Test Drive Unlimited 2 [Promo] - boxed - PS3

Test Drive Unlimited 2 is the sequel to the open-world racing game Test Drive Unlimited. It's set on two islands: Ibiza and Oahu (the Hawaiian island that was also the setting of the first game). Oahu only becomes accessible after reaching level 10, after which the airport becomes reachable. There are 60 levels in total (up to level 70 with the optional Casino DLC), which can be reached by earning experience points in one of the following categories:

• Discovery (drive all roads and routes, find all hidden car wrecks, photograph certain locations)

• Collection (buy cars and houses, decorate them with furniture and stickers, buy clothes, get cosmetic surgery)

• Competition (race against others, both AI and real, complete challenges)

• Social (find friends, join clubs).

You start out as a parking valet, dreaming of getting a luxury car for your birthday, until you're rudely woken up by the rich girl whose car you were actually supposed to fetch. She then decides to hire you to take her to a studio she urgently needs to reach, and if you do well, you can take part in a racing competition called Solar Crown. Of course, to take part in the competition, you first need to earn a licence by attending a driving school and completing a series of tasks and tests to prove yourself worthy. Once you've obtained your licence, you can explore the first island. You can earn further licences to take part in other competitions. Licences and races come in different classes; for example, an A licence grants access to Asphalt challenges, B is for Off-Road, and C is for Classic. Each class is divided into subclasses, e.g. 5 6 7 low high, etc. To take part in challenges and championships, you need to buy a car from the relevant class.

The player's vehicle is fitted with a so-called F.R.I.M. device (Free Ride Instant Money), which lets you earn money that can be used to buy cars, houses, upgrades, clothes and so on. Close overtaking and/or high speeds, jumps, drifts and other "dangerous" driving manoeuvres fill a reward bar, which can be cashed in once it reaches a certain amount, or built up to a higher amount – with the risk of losing it all if you crash into something and have an accident. Cash can also be earned by completing races and challenges. Single-player challenges include driving someone prone to car sickness home by driving carefully and not "jostling" the car too much; driving a (luxury) car into a garage for a lazy owner; following someone's car at a discreet distance; driving someone around who wants you to stay above a certain speed, and driving someone around who wants you to drive dangerously to get their adrenaline pumping.

A weather system and a day/night cycle affect the number of road users and your traction; in rain or puddles, you'll skid in corners. In offline mode, a few AI drivers roam around who can challenge you to a quick race (for a stake of 1,000 dollars plus experience points), while in online mode you can do the same against real opponents. You can also team up in several co-op challenges. The game also features AI police officers who can caution you if they see you run a red light, drive against traffic, or cause an accident. A "traffic violation" indicator appears on your screen. It disappears again after a while, unless you break the law again while the bar is displayed. Then the police will come after you, and you'll have to pay a fine if they catch you. Sometimes the police can call you on your phone to join in on a joint chase. If you agree, you get to drive a police car to hunt down a traffic offender.

The game features several difficulty settings, which affect, for example, the amount of assistance you get while driving, manual or automatic transmission, and a racing line that's projected onto the roads during certain challenges. Some cars are harder to drive than others, and you can test-drive them at the car dealerships you gradually discover across the islands. There are also tuners who can upgrade your cars, and sticker shops where you can customise your car.