The Test Drive series has been around for a long time, and while not always the best racing series around, some of them were memorable. Breaking away from the typical racing series transition (many series seem to be converting to street racing these days); the newest game in the series is a demolition derby style game. Known as Test Drive: Eve of Destruction, the game is surprisingly solid, and looks to be a major contender in the genre.
Test Drive: Eve of Destruction looks gorgeous, with detailed car models that are completely destructible. Car parts (and wrecked cars) will also stay on the track, providing new obstacles to avoid during the race. Tracks are also nicely detailed and designed very well. The game’s frame-rate never staggers, and the gameplay remains smooth even with many cars onscreen. Test Drive includes several camera modes, including the standard race-view, close up car view, dashboard view, first-person view, and an intriguing chassis view that shows you the bottom wheels of your cars (which is a little awkward but interesting). Overall the little details add up to make an impressive graphics display.
The sound in Test Drive isn’t anything particularly groundbreaking, but it fits the theme of the game very well. The in-game soundtrack can’t always be heard due to the noise of the cars, but when you can it is generic hard rock, which fits the theme of the game. The car noises as well as the sound of collisions sound authentic, and will draw you into the destructive atmosphere of the game. As for the announcer, though he seems a little annoying at times (and a little loud, he overpowers the car sounds at times), he fits in with the whole demolition derby theme, so I can’t complain.
In the demo I played, four race types were available. The first one was Figure 8 Jump. In this mode, you race around an oval shaped track in an attempt to snag first place. Thanks to the physics in the game, you can sabotage other racers and push them into obstacles, as well as bounce off them to take tight turns. Your racer will also earn points for doing more damage to other cars. In this mode, the tracks contain jumps that intersect, meaning that if you are ahead of the racing pack, you may find yourself colliding with the rest of the racers as you go over it. This is exhilarating, even if it can put you back a few places in the race. The next available mode I was able to try was the Demolition Derby mode. In this mode you are in an enclosed area with around 20 other cars, and it’s a fight for survival, as well as points. This mode is very fun, even if you don’t get chased after as much as the other cars.
The two remaining modes were equally fun. In Jump Race, the courses change and include jumps around practically every corner, with high speeds encouraged. It’s another race to the finish, with collisions in midair being a good way to bump your opponent off-course. The final playable mode, Suicide Surprise, was innovative and very enjoyable. In this mode, you compete on an oval based track. Half of the racers start facing one direction, and the other half start facing the other direction. Head-on collisions are practically a guarantee in this mode, and are fun to pull off.
In Test Drive: Eve of Destruction, the cars control rather well. The analog stick is not too touchy, so maneuvering your car is easy. I rarely needed to use the brake, (as bumping off other cars worked well for taking turns and inflicting damage), which ensured high speeds. One thing that concerns me about Test Drive is the difficulty. In the demo, I was able to blow through the four available modes and earn first place in 10-15 minutes. The reason this happened seems to be because your car will only take damage if you crash into a wall or obstacle, or if another racer runs into you. There is no damage taken when you crash into another racer, making an easier game. However, the game is very fun, and looks to provide plenty of depth, so this shouldn’t be a major problem.
The full version of Test Drive: Eve of Destruction will feature all of the modes in the demo, and much more. A full Career mode will be available, in which you can earn points (from doing damage to other racers and winning races) as well as respect from other racers. The game will also feature numerous race types, including school bus races and soccer (using your cars to replace players). Test Drive will also feature numerous unlockables, including ambulances and hearses. As if that wasn’t enough, the game will also feature split-screen play for up to four players.
Test Drive: Eve of Destruction is well on its way to becoming the champion of the demolition derby racing genre. With numerous race types and fun gameplay, Test Drive looks to fulfill all of its promises. The game will be out in September, and is worth a look for any racing fan. CD
