Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown
TDU Solar Crown, Test Drive Unlimited 3
Release Date: September 12, 2024
Racing, cars, sandbox, MMO, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet
OpenCritic
Steam
The third part of the open-world racing game series that is a part of Test Drive cycle, developed by Kylotonn studio. Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown features a huge 1:1 map of Hong Kong Island and it focuses on multiplayer gameplay as a member of 1 o 2 clubs.
September 4, 2024
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Videos and Screens
[2:07] Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown - Season 2 Trailer
[0:52] Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown - Accolades Trailer
GameSpew: 6 / 10 by Richard Seagrave
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.
Eurogamer: 2 / 5 by Mike Channell
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown's technical issues, both online and in performance terms, do a disservice to a novel, detailed game world.
Push Square: 6 / 10 by Issy van der Velde
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.
The main pros of the game
- Driving Experience: Many users find the driving mechanics fun and enjoyable, with some appreciating the handling of cars and the sense of speed.
- Hong Kong Map: The fully recreated Hong Kong Island is generally praised for its size and detail, providing a large area to explore.
- Car Sounds: The sound design for the cars is noted as being highly detailed and enjoyable.
- Progression System: Some players appreciate the grindy nature of the progression, feeling it adds a sense of achievement as they work towards unlocking better cars.
The main cons of the game
- Performance Issues: Numerous complaints about poor optimization, with players experiencing low frame rates, stuttering, and long loading times even on high-end PCs.
- Always Online Requirement: The mandatory online mode has frustrated players, especially during server issues that hinder gameplay.
- AI Problems: The AI is described as either overpowered or inconsistent, leading to frustrating racing experiences.
- Limited Content: Many users feel that the game lacks the variety and engaging content that defined the earlier TDU games, such as non-racing activities and a meaningful progression system.
- Grindiness: Players express dissatisfaction with the grindy nature of the game, where rewards for races diminish after repeated plays, making progression feel tedious.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Non-Racing Activities: Users miss the ability to engage in activities like buying properties, visiting shops, and participating in various lifestyle elements that were present in earlier TDU games.
- Car Customization: There is a notable lack of customization options for cars, with users expressing disappointment over the limited ability to modify vehicles.
- Multiplayer Experience: The online multiplayer aspect is criticized for being sparse, with low player counts and issues connecting with friends across regions.
- Story and Immersion: The game lacks a compelling story and immersive elements that were key features in previous TDU titles, contributing to a feeling of emptiness in the game world.
- Diverse Car List: Players are disappointed with the limited selection of cars, especially the absence of newer models and a variety of vehicle types (like motorcycles).
Conclusion
- Overall, while Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown has some redeeming qualities, particularly in driving mechanics and the expansive map, it suffers from significant performance issues, a lack of content, and the absence of features that fans expected based on the legacy of the TDU series. Many players suggest waiting for updates and improvements before purchasing.
Summary generated on:
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown Description
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown is the third installment in the open-world racing game subseries belonging to the Test Drive IP. The game was developed by KT Racing studio, whose portfolio includes the WRC series, V-Rally 4, FlatOut 4: Total Insanity and TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge. It was published by Nacon, which acquired the rights to the Test Drive brand in 2016.
Gameplay
The action in Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown takes place on Hong Kong Island. This area has been recreated in the game on a 1:1 scale, and consists of both urban areas – with the great metropolitan area of Hong Kong at the forefront – as well as beaches and mountain wilderness. The world map is also filled with car dealerships, workshops, wrecks of special vehicles, and various collectibles.
We start the game by creating our own character (there are a lot of options for customizing their appearance and clothing) and buying our first car, which we will use to race and gain reputation, competing with other drivers for the titular Solar Crown.
Once we reach a high enough level, we are invited to join one of the two clans that fight among themselves and rule the island. They're the Streets and the Sharps. The choice determines special challenges and unique rewards to which we can gain access. We use the money won in races mainly to purchase additional vehicles and improve the performance of those we already own.
MMO and no offline mode
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown is an MMO game that does not have an offline mode – a permanent Internet connection is required to play. Although the creators included competing against artificial intelligence, each race is intended to be multiplayer (other players can freely join the competition). There is no traditional single-player mode here.
Engine
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown was developed on KT Engine – proprietary technology of the KT Racing studio.
