After nearly four years since the game’s announcement, Nacon and KT Racing have finally revealed a release date for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown: September 12th.
We were first introduced to Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown back in July 2020, during a Nacon Connect presentation by developer KT Racing. It’s at this juncture that my concerns regarding the game began to emerge.
Before the unveiling of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, KT Racing, otherwise known as Kylotonn, had made a name for themselves primarily through the development of licensed WRC rally games.
Titles like WRC 5, 6, 7, and 8, alongside V-Rally 4 and FlatOut 4: Total Insanity, were part of their repertoire. Despite the studio’s efforts, these games received significant criticism from both players and even some critics, who seemed to overlook their shortcomings for the right price.
In essence, their track record showcases a string of lackluster, low-budget releases. And yet, they find themselves tasked with developing one of the most highly anticipated racing games in recent memory.
KT Racing faces an immense challenge in developing Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, considering it follows the highly acclaimed series originated by Eden Games.
The Test Drive Unlimited franchise gained significant recognition and notoriety well after its initial release, praised for its groundbreaking open-world design that truly captured the essence of driving. It seamlessly blended open-world racing with lifestyle features, allowing players to explore car dealerships and stores, customize their characters, purchase houses, and store their prized cars.
In the earlier Test Drive Unlimited games, such as the first released in 2006 and its sequel in 2011, players could indulge in a unique driving experience. They featured meticulously modeled car interiors with intricate details like properly animated gear changes, a feature overlooked in modern racing titles alongside the option to open and close convertible vehicles.
Additionally, players could even visit car washes and enjoy the experience of having their cars cleaned by attractive girls.
The anticipation surrounding Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is mainly fueled by its brand name alone. However, my excitement waned when the announcement trailer failed to showcase any gameplay.
Despite this, the game received relentless promotion from YouTube content creators like “BlackPanthaa.” So, you can imagine my surprise when Nacon finally provided a glimpse of gameplay three years after the initial announcement, featuring these content creators playing the game during a stage presentation.
Undoubtedly, it raises significant concerns when a corporation relies on influencers and content creators to endorse their product.
The gameplay showcased in 2023 appeared mediocre, resembling titles like Forza Horizon and The Crew rather than the traditional Test Drive Unlimited experience. YouTubers like BlackPanthaa and Alex VII were invited by Nacon to partake in a live demonstration of the very game they had been promoting for years.
It certainly begs the question of a conflict of interest, wouldn’t you agree?
The fact that the first gameplay demonstration for a game supposedly meant to be the continuation of the Test Drive Unlimited series, a game enamored for its quality detail, the fact that supercars were actually a genuine treat for grinding out the game, filled with lavish quality of life, such as a functional Casino featured in Test Drive Unlimited 2.
Nacon hired a bunch of influencers to participate in races in exotic cars. Games such as Forza Horizon and The Crew pretty much devalue the excitement of rare and expensive cars as they throw them in your face like candy. Test Drive Unlimited was different in the sense that you start with slower machinery and work your way up.
Rather than focusing on showcasing gameplay footage of what made the series special, being able to drive into a store, customize your avatars appearance, we were given a live demonstration with a bunch of shills having a race instead and drive into one another. It’s fairly obvious what sort of audience Nacon are pandering to with this game.
Solar Crown lacks immersion. Gone are the days of watching attractive girls wash your car to upbeat music. Now, you simply pull into a marked petrol station, press a button, and your screen fades to black while your car is repaired. To think that Eden Games gave us functional indicators back in 2006 and innovated with a unique take on online gaming in 2011.
This game has faced numerous delays. Initially announced in early 2020 with a planned release in 2022, it was then pushed back to 2023 on May 18th, 2022. At that time, it was slated to release on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles.
Nacon and KT Racing stated that the delay was to enhance the game’s quality, suggesting that creating a genuine open-world racer akin to a true Test Drive Unlimited title was too ambitious for a studio that had only produced mediocre games in the past.
In July 2023, the game was delayed again, and now it finally has a release date: September 12th, 2024. It will be releasing on PC alongside the PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s XBOX Series X & S systems, no longer will it be supporting the previous generation.
I won’t be eagerly anticipating its release, especially considering its attempt to emulate games like The Crew and Forza Horizon. It has been confirmed that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will come with tiered editions, including standard, silver, and gold versions.
Alongside the Standard Edition, retailing for $60, there are three additional editions, the Silver Streets Edition and Silver Sharps Edition, each costing $80, and the Gold Edition, which retails for $90, and just like how Microsoft segments Forza games with a “gold” version offering up bonus goodies for players to thrust themselves into the action with exotic cars, it also comes with a season pass.
Every game seems to have a season pass these days. Take Forza Horizon 5, for example; it has nearly 50 individual DLC add-ons available on Steam. These include multiple large-scale DLC expansions, each costing $20, as well as various car packs offering several cars for $10 each. If you miss out on cars during your seasonal grinding sessions, you can purchase them individually for $3.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is following suit with its extra editions, which include the “Solar Pass.” This pass provides frequent seasonal passes with content locked behind level requirements.
The VIP Solar Pass allows players to start the game with 20 levels already unlocked. Both the “Silver Streets” and “Silver Sharps” editions include two individual cars, such as the Range Rover Sport SVR and AMG Mercedes SLS, or the Audi R8 Spider and Jaguar F-Type SVR.
If you’re willing to pay $80 for this garbage, you’ll also get exclusive beta access and the chance to experience the main game 48 hours early.
Gold Edition buyers will receive the level 20 boost, all the content included in the silver editions, plus a Maserati MC20 and Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. Additionally, they’ll enjoy “VIP Beta Access” and get to play the main game seven days before its official release.
However, players won’t receive the cars right away; instead, they’ll have to reach specified levels (12 and 20) to unlock each vehicle with either package. The existence of this seasonal pass system in a game claiming to be a Test Drive Unlimited title is disappointing.
I won’t be falling for this garbage, and I sincerely hope you don’t either. Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown seems to have an identity crisis, evident when Nacon brought in a bunch of YouTubers to reveal the game to the world.
This game looks and feels like a cheaply made clone of Forza Horizon. I’m more than happy to watch this trash crash and burn. I’ll stick to the original two games that were made with love and passion, revived thanks to the Project Paradise mod for Test Drive Unlimited 2.
