Veteran racing developer Melbourne House has taken the reins for the PSP port of Test Drive: Unlimited, relieving Eden Studios of those duties. The Xbox 360 version of this game was a critical success, but the game relied upon a massive online world for its charm. The PSP version, while lacking in the online department, takes more of a single-player focus, and ultimately is better for it.

The game's graphics engine really pushes the PSP to its limits. The Hawaiian landscapes are adequate at worst, and Melbourne House managed to minimize load times for everything, resulting in a much smoother experience. The level of detail is perfect for the screen size, and the game successfully manages to keep its cool feel throughout.

The PSP port's online play suffers from connection and lag issues, and is limited. Only four players can connect at a time, and sometimes players disappear for no particular reason.

Melbourne House seems to have noticed the system's online shortcomings, choosing to compensate by making improvements to how the cars handle. The vehicles each have a noticeably different feel, and this does make the car choice more than just a superficial one. Unfortunately, the team's engine does have a few flaws. Virtually all roadside items are treated the same, and a small roadside pole can bring cars traveling at any speed to an immediate stop. This becomes annoying at times, especially in the middle of races. Also, the cars take no damage, which is strange for a supposedly "realistic" racer.

This racer has no real appeal to the general gamer, as there is little customization and the controls are geared towards realism over arcade-style fun. But that seems to be okay with Atari and Melbourne House. This game is a solid one-player pickup for racing fans, and that's they way they meant it to be.

May 25, 2007 | 0 comments
Graham Russell