Trending
Before I write anything in this review, I have a confession to make. I used to be a huge fan of racing games back at the beginning of my gaming career. For reference, the first game I bought and installed once I obtained my first gaming PC in 2001 was Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.
However, that love faded away with time, partly because of the lack of innovations in racing titles, but the main reason actually was the popularity of racing games that are more driving simulations than the classic arcade titles where realism doesn't play a significant role in the gameplay.
Don't get me wrong, I am not here to fuel hatred towards driving simulators—these are phenomenal games—they're simply not my cup of tea. So, upon viewing a couple of trailers for Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown, I told myself that this game could be a decent one and could pass my selection for a fine arcade racer. Was I wrong? Well, the answer is not that simple because Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown has a lot of qualities and definitely excels in some fields, while in others it fails epically.
Test Drive Unlimited isn't a racing game series that just emerged yesterday; it has a rich history with many successful titles. Given the experience of the team behind it, you'd expect the latest installment to be exceptional. However, from the very beginning, I sensed that the game was lacking something—a certain x-factor that would raise it above mediocrity.
As is typical with games like this, Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown includes a storyline, but it’s rather shallow and barely worth mentioning. Early on, you’ll create your avatar, who quickly becomes the new standout in town due to their exceptional talent. Despite their youth, they catch the attention of some big players who want them to race on their behalf, aiming to become the top racer in Hong Kong.
Yes, you heard right, the game unfolds within the future Hong Kong's replica; the entire city is replicated and filled with a plethora of events you can participate in, and every now and then, you'll witness a cutscene that adds to the story, explaining new mechanics along the way. That's pretty much the way the story is told in Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown.
But the story isn't important at all in racing games, right? Let's talk about the gameplay—this game's main star. When you buy a racing game, you want to feel adrenaline, you want to drive cars that you cannot drive in real life, and you want to speed through the virtual streets since it's undoable through the real ones. Of course, you can do all that and much more in Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown.
The first mentioned is the adrenaline rush, and in this regard, Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown truly shines, especially in a free roam where driving through the streets of virtual Hong Kong full of NPCs (non-playable cars) launches your adrenaline levels through the roof. The best part is driving on the highways, especially in the wrong direction, when everyone is trying to avoid you, and avoiding them earns you points and cashouts.
The game has an interesting way of letting you earn some extra cash. If you show off in a free roam, doing some crazy stuff like drifting, burning tyres, driving on the wrong side of the road, doing near misses and all those things. There's a special metre that measures those stunts and if you manage to reach a certain level on the metre, you can cash out. However, if you hit your car or let the metre cool down, you lose all. I really earned a lot of money on those show-offs and had tonnes of fun doing so.
The second thing mentioned above is driving all sorts of exotic cars, and that's one more aspect where Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown excels big time. All the cars you're driving are licenced, and they look and drive very well. The driving model can be a bit off in some instances, especially when using breaks. But apart from that, you'll really enjoy all the cars Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown has to offer.
You'll drive all the famous brands of cars like Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Ford, Fiat, Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Mazda, Nisan, Chevrolet, and many others, divided into different categories. In order to get a certain car you like, you'll have to meet certain requirements first. First, you need to have enough money to buy a car, and second, you have to have a certain level of reputation.
The reputation system functions by awarding experience points for winning races, which are then converted into reputation. For instance, if you want to drive a Ferrari, you'll need to reach reputation level 30. Even if you have the money to buy the car, you won’t be able to purchase it without the required reputation.
Even the upgrade system works this way, so without a certain reputation level, you won't be able to buy improved parts for your vehicle to make it even better. The upgrade system left a lot to be desired, in my opinion. Even though there are a lot of parts to buy and change on your cars in garages, the impact it leaves on a car is minimal. Apart from that, you cannot change your vehicle visually, only the colour, rims, and interior look.
One more thing about the driving model that was a bit odd to me is that all the cars behave differently while you drive them during races and in free roam or even when you try them during test drives. Yes, test drives are a thing in Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown.
