DESCRIPTION

The Test Drive series veers off the beaten path again in this fourth installment of the off-road franchise, the first on PlayStation 2. Players have their choice of 13 licensed vehicles from such manufacturers as Jeep, Hummer, Wrangler, and Ford as they prepare to race across mud, gravel, grass, sand, and rock. Three real-world environments include Moab, Utah, Yosemite National Park in California, and Hawaii. Single Race, Career Race, and Free Roam are the three modes of play.

Single Race has players embarking on nine events composed of three racing styles: circuit, blitz, and scramble. Circuit races involve passing through a series of checkpoints while traveling along a structured route, blitz races have players following onscreen arrows leading to the next checkpoint, and scramble races require hitting all available checkpoints in any order. Single Race mode is complete when players place third or better on each course for all three types of races. Players will then earn a vehicle upgrade in the area of speed, power, or suspension.

Career Race follows a series of 35 races spanning five seasons, where players can earn money to spend on upgrades or to purchase new vehicles. Free Roam offers an opportunity to explore the environments without worrying about time limits or competition. As in previous titles in the franchise, players can listen to a hard-driving soundtrack consisting of 14 songs recorded by such artists as Metallica, Fear Factory, Digital Assassins, Unioco, Celldweller, and more. Two players can participate in both Single Race and Free Roam modes, with top race times and laps saved to memory card. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide