowing down when they reach you as if to taunt you into a quick race. You can drive up to a street racer and challenge them to a race where you decide where the race will start and where it will end on the map. This is great stuff, indeed.

Test Drive Unlimited also includes loads of hot cars and even some motorcycles. You can jump into a Dodge Viper SRT 10 as well as a Chevy Camaro Z-28. Fans of the Pierce Brosnan Bond films will like the fact that you can slip into an Aston Martin Vanquish while bike fans will have a blast riding on a Triumph Speed Triple or even a Ducati 999 R. Atari took the "test drive" aspect of the title literally since you can walk into a dealership, get into a car and open or close windows and doors, honk the horn and then take a test drive with the car salesman in the passenger seat.

The problem, unfortunately, is that the cars themselves just don't drive as smoothly or realistically for that matter. Slam into oncoming traffic (and you will do this a lot and not on purpose) and your car will not even suffer a single dent so go ahead and ram a rival car all you want. The controls aren't horrible and they certainly are responsive enough, but they lack enough polish that would have made this an amazing racing game that can rival the likes of the Project Gotham Racing 3. Driving a motorcycle shouldn't be the same as driving a car, after all. Secondly, Oahu seems to swarm with cops when you break a few rules when oftentimes you'll find it hard to spot at least one squad car. While racing from the cops would have been cool, it just becomes tedious here. Expect to be caught and pay a hefty fine each time you come under the police radar (which only seems to happen if you ram one too many cars).

While we're concentrating on the negative, I should add that the game borders between beautiful to somewhat disappointing. Sure the game is about the hot cars that do look good and Oahu is just as beautiful in the game as it is in the real world but when it comes to displaying your avatar during cutscenes, the game just falls flat. In fact, the characters feel like they would feel right at home on the original Xbox and the same can be said about the lighting and smoke effects.

The game's sound is also something of a letdown since the car engines really start sounding the same no matter when car you're driving. Car enthusiasts will find it hard to believe that a Ducati engine sounds exactly like the rumble of a Pontiac Firebird. That's like saying Rod Stewart sounds like Frank Sinatra. Your car comes with a radio filled with different stations that play decent rock tunes and some from the likes of Queens of the Stone Age. While the variety isn't great (there is a good classical station) you can always use your own tunes.

While these things hold the game back from being true classic, it's the game's online component that makes up for some of the game's shortcomings. Hoping online basically changes your rivals and that's about it. You will almost seamlessly jump back into the same map only instead of finding AI racers zooming past you or waiting for you in a trophy race, you will find actual gamers in their place. It's almost like a racing MMO game where you'll be able to challenge anyone you come across on the streets. The other good news is that you can challenge others to accept a racing challenge of your own creation. You can unlock an editor that allows you to decide on the rules (motorcycles only or Class A vehicles only, if you wish) and where the race starts and finishes. Really, this is the reason you will still be playing this game long after you finish the single-player mode.

While it might not be the perfecting driving game or a strict racing game for the Xbox 360, Test Drive Unlimited is certainly a better alternative to the Ridge Racer series if you're looking for a game that blends offline and online play almost seamlessly. It's hard to dislike a game that tries to bring something different to the table and succeeds in putting gamers into an open world filled with plenty to do and the freedom to take on any race at any time. If you're a true racing fan or just a casual one you might want to seriously consider buying this game.

A must have for your 360...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: September 22, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Test Drive Unlimited takes a new direction in the racing game genre. The many features, easy gameplay, and online options will keep you entertained for hours.

First Impressions: You start out on the island of Oahu, which is your gateway to all of the various features of Test Drive. From here, you can access different types of races, missions, car dealerships, and purchasable homes. It's a very unique way of accessing what the game has to offer, as opposed to the standard racing game: choose car, choose map, rinse, repeat.

Gameplay: I'm not much a fan of racing games, but Test Drive had me hooked. I spent a good amount of time in the character editing mode, where you can edit your own personal avatar/driver. You can change their facial features, hair, and clothing to your liking. From here, you can visit all of the car dealerships and purchase a vehicle. If you are fortunate to have Xbox Live, the game has an online feature where you can buy, trade, or sell your cars. Once your avatar and car are set, you can drive around the island and find a race that suits you. If you do not want to race, you can try an escort mission, which involves you taking a car and driving it to a specific location in Oahu. I found this particular feature to be a lot of fun, and it earns you a fair amount of money in reward.

