Test Drive Unlimited (PSP)

...using the stick to play Test Drive Unlimited definitely had its benefits. So somehow there is just some kind of element in TDU that made it worth its 20 quid.

I'm still currently about half way through the game, but at least it should give me enough experience to talk about it here, with regards to its gameplay, graphics / sound and technical aspects of the game. I'll try and keep this short yet informative if I can, since I know that ...
...that you practically get to test out all the beautiful cars that are supplied ever in the world (apart from some cars like Peugeot 206 or the umm...Mini Cooper Classic *sniff* anyone a hack and wants to add those cars in?)
If you choose to being online, it really just lets you interact with other players via WiFi and cruise around, you can race human players on preset courses or user-created ones, but most of the time you'd probably just ... more

Personally, PSP's analog sticks isn't my cup of tea (or coca cola or whatever floats your boat) but using the stick to play Test Drive Unlimited definitely had its benefits. So somehow there is just some kind of element in TDU that made it worth its 20 quid.

I'm still currently about half way through the game, but at least it should give me enough experience to talk about it here, with regards to its gameplay, graphics / sound and technical aspects of the game. I'll try and keep this short yet informative if I can, since I know that sometimes it can be tiring to read the entire thing in one go. So, here goes!

Gameplay
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You're greeted by the warning messages regarding copyrights, if you have seizures and so on, and then an easy-to-use interface with just Start New Game or Load Game, which allows you to...well, start a new game of load a previous one.
Choosing either would ask you whether you would like to go online (via WiFi) which you can play with other people, or if you prefer to complete the racing missions then don't go online by selecting 'No'.
One thing I am the happiest about is that you practically get to test out all the beautiful cars that are supplied ever in the world (apart from some cars like Peugeot 206 or the umm...Mini Cooper Classic *sniff* anyone a hack and wants to add those cars in?)
If you choose to being online, it really just lets you interact with other players via WiFi and cruise around, you can race human players on preset courses or user-created ones, but most of the time you'd probably just end up cruising around the area Italian Job style...haven't really managed to find any other functions of the multiplayer.

When you enter single-player mode you begin your car adventure by choosing a rental car and completing a race. The cars that you choose from are relatively fast, so should make the job easy-peasy.. After that race you go on to buy your own car from a choice of 3, followed by a property. (or maybe get a bottle of champagne and spray it at nearby commuters lol) I began with the Saturn Sky Roadster and didn't regret it one bit.
As I mentioned before that Analog sticks aren't normally my thing, it actually became crucial to the gameplay in TDU; the stick allowed me to determine the amount of steering needed, and, since most cars have their different sensitivity (like the one I'm testing out AC..something, one bit too much and it goes in a circle and can't get out of it for awhile...spin in a circle and lose a race by just a split second...bad times. Watching it go around like a lunatic on grass with the tire marks and screeching noises included...good times) Winning games will allow you to win credits which you save up to buy houses or new and pretty cars, it also unlocks other races for you in order to complete the missions included in the game. It also sometimes unlocks invitations that you receive from different car clubs, become Presidents in those different clubs and you win cars. ;-)
The entire map is crazily massive that sometimes it gets frustrating to travel from one side to another for a race or to get to a racing club, but at least the developers have been realistic about the game distances. It's no wonder some people speed like mad when you go for a long drive really...and this is where the Police come in, the more you speed, and drive the wrong way (and drive past the police cars) or crash into other cars, the more attention you will get from the Police. They will chase you until you are so far away that the attention meter eventually dies down, or if they chase you after you try and reverse from crashing into a lamp post, in which case you will impose a fine on you.

The map consists of races, time trials, speed camera trials (i'll let you experiment with those :)), mechanics to fine tune your car, car dealers, property agents, car clubs, and others, which you can filter on your GPS to find your target destination a bit easier. As you complete more races, more challenges will be unlocked. None of the challenges are too ridiculously difficult so there shouldn't be any problems to advance to another player level. =)

Graphics/Sound
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The music is very very appropriate for the driving / racing / cruising around the maps, the fast beats definitely keeps your heart pumping and your adrenaline running as you screech your wheels to race towards the last checkpoint before finish.
Graphics are, I suppose, adequate, there isn't anything that is particularly striking, apart from its choice of cars to drive which is incredible.

Technicality
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Throughout the entire game there are only several buttons that I use throughout, so sometimes the rest of them are wasted. And some buttons are not as sensitive as I would like them to be. For example, I have the biggest trouble reversing the car after crashing into a lamp post, it is frustrating to keep pressing X again and again hoping that it'll finally go into reverse whilst your AI opponent drives past you. It just gets annoying.
There doesn't appear to be any obvious glitches so far. But will keep everyone posted if there are any.

Prices
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Amazon.co.uk: £19.99 (Used from £15.95)
Ebay: from as low as £8!!!

Specifications
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Platform: PSP
ESRB rating: Everyone 10 and older - Mild Violence,Language
Genre: Driving
Number of players: 1-4 Players
Connectivity: Online,Wi-Fi
Difficulty: Variable
Learning curve: About a half hour
Game Developer : Melbourne House
ESRB descriptors: Mild Violence,Language

Happy playing! =) 

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