Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown Reviews
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown doesn't scale the heights of other virtual tourism open world racers in recent years, but it's an enjoyable driving game in its own right, even with its rough edges.
I cannot help but feel that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown came out too early.
Disappointing, that's the best word to describe Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown. Its handling is solid and it has a large open world filled with a variety of events and activities for you to explore, but technical issues, poor visuals and other frustrations just bring it down.
The new Test Drive is a step backwards from the two Unlimited installments, because while it's fun to drive and Hong Kong can charm, the technical problems, need to be always-online, grind and content deficiencies mean that it's probably best to come back here some time after a few major updates.
Review in Polish | Read full review
The latest entry in the Test Drive Unlimited series gets all the basics of the genre right but fails to expand and offer any meaningful type of diversity in its core gameplay. That combined with poor server performance, at least at launch, makes Solar Crown undesirable enough to compete against the Forza series.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is unable to recapture the magic or originality of its predecessors, nor keep up with the current leaders of the genre. It's an open world racing game that lacks content and has too many frustrations to qualify for the starting grid.
Very average game. What resources were supplied to the development, such is the output. We simply knew it, the developers themselves hinted at it. A technically mediocre piece that won't keep you entertained for a long time - especially if you look to the side, where Forza Horizon and the latest The Crew will be grinning at you.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is a really tough game to sum up in its current state. The game's vast open world and asphalt driving physics give the title a solid base to launch from, and we definitely think this series still has something to offer that differs from the likes of Forza Horizon and The Crew. However, Solar Crown's issues run deeper than launch-week server load, and the game needs quite a bit of tweaking to feel properly finished. Nacon and KT Racing are intending for this to be an ongoing live service game, and as long as the teams stick with it, we definitely think this new Test Drive game will be hugely improved months down the line. We can't recommend Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown right now, but if you're into your big open world racers, we definitely think this one is worth keeping an eye on as it gets fixed up and improved - you should be able to get it on discount that way as well.Solar Crown is yet another rocky launch for the franchise after similar issues plagued TDU2 back in the day - but that game did go on to become a bit of a cult hit, so there's hope for this Test Drive Unlimited title yet. It just needs a bit more time and attention for its solar crown to start to shine.
A bog standard racing game that borrowed a lot from its competitors and offered nothing new. And it's always-online, too. Not a complete wreck, but we expected something much better.
Review in Russian | Read full review
There are several problems that end up leaving the Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown experience far below expectations. However, none is worse than all the technical aspect present, delivering a game in a depressing way at its launch. Fans of racing games and the most patient waiting for improvements can still enjoy the positives if they decide to face the game in its current state.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
A relatively triumphant return for the long-dormant franchise, Solar Crown still has a ways to go before it can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its peers, but for now it's off to a good start.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown marks the return of the series, aiming to revive its old charm, but ultimately leaves an impression of incompleteness. While the game offers a rich selection of cars, intriguing concepts like clans, and a sprawling Hong Kong map, many elements feel outdated or technically unfinished. The graphics, while impressive in showroom settings, lose their luster on the open roads, and the races are too arcadey and short to sustain long-term interest. For die-hard fans of the series, the game might deliver a solid experience, but for those seeking more from an open-world racing game, Solar Crown could end up being more frustrating than fun.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
To be honest — I'm not sure who can I recommend TDU: Solar Cown to? For those who enjoy racing, there are other games out there that do it better. You won't find great-looking locations to explore or a great soundtrack to enjoy here. This game has some elements that could have made for an excellent racing social MMO, had they been executed well. It feels like the developers aimed to do too much, resulting in a product that's not only unattractive, but also feels unfinished, and in this state, sadly, overpriced.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Ultimately, nearly five years after the initial announcement and with great fanfare, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, launches with problems (some really serious). But if you can look past the glitches, the bugs, the graphical shortcomings, the lack of life in what is supposed to be a 1:1 transposition of Hong Kong, and the numerous, festering server problems, you will find a good driving experience. It almost sounds like a tease, but when Solar Crown works, we guarantee it works for real, with really fun races and with even the exploration on foot being able to offer something that helps Solar Crown stand out. Unfortunately, the obvious criticalities have largely scuttled a product that could have excelled or nearly excelled, and only time will tell if there will be improvements or not; for now we do not feel like recommending, considering the price as well, the purchase of the game, better to wait and see how things evolve in the future!
Review in Italian | Read full review
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 competes with high-profile titles such as Forza Horizon and The Crew. Although it offers a unique driving experience with its urban setting and focus on customisation and reputation, some gamers may find that it fails to achieve the same levels of technical and gameplay excellence as its competitors.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown isn't a modern racer filled with archaic systems and always-online requirements, further gatekeeping an otherwise fun racer.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown offers a rich and immersive experience with its detailed customization options, dynamic world, and engaging gameplay. However, it also has its share of flaws, such as erratic AI and bugs for map discovery. It stays true to the Test Drive legacy while introducing new features and improvements.