Hola, racing fam! After 12 long years, Test Drive is back with Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, and boy, I’ve been hyped since day one! Who didn’t love cruising around Oahu and Ibiza back in the day? Fast forward to now, and we’re zooming into the streets of Hong Kong Island. But does Solar Crown live up to the hype? Or is it a total bust? Buckle up, and let’s get a Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown review.
Getting Started: First Impressions
Okay, I was really impressed by the game. I created my character—though the customization options were cool, the character models still looked a bit off. Then, boom, I was thrown into the fancy world of exotic cars and flashy locations.
Vivian, one of the game’s main characters, gives you a quick tour of a slice of the island while letting you floor it in the Lambo. Right off the bat, I was impressed with the way the game handles cars. After that intro, it was time to check the Solar Crown Tournament. But before you get into that, you gotta pick your starting ride. The choices? A Nissan 370Z, Ford Mustang GT, or Alpine A110 Légende. I went with the Mustang (muscle cars for life), but honestly, no matter which one you pick, you’re in for a good time.
World and Progression: A Sense of Reward
One of the things that got me hooked was how rewarding it feels to progress in the game. Unlike some racers where you’re handed a new car after every race, Solar Crown makes you work for it. You’re encouraged to tune your ride, not collect a huge garage of cars. It felt so much more satisfying saving up for a new beast of a car and rolling up to the dealership like a baller to drop cash. Don’t stress though, they give you enough in-game currency so you won’t be grinding for ages, even for the basic cars.
The Cars: Best of the Bunch
Cars in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown are seriously lit! Talking about sleek Lambos to power-house Mustangs, the detailing’s just insane. Every ride feels super authentic. Even the interiors are so real that I kinda spent half my time just cruising around first-person view of the cockpit, vibing with it.
Graphics: A Mixed Bag
Alright, let’s talk about the visuals. The cars are honestly the highlighter here. Everything is so neat, especially the interiors. I do not switch to cockpit view for most of my Forza gameplay, but cruising in Solar Crown felt right in first person. Brands such as Aston Martin and McLaren, etc. bring plenty of your car candy to drool over.
And now, bad news: the environment. Okay, okay, the island of Hong Kong is gigantic, so there’s loads of variety: neon-lit streets to winding hills. Yeah, all right, some parts are dope, but others just scream “last-gen graphics,” and that’s a shame. It doesn’t have that “lived in” feel that really separates most open-world games from many others. I understand that the remaking of a 1:1 version of Hong Kong Island is a flex, but I would have liked to see a smaller, more polished world instead.
Audio: Sounding So Good
Solar Crown just killed the audio. The cars sound on point! The deep growl of muscle cars to the sleek purr of hypercars, the sound design is legit. If you’re that kind of gamer who appreciates the small stuff, you’ll love how the engine noise changes when you roll up the windows in first-person mode. And, the radio plays all kinds of music, like hip hop, rock, and retro. The tracklist is sort of good but do not expect songs from popular artists.
Gameplay: Racing, Reputation, and Clans
Let’s get into the meat of the game—racing. It’s what you came for, right? Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown doesn’t mess around when it comes to competition. You’ll be racing A.I. or real players in all kinds of events—circuits, sprints, time trials, and even random challenges scattered across the island. It’s all about building up your reputation. More rep means more races, more customization options, and more stuff to flex with. Gotta love that grind!
If you want to keep up in races, there is a need to upgrade your car. It is actually pretty straightforward: you merely purchase new parts for your engine, and this increases your Performance Rating for that car. Easy peasy, right? For those who are gearheads, there is also a more specific tuning option wherein you can fine-tune every little aspect of your ride, but you have to earn that by building up your rep.
Handling: A Few Speed Bumps
So what do the cars really feel like? Each car feels very unique. However, drifting around turns? Yeah, still pretty tough. I found myself fishtailing far more often than I probably should have, and it wasn’t always smooth motion either. But here’s the thing: Solar Crown doesn’t want to be a pure arcade racer. It does have a bit of realism, thanks to the experience of the developers with the WRC franchise.
Exploration: Beyond the Races
Even when you’re not racing, there’s plenty to keep you busy. You can hunt down wrecked cars to unlock exclusive rides, find hidden cash stashes, and break speed limits in ambient speed trap events. The FRIM (Free Ride Instant Money) mechanic is back too—score quick cash by driving like a maniac, just make sure you bank it before crashing. There are daily challenges, online events, and seasonal content coming, but I couldn’t fully explore all of that in the review copy.
You can also join clans—Sharps or Streets—and represent your squad in races outside the Solar Crown tournament. Earning influence for your clan unlocks exclusive car parts and clothing. It’s cool, but I wish the clan system had more depth. It’s more of a side activity than a core part of the game.
Final Verdict: Worth It?
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is not exactly the game-changer most would have hoped for, but it’s a solid return to form. The game has areas it can improve, but its environment graphics and handling mechanics should be the ones it needs to address, but with car detail, sound design, and rewarding progression, it’s worth the ride. And with more on the horizon, this game can go from good to great. Not yet running on pole, but certainly fighting for a podium place.
Hope you enjoyed this Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown review. Get the game HERE. For more updates on cool games, visit here.
