Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Test Drive’s core gameplay revolves around high-octane street racing through four expansive cityscapes, and it delivers a thrilling sense of speed from the moment you hit the accelerator. The handling model strikes a balance between arcade fun and a touch of realism, making it accessible for newcomers while still offering depth for veteran racers. Braking zones, sharp corners, and varying road surfaces keep you on your toes as you transition from winding mountain passes to congested urban avenues.

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The Underground mode injects a fresh narrative element into the series, tasking you with upgrading your ride and earning respect in the clandestine racing scene. Races are layered with objectives beyond simply crossing the finish line first: evade the relentless pursuit of police units, manage engine heat, and decide when to risk a shortcut down an unpaved route. These dynamic challenges encourage strategic driving, as you weigh the benefits of pushing your car at its limits against the risk of crashes or hefty repair costs.

Another highlight of the gameplay is the track design itself. With four massive city environments—San Francisco, Tokyo, London, and Monaco—each locale offers multiple branching routes and hidden backroads. This non-linear progression allows for a variety of race setups, from tight downtown sprints framed by skyscrapers to scenic coastal flyovers. Replayability soars when you discover new shortcuts or test different strategies to improve your times and reputation.

Graphics

For a game released in 2002, Test Drive makes a solid visual impression. Car models are rendered with meticulous attention to distinctive body lines, shiny paint jobs, and authentic interiors that reflect their real-world counterparts. Motion blur and speed lines further heighten the sensation of velocity, while dynamic lighting effects illuminate the scenery as day turns to night and vice versa.

The environments themselves are impressively detailed, given the hardware constraints of the era. San Francisco’s rolling hills, Tokyo’s neon-lit streets, London’s historic bridges, and Monaco’s cliffside roads each possess unique visual flair. Draw distance is generous, allowing you to spot upcoming turns or opponents in the distance, though pop-in occasionally occurs in denser urban zones. Textures can feel a bit flat on close inspection, but the overall atmosphere remains immersive.

Performance is generally stable, with frame rates that hold up well even when dozens of cars populate the screen or police cruisers give chase. Minor slowdown does appear in the most congested environments, but it rarely detracts from the adrenaline of a high-speed pursuit. The user interface is clean and unobtrusive, displaying vital information—speed, position, heat gauge—without cluttering the view.

Story

Departing from the purely race-focused approach of Test Drive 6, this 2002 edition weaves a narrative through its Underground mode. You play as Dennis Black, an emerging street racer backed by a shadowy benefactor. As you climb the ranks, you unlock new cars, sponsors, and hidden events that gradually reveal the benefactor’s true intentions. While the storyline isn’t Shakespearean, it provides enough context to drive progression and keep you invested in each victorious run.

Cutscenes that bookend key races add personality to Dennis and his rivals, with brief voiceovers and cell-phone conversations punctuating your ascent through the underground hierarchy. The dialogue is serviceable, if occasionally clichéd, but it complements the action rather than detracting from it. Character designs and in-engine animations feel a touch dated by modern standards, yet they effectively deliver the mood of a gritty street racing subculture.

Progression in the story mode is tied directly to in-game achievements: winning specific races, evading police, and customizing vehicles unlock subsequent chapters. This integration of narrative and gameplay fosters a sense of accomplishment beyond simply collecting trophies. You’re not just racing—you’re building Dennis Black’s legend in an illicit world where reputation is everything.

Overall Experience

Test Drive (2002) strikes a commendable balance between arcade thrills and structured progression, making it a standout entry in a long-running franchise. The addition of a story-driven Underground mode elevates the experience by giving context to every race, while the sprawling track designs ensure that no two events feel identical. Whether you’re dodging traffic in downtown Tokyo or blasting through Monaco’s coastal hairpins, the adrenaline never wanes.

Although some graphical elements show their age—particularly texture detail and character animations—the core presentation remains engaging. Sound design shines with roaring engine notes, screeching tires, and urgent police sirens that ratchet up tension at pivotal moments. The soundtrack, featuring pulsing electronic beats, further amplifies the game’s late-night street-racing ambiance.

Ultimately, Test Drive (2002) offers a rewarding experience for enthusiasts of fast cars and open-road competition. Its combination of varied environments, strategic police evasion, and a narrative framework provides depth often missing from arcade racers of its time. Fans of the series and newcomers alike will find hours of excitement in mastering each track, uncovering secrets, and establishing their dominance in The Underground.

Retro Replay Score

7/10