Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown Reviews
To summarize, it can be said that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown makes a big promise in many respects, but it cannot keep it. The atmosphere is disappointingly empty, the story is irrelevant and the balancing is sometimes so poorly thought out that it completely spoils the fun of racing. The graphics, although beautiful to look at, suffer from a high performance hunger and the server problems make the multiplayer practically unplayable. Only the driving experience and the sound are convincing, but are not enough to compensate for the numerous shortcomings. If the developers manage to fix the numerous technical problems, the game could at least become an average racing game.
Review in German | Read full review
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown - in its current state - is not the next chapter in the series that fans have been waiting for.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown's technical issues, both online and in performance terms, do a disservice to a novel, detailed game world.
Forced online requirements, inconsistent AI difficulty, a stale car list, and chore-like progression all undermine Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown's otherwise robust driving and eye-catching open world.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown offers up a lot of fun both on the track and in its simulated world. A lot of work was put in to make Hong Kong Island feel like a realistic place with far more exploration than one is used to in a racing game. Some of those elements don't hit perfectly, but the on-track performance is what counts the most and Solar Crown largely succeeds there. Races are fun and even on-foot exploration offers up something that helps Solar Crown stand out. Unfortunately, the online-only component of things complicates far more of the experience than it benefits and causes odd problems to occur that makes it tough to fully recommend Solar Crown.
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown gives you plenty to do, with a fun world to explore and challenges to take part in, regardless of ability.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown offers us to compete at our own pace in a Hong Kong with somewhat outdated graphics in which there is no lack of factions, dealers and guided tuning. An open world proposal that seems to lack a few months of cooking and that is far from being able to stand up to the greats of the genre.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
An open world massively multiplayer online racer with a decent handling model and an okay car list, that's hampered by dated graphics, some baffling design choices, and a clutch of technical issues.
After years and years of waiting, Test Drive Unlimited is back. Kind of. Solar Crown is an open world racer for gamers who don't need constant gratification, but can be patient and work toward a key unlock and crowning car. It's just a shame that the game at launch will require patience while KT Racing fix, improve and hopefully expand it to meet more of its potential.
We're glad that Test Drive Unlimited is back, but right now what we're dealing with feels more like an unfinished product than a new installment in a veteran driving saga. Hopefully the updates will get the Solar Crown competition on the podium it deserves.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
If this game came out in 2012 I'd probably have nicer things to say. It could potentially have been ahead of the pack back then. But now, in this day and age where developers have taken the formula and ran with it, having created racers in the same vein that are more impressive in almost every way, KT Racing have sadly finished in last place.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown offers some solid fundamentals in terms of driving mechanics and course design, to the point the game might have been worth a qualified recommendation despite its surprisingly-bland recreation of Hong Kong, so-so visuals, and spotty performance, but ultimately, the game’s egregious always-online requirements make that impossible. Persistent server issues and a completely unreliable cloud save system send this racer careening off-track and it’s going to take some serious elbow grease to get this Solar Crown shining like it ought to.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown carries the weight of its heritage but has yet to deliver the whole experience expected of a modern racing title. While it is evident that the developers have a clear vision for the game, the execution leaves much to be desired. It can be fun if you go into it with expectations in check. And I do have high hopes for what is still to come. Though, as is the case with so many games these days, this is not the launch anybody would have been hoping for.
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown is an absolutely phenomenal driving experience when it works. Each car is unique and you spend so much time with them that you form a real bond with your machines. Races are hard-fought and the neon streets of Hong Kong Island fun enough to explore in free roam. Unfortunately, a variety of technical issues hamper the experience, and the lifestyle elements and overall atmosphere of Hong Kong Island leave much to be desired. This is an ongoing, live service game with many seasons planned, so hopefully a lot of these issues can be ironed out. Until then, though, it's still a pleasure to drive around in your favourite car, just soaking up the road.
If we take its physics, gameplay and map, then Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is really a good racing game. Pleasant to handle, both with the controller and the steering wheel, the game knows how to offer good sensations within its varied environment and its successful reconstruction. The RPG aspect specific to the series is once again present, clearly distinguishing the game from the competition with a more composed approach and a progression that takes its time. It is obvious that Solar Crown will not suit all player profiles with its management going against the current productions, an element to be taken into account. But at the moment, it is particularly complicated to recommend the purchase of one, as it has suffered from deep problems that are being resolved.
Review in French | Read full review
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown gives up what had distinguished the previous chapters to try to resemble experiences that have been successful in recent years, but unfortunately it has obvious shortcomings.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown is a frustrating mess of conflicting, grindy systems made worse by a dull open world and unexceptional racing.
Despite my issues connecting to servers and the poor graphical performance on PS5, I’ve quite enjoyed my time on Solar Crown’s Hong Kong Island. The driving mechanics are easily the best the series has ever had, and the cars sound and feel viscerally dynamic. It’s a shame that a game that places such a strong emphasis on realistic immersion and map detail is dragged down by poor graphical performance and always-online server issues. Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown has the potential to overtake its rivals but it has too many faults slowing it down in its current state.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown doesn't break the mold of any other generic racing simulator, which isn't inherently a bad thing. It definitely scratches the itch of purchasing cool cars, racing them, upgrading them, and customizing them. The backdrop of Hong Kong Island is beautiful, but the overall visual fidelity here is lackluster and disappointing, especially in 2024. The progression wipe and constant server issues along with other technical bugs are unacceptable though, so I suggest waiting for a sale or more patches to polish out the experience.
Despite a robust handling model, some fairly impressive visuals, and a few nice ideas, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown fails to deliver on its open-world racing remit, with a dearth of things to do, broken online servers, and a tacked-on story that does little to draw you in. This one's stalled at the starting line.