Test Drive: Off-road is a step away from the previous game in the Test Drive series. First of all, it takes place off-road in four large, powerful trucks (plus four more secret vehicles). It also is less realistic than the previous Test Drive games. The police (which have always been a staple in the franchise's history) are no where to be seen, and you have only three other drivers to compete against.
Being the third in the Test Drive series, Test Drive Off-road has much better graphics than the first two did, which could also be because it was ported to the Playstation game system.
Test Drive: Off-road is a step away from the previous game in the Test Drive series. First of all, it takes place off-road in four large, powerful trucks (plus four more secret vehicles). It also is less realistic than the previous Test Drive games. The police (which have always been a staple in the franchise's history) are no where to be seen, and you have only three other drivers to compete against.
Being the third in the Test Drive series, Test Drive Off-road has much better graphics than the first two did, which could also be because it was ported to the Playstation game system. Another thing that Test Drive Off-road featured was a killer soundtrack by 90's alternative rock band Gravity Kills. The addition of hearing "Guilty"
or "White Light" by this lesser known band while racing through barren deserts, snow-filled wonderlands, or just plain-old mud was more than enough to get your adrenaline pumping.
While all of this might sound ground-breaking for such a classic game, none of those reasons were the real breakthrough this game had. The greatest addition to racing games worldwide was the fact that you could drive just about anywhere on the course. There was a set track you could follow, but if you wanted to see the hidden features of Test Drive Off-road (like the wrecked alien spaceship in Jumpjet, among others) you had to leave the beaten path and explore a little. Granted, you probably won't win many races if you analyze every single detail in every level, but it certainly adds another aspect to the game. Sadly, Accolade didn't realize that this was such an innovative feature until games like Midnight Club where the entire game was based upon this free roam feature.
But enough about the features, lets talk about the four powerhouses of the game. The first choice you will see is the standard H1 Hummer, which comes in four lovely paint schemes. The Hummer is the most average vehicle in the game, and is the most well-rounded. Next up is the Jeep Wrangler, which also comes in four striking colors. The Jeep has the fastest acceleration in the game, and lacks in handling because of it. The Land Rover is a lesser used, but still powerful vehicle. It also comes in four colors. Last, but most certainly not least, is the monstrous Chevy Truck. This truck trades speed for raw power, and comes in, you guessed it, four colors. There are also four unlockable vehicles in the game, which basically mirror the vehicles I stated earlier. While not the most in-depth game, I can definitely say that Test Drive: Off-road is on my top ten list of favorite games.