Controls: I've always had problems with controls in racing games, but Test Drive is very easy once you get the feel of it. Driving around isn't as simple as jamming the button down and flying along the course. You need to learn to control your speed and apply the right pressure on your acceleration. Also, there are several camera angles at your disposal, so you can choose whatever you feel most comfortable with.

Graphics: One of the most appealing things about this game was the graphics. You can see the capabilities of the 360 in the details and shading of the cars, the various racing environments, and Oahu itself. The character models could have been better, but you'll be too absorbed by the nice designs of the cars and environment to take much notice.

Sound: Pretty good. The cars and collisions sound quite realistic. The acceleration noise is a little awkward, but it's not too distracting. Also, there is a radio option that allows you to browse and set stations to play while you drive.

Online Play: Playing Test Drive with Xbox live brings the best out of all of its features. Instead of AI being scattered throughout Oahu, other players will be driving around. You can join player-made races or create your own. If you happen to have a headset, you can even talk to other racers during a match, or hear them while you explore Oahu! You will not get the most of the game until you try it online.

Overall: If you own a 360, give Test Drive a try. It has plenty of replay value due to its wide selection of racing, missions, and online features. Fans of this genre will not be disappointed!

Test Drive Unlimited is the BEST driving game ever

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: September 22, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Let me begin by saying that I TOTALLY LOVE TEST DRIVE UNLIMITED!!!

TDU is the best and possibly the largest driving experience on Xbox 360. In terms of sheer ambition and potential - it's number one. This is a true next generation game,

In TDU, the only time you're out of your car is in when you're featuring in a cut scene. You don't walk or run anywhere. You drive. It's Grant Theft Auto without the theft. It's World of Warcraft without the Warcraft (or nerds). And it's Hawaii 5-0 with extra juice. There's over 1000 miles of roads in this game, and if you want to be ranked up there with the best in the world, you'll eventually cover every one of them.

As you may have gathered, this game is not your typical driving game. In TDU, you raise money to spend on cars, clothes, houses and motorbikes. Your goal - the hallowed rank of Champion. Getting there from lowly Rookie status doesn't just rely on accumulating cash, rather it's tied elegantly to your Xbox 360 achievements. Win enough challenges, buy enough cars/bikes/accomodation, do enough missions, and travel enough miles, and you gradually unlock those precious points. And as long as you're connect to Xbox Live - all the while you're doing this, you're immersed in a virtual Oahu along with countless other racers.

Typically, successful games fall into two types. First, an outstanding execution of a single concept. They don't pretend to be all things to everyone. They ensure that they are maximum fun, and gain praise by being the best, or most rewarding in their field. The other type of successful game is the Big Idea. This type of game may not have the specific, focused excellence of the first type of game, but they do a lot of things, very well. Classic examples: Grand Theft Auto III onwards, World of Warcraft, and now - Test Drive Unlimited.

I've been to Hawaii twice.... Once on vacation with a bunch of friends several years ago and once this past weekend. In short, the second time around was in TDU and it was even better than real life...

Test Drive Unlimited manages to deliver a fun racing game that combines a worthwhile single-player experience with an even better online multiplayer mode. While the cars don't control realistically and motorcycles feel slightly awkward, the wonderful terrain and the entertaining racing challenges make this an Xbox 360 game racing enthusiasts will definitely enjoy. It is easily one of the most creative introductions to what could be the start of a racing MMO, the online multiplayer aspect simply replaces AI with real players in the massive gaming world. You can challenge other gamers or compete in a ranked match. You can even host your own unique multiplayer challenge edited and created by you. In short, this is the reason you'll start dreaming about burning rubber.

Awsome Game!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: September 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

When I bought this game shortly after the release I was looking foward to a great game acoording to the reviews. And the reviews were right!!! I LOVE this game!! It is one of the first games on xbox 360 to really show some light on the "uncharted" areas of this beautiful console.
If your like me, I love freedom and space in video games. This game gives you a LOT of space. It takes at least 30 minutes to drive along one side of the awesome island following the speed limit. The cars are amazing! There are manufactuers from Ford to Audi to Ferrari. I could write 30 pages of features about this game. But I dont have that much time.
The only downside to this game is it gets very annoying to drive everywhere.
But other than that it is a very sweet game. For your sake please purchase this game!!!!

A Very Happy Gamer

Sucks you in!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: September 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

What a fun game! I never was into driving games before but I have been reading a lot of reviews and I just had to see what everyone is talking about. And now I am addicted! The selection of cars and the scenery is just amazing. I spend 10 hours last weekend to get the cash to upgrade to a new car. Definitely one of my favorite purchases this year!

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