Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open Preview

Those familiar with the popular PS2 game Smuggler's Run will attest to the sheer expansiveness of the game's environments. Developer Angel Studios has put much work into devising an engine that would allow for the series' enormous environments, and it is now using the technology to set the stage for the next game in the Test Drive Off-Road series.

Recent information released by publisher Infogrames reveals that the game will feature 16 licensed vehicles and 30 off-road tracks. The actual tracks will presumably be less linear than those found in previous Test Drive Off-Road titles, due to Angel Studios' impressive engine. And thanks to the graphical prowess of the PS2, striking environmental effects and detailed textures could conceivably cure the game of the aesthetic bareness found in previous installments. If such is the case, Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open could prove to be the game that fans of a good mud rollick have been waiting for.

The game's races will take place on three of the world's most famous off-road locations: Moab, Utah; Yosemite, California; and Maui, Hawaii. Each of the game's 30 tracks will be set in one of the three locations, and a variety of race types will be explored on each. Each track will feature various paths, as per the formula established by the series, though Infogrames promises an even greater number of routes at the player's disposal, due to the enormous nature of the tracks.

Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open's vehicle roster is quite healthy, boasting all the requisite off-road machines. AM's Hummers and Humvees are present, naturally, as are Ford's Bronco, Jeep's Wrangler, and Dodge's RAM 2500, among others. According to Infogrames, all vehicles are customizable, paint jobs can be altered, and all sorts of parts can be upgraded. How the upgrades will apply to the actual gameplay is yet to be seen at this point. Infogrames has stated, however, that the upgrades will definitely have a tangible effect, on top of cosmetically altering the vehicles.

Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open, along with its licensed soundtrack, is slated for a summer 2001 release.