List of cars
The base version of Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown offers around 100 different cars, representing many of the most prestigious automotive brands:
- Abarth (500)
- AC / Shelby (Cobra 427, Cobra Daytona Coupe)
- Alfa Romeo (4C Spider, 8C Competizione, 8C Spider, MiTo QV)
- Alpine (A110 '73, A110 '18)
- Apollo (Intense Emotion)
- Aston Martin (DB11, Vantage)
- Audi (Q7, R8 Coupe, R8 Spyder, RS e-tron GT, TT RS Coupe)
- Bentley (Continental GT)
- BMW (i8, M4 Competition '21)
- Bugatti (Chiron, Veyron)
- Caterham (CSR 260)
- Chevrolet (Camaro ZL1 1LE '18, Corvette C1, Corvette C7 ZR1)
- Citroen (2CV)
- Dodge (Challenger SRT Hellcat, Viper)
- Ferrari (250 GTO, Dino 246 GTS, 308 GTS, F40, Enzo, 430 Scuderia Spider, FXX-K Evo, 488 Pista, Portofino, 812 Superfast)
- Ford (F-150 '18, GT40 Mk1, GT '06, GT '16, Mustang '67, Shelby GT500 '10, Mustang GT '18)
- Jaguar (E-Type, F-Type)
- Koenigsegg (Agera RS, Regera)
- Lamborghini (Countach, Diablo, Aventador SVJ, Centenario, Huracan Performante, Urus)
- Lancia (Delta, Stratos)
- Land Rover (Range Rover Sport SVR '18)
- Lotus (Evija, Exige Sport 380)
- Maserati (MC20)
- McLaren (MP4-12C, 720S)
- Mercedes (300 SL Gullwing, SLK 55 AMG '09, SL 65 AMG Black Series, SLS AMG, AMG GT R, AMG G 65 '18)
- Mini (JCW GP)
- Nissan (370Z, GT-R '09)
- Porsche (911 Carrera RS Safari, 911 GT3 Touring, 918 Spyder, Cayenne Turbo '18, Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo)
- Volkswagen (Beetle)
- W Motors (Fenyr Supersport)
18
GAMES
in Test Drive Game Series
Game Series
Test Drive Series
One of the oldest and most famous car game series in the history of the industry. The series was created by Distinctive Software studio, but over the years such development teams as Accolade, Eden Games, Pitbull Syndicate, Monster Games, Slightly Mad Studios and Kylotonn have also contributed to its development.
18 video games
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown Summary
Early Access:September 5, 2024
Platforms:
PC / Windows September 12, 2024
PlayStation 5 September 12, 2024
Xbox Series X/S September 12, 2024
Switch cancelled
PlayStation 4 cancelled
Xbox One cancelled
Developer: Kylotonn / KT Racing
Publisher: Nacon / Bigben Interactive
Age restrictions: 12+
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: (30 fps / 1080p) Intel Core i7-7700K / AMD Ryzen 7 1800X, 12 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB GeForce GTX 1660 / 8 GB Radeon RX 480, 50 GB HDD, Windows 10/11
Recommended: (60 fps / 1080p) Intel Core i7-11700K / AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, 12 GB RAM, graphic card 8 GB GeForce RTX 2080 / Radeon RX 6650, 50 GB HDD, Windows 10/11
Ultra: (60 fps / 4K) Intel Core i9-14900K / AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, 32 GB RAM, graphic card 24 GB GeForce RTX 4090, 50 GB HDD, Windows 10/11
TDU: Solar Crown Devs Attempt to Distract from Game's Problems with New Atmospheric Trailer
Although Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown still worries about optimization or server stability, it has a chance to win over players with its atmosphere - and this feature was emphasized by the developers in a new trailer for the game.
video games
Christopher Mysiak
July 26, 2024
TDU: Solar Crown Demo Available on Steam. Game Received New, Very High Specs on PC
As of today, you can download the demo version of Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown. The KT Racing studio allows you to check out quite a bit of the game before the release, which will be in a few months.
video games
Maciej Gaffke
June 7, 2024
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown Finally With Release Date. Cult Series Is Set to Return at the Very End of Summer
The highly anticipated racing game Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown will be released in less than three months. The developers have announced the official release date and provided details on the preorders.
video games
Maciej Gaffke
May 31, 2024
TDU Solar Crown is an MMO Without Single Player Racing; New Trailer
A new trailer for Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown, focused on racing and car tuning, has hit the web. It is accompanied by a lengthy article by devs at KT Racing, from which a picture emerges of a game quite uncompromisingly representing the MMO genre.
video games
Christopher Mysiak
December 14, 2023
TDU: Solar Crown Devs Respond to Concerns and Show New Gameplay
The developers of Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown have reassured players concerned about the stiff camera work shown in a recent gameplay. They also informed about the date of the next tests.
video games
Adrian Werner
October 8, 2023
New Gameplay From TDU Solar Crown is Filled With Fan-beloved Immersion
A new trailer for Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown has suddenly hit the web, consisting almost entirely of gameplay footage. Using the Alfa Romeo 8C as an example, it shows the atmospheric, immersive experience the series is known for.
video games
Christopher Mysiak
September 1, 2023
Preliminary System Requirements of TDU: Solar Crown are High but Will Change
We've learned what hardware you'll need to check out Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown during the upcoming beta.
video games
Adrian Werner
July 23, 2023
First Real Gameplay From TDU Solar Crown Inbound
The TDU Connect event has been announced, where we will see the first gameplay from Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown.
video games
Adrian Werner
July 9, 2023
TDU Solar Crown With Another Trailer; Still Waiting for Gameplay
A new trailer for Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown was presented during Nacon's event. However, we still didn't see any gameplay from the game.
video games
Michael Zegar
July 8, 2022
TDU: Solar Crown Presentation Soon; Nacon Teases Game Show
Next week we may learn the new release date for Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown. This will probably happen during the Nacon Connect event.
video games
Hubert Sledziewski
June 30, 2022