Every car you see in a store you can try for a couple of minutes to see if you like it or not. Every vehicle can be tested regardless of the level of your reputation, and I see it as a big plus because it works as motivation for you to push forward to win enough money and reputation to finally drive that car.
Speaking of pushing forward, this game is designed to push you forward big time because you will always find reasons to be better, win more money, level up and finally progress through the game. It really never gets boring for as long as you decide to spend time inside the game.
The third, and most important, aspect of the gameplay mentioned above is the races themselves. Reminiscent of all the racing games out there, Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown features all sorts of races and activities scattered throughout a huge open world. Once you are in the open, you'll drive your car and search for the activities shown on the map.
The game features circuit races, sprints, time attacks, eliminations, and all you can expect from an arcade racer such as Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown. The opponents you compete against are either bots or real people, provided you have the patience to wait for them to join. At the beginning of each race, you have the opportunity to wait for online players to join your race, or you can simply skip this part and compete against bots.
The bot opponents are not of the same difficulty. They can be amateurs, intermediates, or professionals, depending on the difficulty of the race you participate in. If a race is too difficult for you, you can simply upgrade your car or buy a better one from the same class to even the odds.
The races are unlocked gradually throughout the AI interface, and once you finish one set of races, the other ones get unlocked for you. If you do not race, you can always take part in some other activities, like speeding through cameras to get the best speed, visiting shops to explore new cars or garages to upgrade your vehicles, visiting gas stations to repair and wash your rides, and many more.
In Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown, you have a place of your own and your avatar is not there just to drive cars. You can control the avatar through the first-person perspective and change his/her looks, choose different clothes to wear, and explore all the shops while controlling him/her. Once you enter a shop or a garage, you will control the avatar and do all the actions from the first-person perspective.
Visually speaking, there are some instances in which Test Drive Unlimited: Silver Crown truly shines, like the car model presentation and the weather effects, while in all other aspects, the game looks like it came out ten years ago or so. The car models are truly beautiful. All the cars are presented very faithfully, like their real counterparts.
The contrast between the car you're driving and everything else around you is so big that it's almost unbelievable. It's like when you focus on the car, you're playing on a PlayStation 5, but when you look to the side at the surroundings, it feels like you're back in the PlayStation 3—or even PlayStation 2—era. It's that bad, trust me.
However, there are some highlights in the graphics, primarily due to the impressive weather effects, like rain, which looks fantastic. The reflections are also well done, especially when driving at night or in rainy conditions, where the asphalt mirrors everything on the screen. These effects are excellent, and what's done well deserves recognition.
The sounds are okay, but no more than that. The car engines during races and free roam sound a bit weak, or not powerful enough, to be more precise. The sounds of burning tyres and drifting are genuine and well-made, and regarding those sounds, let's say the game doesn't deserve any particular critique or recognition.
The soundtrack, on the other hand, is excellent, and every song that plays in the background during races or free roam serves its purpose and that's to build extra tension and more adrenaline. During the free roam section, you can turn on the radio with all the songs and listen to them as you drive all over Hong Kong.
Conclusion
If you're searching for an arcade racing game that stands out from its predecessors, the series, or the genre as a whole, you won't find it here. Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown offers nothing new—just the same elements we've seen in countless similar games before.
To be completely honest, some older games, like Need for Speed: Most Wanted, executed these elements even better. The only real difference here is the ability to control your avatar in first-person outside the car, though that feature serves little purpose anyway.
That said, it’s not all bad—there are aspects of this game that are exceptionally well done. The races are quite enjoyable, the online component is solid, the vehicle models are highly detailed and accurate, and the soundtrack is excellent. If these features appeal to you, it might be worth giving the game a try. However, if you’re simply looking for a good arcade racing experience, you might be better off revisiting a title from the Need for Speed or Trackmania series if you’ve missed any.
The Good
Enjoyable races- Solid online component
- Highly detailed and accurate vehicle models
- Impressive weather effects (rain, reflections)
- Excellent soundtrack
The Bad
Lack of innovation- Disparity in graphical quality (car vs. surroundings)
- Weak upgrade system with minimal impact
- Inconsistent car behaviour across different modes
