E3 2001 Preshow ReportTest Drive Off-Road Wide Open

Infogrames is bringing its wildly successful Test Drive Off Road series to the PlayStation 2 with Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open. The game will feature 12 killer trucks, including the Dodge Ram 2500, Ford's Bronco, the Dodge Durango, and GMC's Hummer. Gameplay will once again be bouncy and rough, but this time around each vehicle will be fully customizable and will come with its own handling characteristics.

The PlayStation 2 version of Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open will spotlight three large environments, including Moab, Utah; Yosemite, California; and the Big Island of Hawaii. Each environment will offer between eight to 10 different tracks with novice and expert variations. Some races will require you to race through checkpoints in a certain order, while others will focus on fastest lap or course times.

All tracks will be styled in a go-anywhere environment where you have the freedom to choose any path you wish while attempting to complete the course in the fastest time possible. Each location will also contain a range of specific environmental effects, such as active volcanoes, flowing waterfalls, and toppling palm trees. What this boils down to is shortcuts, hazards, and water traps aplenty.

Sprucing things up, the soundtrack for Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open will feature hits from a number of thrash-rock and techno groups, including Metallica, Digital Assassins, Fear Factory, 303 Infinity, and Unloco.