There's a sense that developer KT Racing assembled this next installment of the long-running Test Drive racing series by throwing a handful of darts at a mind map of popular Steam store tags and taping them to a car bonnet. It is open world and live service. It caters to both simulation lovers and arcade racers. It is competitive, but also social.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, the developer is keen to insist, isn't a 'racing game' but a 'driving game'. The idea being that its faithful 1:1 reproduction of Hong Kong Island isn't merely a 600km box in which to take laps around city streets and practice your handbrake turns on off-road mountain bends, but a space for car enthusiasts to admire the lovingly recreated Bugattis, BMWs and, er, Nissans. Much is made of their accurate looks, engine sounds and handling, and from the moment you're asked to choose a starter car, you're encouraged to open their doors, wind down the windows and try their plush leather interior—just to make sure you pick the motor of your dreams.
