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Platform
Xbox
Genre
Racing
Publisher
Atari
Developer
Angel Studios
ESRB
E (Everyone)
Released
Q4 2001
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- Detailed environments
- Hang on Momma!-sized jumps
- Good sensation of speed
- Fun multi-player mode
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- Computer a.i. that will make you
want to blow your brains out
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Review: 4X4 Evo 2 (XBox)
Review: Sega Rally 2 (Dreamcast)
Review: Test Drive V-Rally
(Dreamcast)
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Test
Drive Off-Road Wide Open
Score: 7.0 / 10
There’s a statistic out there that says
something like 80 percent of all four-wheel drive vehicles out there
will never leave the pavement. Of course, you’re sure that statistic is
skewed by soccer moms thinking they need the latest V-8 behemoth to trek
Buffy and Timmy through the suburban wasteland to get to the Gap.
But that’s not you. No way. And just to prove it you take a left off the
beaten track. Pedal to the metal, slingin’ mud, scarin’ squirrels--that
is until your neighbor calls the cops. Who knew he was so anal about his
shrubbery?
At least with Infogrames’ Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open (TDOR) you can
get your high-octane kicks without attracting the attention of the law.
Developed by Angel Studios, TDOR features huge, open environments; big
air; and tricked-out four-bys your inner redneck lusts after. If you
like blasting full-throttle through rough terrain,
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driving straight off insane cliffs and
basically running over anything you darn well please then tell momma you
won’t be home for supper, you are going racing.
Test Drive Off-Road has several courses based in three environments:
Moab, Utah; Yosemite, California; and Big Island, Hawaii. Each section
of terrain is large enough that many races can be held in each section
without |
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crossing the same patch of ground twice. The races are gate based,
meaning any route you find from one gate to the next is fair game. An
on-screen arrow helps you find your way although it won’t always tell
you the fastest route.
The variety of trucks to drive is fairly limited-mostly American-made
iron. Toyota is noticeably lacking, particularly since the company’s
racing division is one of the most prominent nameplates in all of
off-road racing. The racing stable consists of Jeep, Ford, Chevy, Dodge,
and the ultimate off-road brute, Humvee. The lone offshore rig is
Mercedes’ ML430 and it’s dreadfully slow. All vehicles fall into one of
two categories: Speed or Power, and every nameplate has at least one
truck in each category except Mercedes. Speed vehicles exceed on the
flats but bog down in rough terrain and steep hills. Power vehicles are
high-torque, dirt-spewing monsters that love the rough stuff but lack
sizzling top speed. Races are classified for either Speed or Power
vehicles, or are open to anything-these are the best because they allow
you to pick the truck that suits your driving style and choose your own
path. At the first stages of the game only stock vehicles are available;
as you win races more, better vehicles become available until you are
behind the wheel of Pro-Class racing machinery.
Unfortunately, the problem lies in advancing through the game to get to
the good stuff. The greatest drawback is the a.i. controlling the
competition. Too often it seems the trucks you are racing against are
interested only in spinning you out and ruining any chance of a decent
finish. Returning the favor isn’t wise since spinning other trucks slows
you down, too, and allows the rest of the field to speed away. It’s hard
to describe the frustration that comes from running the perfect race
only to have a computer-controlled truck come from out of nowhere, blast
your bumper and leave you looking where you’ve already been. There’s
really nothing you can do about it, and suddenly your first-place payout
just went down the drain as four trucks shot past as you were trying to
get turned back around. This is the same problem that plagued the PS2
version of the game, and I was disappointed to see the vehicle control
wasn’t tweaked to make it easier for the player to defend against bumps
from the rear. While reviewing this game I was spun more times than a
bottle at a sweet-sixteen party.
Speaking of the PS2, TDOR for the Xbox is almost a direct port from its
PS2 predecessor. Graphics have been sharpened slightly, but the racing
courses are the same, and with minor exceptions, so are the vehicles.
The hard-core rock lineup, while limited, suits the full-on nature of
the game and thankfully has been left intact. The biggest differences
are the addition of a stadium series, a multi-player “King of the Hill”
game, and four player capability instead of just two. The stadium races
are fun and put much more emphasis on throttle control than the regular
events-be careful or you will spend all your time spinning your wheels.
Again though, the fun is often shot to pieces because it’s too easy to
get spun and sent from first to worst with no warning.
To squeeze the most fun from TDOR, buy a bag of chips and invite three
friends over. The game does offer wheel-to-wheel, fender banging fun,
especially when there are real people in the room to bark at when you’ve
just left them eating your dust. You may not even want to waste your
time in Career mode; just win all the events in Single Race mode to
unlock the Pro Class trucks as well as the six-wheel drive Dodge T-Rex
and the Monster Truck and make them available for multi-player racing.
The moral of the story: If you’re looking for hours of involving
gameplay by your lonesome, stick with Halo. But if you are looking for
something to do at your Superbowl party during yet another lame halftime
show, TDOR is the way to go.
- Jeff Honeycutt
(January 2, 2002) |
