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It's been 4 and a half years since the first Test Drive Unlimited emerged, which was well regarded by many. Since then many racing games have tried to expand into a multiplayer section, some successful and some not so much. But with TDU2 it's promised that we will see the most immersive multiplayer experience to date in a racing game. The game features some elements of an MMO where you're always on the island with other players and can interact with them. You can also make your own club (guild/clan) and level up. Along with all that multiplayer fun there is hours of single player races and many cars to collect, but does all this make a perfect game? Or just another average racer?

Not much has really changed from the first game, but the first thing you do notice is the setting. A very large map of Ibiza with a variety of different roads. There are city roads, normal roads and off-track roads which leads to each car having a different effect on each road. Driving a hummer on the dirt will perform a lot better than a road car on the dirt. This leads you to have to select your car very carefully if you want to reach your destination in a fairly quick time. Driving 40mph along dirt in a BMW is certainly not fun! It should also be noted the full original island of Hawaii from TDU1 makes a return here also!

As you travel around the island you'll see many MP challenges, referred to as community challenges. These are races or events made by other players, which could potentially lead to endless possibilities. Being able to co-operatively drive with your friend telling them which direction they need to go in while they have no GPS is very fun indeed. When you create a club you can also enter club specific events, winning prize money to improve your club and advance in levels. Some of the options here are very similar to an MMO which gives the game a good feeling of community.

Levels on TDU2 are another way Eden Games make you feel like you're progressing in the game. There are four sections; Competition, Social, Discovery and Collection, which all contribute to your overall level. Each sub category has 15 levels to achieve and your total level is currently out of 60 (70 with the Casino DLC). Each area gives you a different set of tasks. Competition obviously involves winning racing events. But others such as discovery are gained by traveling around and discovering secret areas. Having 4 sections to complete certainly makes the game feel more content heavy and leaves the player with extra things to do besides just racing.

Despite not having the best graphics we've seen in some recent racing titles, they come pretty close. The game has such a large area and everywhere you seem to drive looks pretty good, even though there are some inconsistencies. TDU2 features a full day & night cycle along with random weather patterns making the game's environment ever changing and quite a pleasure to play in. One minute you could be driving along in the sun only for it to start raining resulting in a change both visually and physically just as you'd expect in real life.

TDU2's steering is somewhat erratic. Even though it's bearable and at times plays really nicely, other times it feels too heavy and deceives you on how a corner should be taken. The steering is geared alot more towards an arcade racing style than a simulator game which could be seen as good or bad. You'll get used to the steering in time but it differs a lot to other games, even the first Test Drive.

Despite catching the eye really early on, as you progress you'll realise there are some flaws in the game. I found it difficult to dive into the game's multiplayer modes. Even though there were a lack of players at the time of the review, the connection regularly timed out which fared to be quite annoying. It should be noted this may be resolved come launch. Also some objects & effects (such as shadows) often load quite slow which can lead to some visual inconsistencies. Even with the game installed it still occurs, sometimes leaving the environment looking very bland compared to what it actually is.

The games interface is a very unique, and sometimes confusing, place to be navigating. With the start button not actually pausing the game, you could be browsing a menu not realising you've stopped on the wrong side of the road and now have the police on you. The map is, as in TDU1, very good and highly detailed with everything you'll need clearly visable. Despite the game being extremely social based I found it at times to be quite fiddly to start an MP or co-op event.

Overall I feel Test Drive Unlimited 2 is a very solid racing game. With all its obvious social aspects it lures anyone who likes community heavy games in straight away, but also offers something for the solo player with its many single player races and a progression system which will keep you involved even if you're not racing as part of a club. Despite some of the flaws such as the erratic handling and graphical issues, TDU2 is almost everything you expected. With such an ambitious game there are obviously going to be flaws, but TDU2 makes the most of what it's managed to achieve and provides an extremely enjoyable experience all around.

Test Drive Unlimited 2 Gets An Official Game-Pad: 8.7/10

Editor's Note - It is worth pointing out that Eden Games are extremely active in resolving server based issues with the game, which may be what Michael encountered during his time with the multiplayer. The servers currently alternate between online and offline quite regularly during this launch period, and players can check the Xbox 360 status and PS3 status at the TDU2 Official Site, or head on over to our forums for a combined updated thread.