Test Drive Review (Xbox) - XboxAddict.com

STAFF REVIEW of Test Drive (Xbox)

Monday, June 17, 2002.
by Tony Ingrassia

WOW! How can you take such a great premiss and kill it. I meen 30 minutes into this game my mind is on what i should have for breakfast tommorow. There is no "Excitement" in this game it's just blah. The simplest way to make you understand what i'm talking about, you would think a Cuda or '64 Camaro would sound a little beefier than a Supra, not in this game, no, no, no, they all just rev and squeel the tires. The game lacks any emotion. PGR this ain't, and Tokyo Extreme it will never be. To Bad.

Again the premis of the game and the choice of vintage muscle cars is more than appealing, but it's a Sunday drive, not a heart pounding, asphalt burning race. It "IS" your fathers Oldsmobile.

Visually the game fairs much better. The vehicles are very nicely done. The city scapes are also pleasing. But compared to PGR and Rally Sport...this one gets left in the dust. If the game played better the graphics could have saved it completlly, unfortunatlly graphics alone do not a game make.

The soundtrack is awsome. Some great artists lend there talents to some great songs. The in game sounds...again, attention to detail has cost this game. I want to hear that throughty muffler from "Elenore" from the movei Gone in 60 Seconds, not resampled engine sounds from Pole Position. Common, can't we do better than taht?

Suggestions:
Be true to the genre. Racing games should get your blood racing, heart pounding, and them palms nice and sweaty. This game barelly has a pulse. Great idea, bad excecution.

Overall: 7.0 / 10
Gameplay: 5.0 / 10
Visuals: 8.0 / 10
Sound: 5.0 / 10