Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown Game Review – Full Tank, But the Finish Line’s Far

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There’s no shortage of racing titles if you want to burn rubber. Whether you’re looking for an arcade racer – with options like Forza Horizon and The Crew – or the ultimate experience from a simulator – with exceptional titles such as Gran Turismo 7 and Forza Motorsport – the world of racing is covered across plenty of games. While it may seem like a saturated market, many cult classics still form a large enough chunk of the space where games are kept alive through the dedication of their fanbase and modders. Nacon, realising this potential, has reborn the Test Drive franchise, some 12 years after the last official release from the series. Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown continues the trend from TDU2 as a “lifestyle game”, offering many more side quests than straight-out racing. But does such a title still have the fans’ backing among modern racers?

Starting Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown feels like any other racing title. You meet some agent looking for a prospective driver, and your name pops up among the crowd. You have a brief introduction, a race to prove your worth and a series of tasks to familiarise yourself with the environment, gameplay and controls. So far, so good. 

You receive a new car to set yourself up with – a choice between three. Soon after that, you’re almost literally thrown to the streets without much else to do. You have to rank up with a vague understanding of your new environment, not knowing the best course of action required next. As such, I set out to explore the world in a 1:1 recreation of Hong Kong island. More on that later. 

Drawing on experience from similar titles, I drive around the world aimlessly, choosing to traverse the expansive highways to unlock the various districts within the city. This assists with increasing your rank in three ways: exploring new areas gives rewards, with new roads also adding rewards with each new percentage explored. Driving fast, narrowly missing passing vehicles and performing some skills add points