Test Drive Unlimited 2

Describing Test Drive Unlimited 2 to someone who hasn’t played it is a challenge. Eden Games has created something that is decidedly different from any other racing game; in fact, only a small part of its package is racing. It is set in an open world platform across the islands of Ibiza and Hawaii, where there are 3200km of unexplored roads and a further 900km of dirt tracks just waiting to be cruised on in the finest performance cars around. 

With its sprawling setting, TDU2 bears more similarities to Grand Theft Auto than, say, Gran Turismo. If you want to enter a competition, you drive to its location. The races even take place on the streets so you will often have to dodge Sunday drivers. Should you not fancy racing, you will always find plenty of other distractions, whether it is discovering the sights or shopping for clothes or getting to grips with TDU2’s many social tools.

These social tools set TDU2 apart from the competition. In essence, it is a massively multiplayer online. The roads of Ibiza and Hawaii are not reserved for you; you will share them with the tens of others who are playing on the same server. You can instigate challenges, have a race, or join a guild with them – alternatively you can just ignore them and continue with your singleplayer game. Crucially, you can play in the way that suits your mood.

This community engagement can (and should) be very exciting, but so far it has been disappointing. The first Test Drive Unlimited was riddled with server issues and we are sad to say that the sequel has just as many. Before putting the game down to write this review, we were unable to get into clubs or even start an online event. The phrase “This session is now closed” has been frustrating us all week.

Normally, we are reluctant to mention bugs and server issues in reviews because they are often fixable. We would not want to put off anyone buying the game several months down the line because they picked up a review that warned of issues that were no longer relevant. However, in its current state, online play is near impossible so people need a warning. Nevertheless, we are reassured by Eden Games’ response to the situation. There is constant interaction with the community over Twitterand on the TDU2 forum. They accept that there are problems that have to be resolved and they are working round the clock to do just that.

READ THE REST OF THIS REVIEW AT PS3 ATTITUDE