Take a look at Drive Limitless Photo voltaic Crown made one other look on this yr’s Nacon Join, with developer KT Racing speaking about what they’re creating for the aspirational open world racing sport and releasing some in-engine environmental photographs, however there’s valuable little for followers eagerly awaiting the collection’ revival to actually sink their tooth into. No gameplay, no launch date. All we all know is that Take a look at Drive Limitless is at present anticipated to launch in 2023 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Collection X|S and PC. A beta check can also be deliberate earlier than then.
From the encompassing developer chat, we all know that one factor KT Racing is focussed on is teamwork amidst the 2 rival gangs. The Sharp and Road clans will vie for supremacy on the streets, with Sharp focussed extra on the luxurious automobiles and Road clan being into the nightclub scene.
The 2 sides can have their very own HQ that any participant can entry, however solely aligned gamers will have the ability to enter the VIP space. This can all sit beside the Photo voltaic Crown PvP competitors which provides the sport its title, a event that can sprawl throughout the entire metropolis.
This new Take a look at Drive Limitless will happen in a full recreation of Hong Kong and, on the very least, KT Racing did present some new screenshots that present the environmental work that they’ve been placing in. It ranges from the inside metropolis to the virtually untamed wilderness, and we’re eager to see the way it all comes collectively… however that must wait for an additional time, as a result of not even a sniff of gameplay has been revealed.
The dearth of gameplay at this level is getting a bit tiresome, and leans into one of many worst tendencies inside the video games business: asserting a sport or undertaking far too early. It’s now been two years because the first teaser trailer and announcement for Take a look at Drive Limitless Photo voltaic Crown in 2020 with KT Racing returning in 2021 with a moody face to face’ video, after which a location reveal for the Hong Kong setting, however no gameplay, even with a 2022 launch date nonetheless anticipated.
It wasn’t till Could of this yr that they confirmed that the sport has been delayed till 2023, and that KT Racing cancelled the discharge for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles. This could hopefully assist them whereas sprucing the sport and optimising for the vastly extra highly effective newer technology of consoles.
I get that Take a look at Drive Limitless is geared to be a grand revival for a as soon as very talked-about and pioneering racing sport collection, however I don’t suppose it actually helps construct any form of anticipation for the sport to maintain trotting it out and don’t have anything consultant to point out. Higher to attend till there’s one thing significant to point out, even when it means you’ll be able to’t characteristic a tentpole launch in your summer time showcase.
Trying again on the final sport within the collection, the 2011 title Take a look at Drive Limitless 2, we didn’t pin a rating on it, however Alex did share some ideas on the sport:
“There are moments in Take a look at Drive Limitless 2 when all the pieces snaps collectively completely and also you get an all too uncommon, blissful, zen-like rush of pure pleasure. If it’s the best time of day with the solar setting on the horizon forward, an open street at 150mph and Paul Van Dyke blasting via the in-car radio like Kevin and Perry going massive, it’s a dreamy, unworldly sensation that might solely be captured with all of the variables firmly in place. TDU2, when it really works, is breathtaking.”
After all, the subsequent line was, “However when it doesn’t, it’s a wreck.”
Right here’s hoping Photo voltaic Crown is the previous and never the latter.