The mere mention of Test Drive can send shivers down the spine for fans of open-world racing games. Rather discreet lately, Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown shows itself today with fresh images of its environments.
A vast map to explore in Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown
The information shared in March looked at cars, customizations, or vendors, but it’s the TDU: Solar Crown map that we’re talking about today.
As a reminder, Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown will offer a 1:1 scale reproduction of Hong Kong Island, more than 1000 square kilometers of narrow streets, wide highways and other mountain tracks, as the likes of the developers. The more than 600 km of routes promise variety.
Besides the different types of terrain, there is a dynamic weather and time of day system: you can go from a sunny ride at dawn to a long night drive under stormy skies.
The rain has a significant impact on the behavior of your car: you will have to adapt your driving to avoid unexpected skids and perhaps change your tires and gear ratios. Don’t forget to activate your windscreen wipers until the sun comes back and you can lower the hood again! The day/night cycle is also realistic with distinct phases for dawn, day, evening and night.
There are 14 districts to be explored on the map, with activities, events and objects to find and collect. We learn that shipwrecks are making a comeback in HKI and that spare parts can be found all over the island. Those who manage to find all the parts will be able to acquire emblematic cars.
You can stroll through downtown Wan Chai, the financial district where towering buildings such as the Hopewell Center and the Convention Center stand, then through the Central District under the Bank of China and the Lippo Twin Towers Center, an iconic HKI skyscraper.
The Eastern Docklands is the perfect playground for the Streets. Their HQ, an underground industrial nightclub. If you prefer a quieter, more residential atmosphere, the Repulse Bay district, with its luxury merchants, is an ideal place. Repulse Bay, with its luxury concessionaires, is in the south of the island. The Peak, the highest point on the island, is ideal for off-roading and admiring the city at sunset.
Are you an inveterate explorer? Go in search of small fishing villages at the foot of Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir, which can only be reached by small paths; then take the Dragon’s Back to join Shek O for unforgettable gaming moments only found at TDUSC.
To go further, we invite you to consult our interview with Alain Jarniou, Creative Director at KT Racing and veteran of the Test Drive license. We discover how the studio is preparing for its future with this big project, and how the license differs from Forza Horizon. Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown is slated for release this year on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
