Test Drive 6

Absolute Playstation (89 out of 100) (89%)

When compared to previous 'Test Drive' games, this sixth outing provides very little that is completely new, but don't let that put you off checking this game out as its an absolute blast to play. The points system encourages you to re-race tracks over and over again without getting bored (ALA Gran Turismo) and the combination of racing on traffic filled roads while eluding chasing cops, means that every race is NEVER the same. The physics of the cars as they race are believable and realistic, yet the spectacular death defying jumps and recovers are total arcade fantasy. It was also nice to see that there were noticeable differences in characteristics between each car, especially when they get upgraded. All in all Test Drive 6 will provide you with many hours of pleasure and you will find yourself popping this one back into the console over and over again.

Hacker (84 out of 100) (84%)

Kad smo tek pokrenuli igru, izgledalo je da će dobiti preporuku mjeseca i da je Test Drive napokon prestigao Need For Speed, ali ipak - nekoliko je zamjerki izašlo na vidjelo. Prvo, multiplayer je loš, a tu su i sitne greške kao što je prolaženje auta kroz stupove za rasvjetu, nekoliko smrzavanja igre i resetiranja, općenito, neki mlak osjećaj nedovršenosti, što je lako moguće jer svi žure izbaciti igre prije Božića. No, to ne znači da je igra loša. Zanimljive staze, dobar AI i jako dobra grafika (ako imate brzo računalo) će pružiti dosta zabave svakom ljubitelju ovakvih utrka.

PC Gameworld (79 out of 100) (79%)

Buy this one if you find it cheap, but don't drop a sizable amount of cash on it that you could spend on something that will give you longer lasting enjoyment.

Fragland.net (77 out of 100) (77%)

Overall I would say that this game is good for a graphically very nice arcade racer (see the shots), but it doesn't even touch the toes of The Need for Speed on any part of racing games (gameplay, graphics, features, extra's, ...).

Absolute Games (AG.ru) (75 out of 100) (75%)

Безумно сложно вступать на хрупкую почву размышлений на тему “А хороша ли эта игра и стОит ли в нее гамиться?”. Но регламент и требования масс, ничего не поделаешь. Понимаете, TD6 насквозь вторичен, условен и, разумеется, не несет в себе никаких новаторских идей (вы ошиблись жанром, если всерьез хотели их). Но для него характерно какое-то необъяснимое ощущение веселья, пронизывающего игровой процесс.

PC Games (Germany) (71 out of 100) (71%)

Einst war die Test Drive-Serie eine Legende, doch seit einigen Jahren setzen die Entwickler auf Masse statt auf Klasse: Viele Autos und viele Strecken sollen von der kaum vorhandenen Technik ablenken. Mit einer riesigen Anzahl aufregender Fahrzeuge und etlichen neugestalteten Strecken könnte Test Drive 6 jede Probefahrt bei Ihrem Autohändler überflüssig machen. Leider scheitert dies an einem allzu schlichten Fahrmodell, das kaum Unterschiede zwischen den einzelnen Wagentypen und nicht einmal ein Gefühl für die eigene Geschwindigkeit vermittelt.

PC Joker (70 out of 100) (70%)

Wer den Vorgänger kennt, dem dürfte gleich nach dem ersten Start das deutlich verbesserte Handling auffallen. Mittlerweile jagt man seinen Boliden ohne Probleme über die abwechslungsreichen Strecken - allerdings stets solo, gesellige Raser werden neuerdings nicht mehr bedient. Zudem geht der Serienproduktion in puncto Optik und Akustik so langsam der Lack ab... Bleiben als Pluspunkte die nach wie vor üppigen Einstellmöglichkeiten sowie Modi für jeden Geschmack: Meisterschaft, Einzelrennen, Zeitfahren oder Cop-Modus. Zudem lassen sich von den Preisgeldern neue Autos und Upgrades kaufen. Da wieder viele der gut 20 Strecken und 40 Fahrzeuge erst freizuspielen sind, hat man also schon ein Weilchen Spaß am Gas.

Gamezilla (69 out of 100) (69%)

This game has some redeeming qualities but it is not the best racer on the system. I did not hate it, nor did I love it. I enjoyed playing it for the most part but just think it could have been so much better. I know it is a port and the first efforts on the Dreamcast from this developer so hopefully next year they will focus on making a great Dreamcast game first and port it out to the other systems second. Keep your fingers crossed because as always, I see potential here for a great game if they can just fix the nagging problems.

Gameplay (Benelux) (69 out of 100) (69%)

De zoveelste telg in deze arcade racer reeks borduurt weer verder op het voorgaande. Saai!

Video Game Critic, The (B-) (67%)

There's some minor slowdown and pop-up, but the action is fairly smooth for the most part. The two-player split screen mode forces you to race on a vertically split screen, which is hard to get used to. Besides the normal and versus modes, there's also an amusing "cops and robbers" mode, and a less-than-challenging "challenge" mode. Test Drive 6 worked well with my steering wheel controller. It won't blow you away, but if you can get this for under $10 (like I did), it's a steal.

Imperium Gier (6.3 out of 10) (63%)

Mimo iż Test Drive 6 swoje lata już ma, to nadal potrafi zadziwić grafiką i wykonaniem. Samochody wyglądają ładnie i choć nie są superszczegółowe, to jednak na pierwszy rzut oka wiemy, z jakim modelem mamy do czynienia. Nie zapomniano także o takich detalach, jak światła odbijające się w mokrej nawierzchni, czy też dym z opon pojawiający się podczas zerwana przyczepności lub ostrego hamowania. Pewne zastrzeżenia można mieć do animacji i wykrywania kolizji, bo w pewnych momentach mogą występować pewne przekłamania. Nie zdarzają się co prawda często, ale od czasu do czasu nasz pojazd potrafi przeniknąć przez jakiś obiekt.

Game.EXE (3 out of 5) (60%)

Посредственные гонки с отличной музыкой. Нет оригинальности, есть подражание NFS: HS. Нет Игры, есть Fear Factory.

WomenGamers.com (6 out of 10) (60%)

I have not played Test Drive 1 through 5; however, after playing Test Drive 6, I don’t think I missed anything. It is not; however, your typical car racing game. The cop chases, ticketing, and betting components of this game add elements of thrills as you step on the accelerator for that need for speed. There are lots of cool cars to choose from, and each has its own feel. Graphically the cars look realistic and I’ve seen better scenery, but the music; however, was well thought out.

PC Action (Germany) (59 out of 100) (59%)

Was auf der Konsole ein Kracher ist, muss nicht zwangsläufig auch auf dem PC so sei- dies trifft leider auch auf Test Drive 6 zu. Es ist zwar grundsätzlich kein schlechtes Spiel, kann aber schon grafisch mit der Konkurrenz nicht mithalten. Auch mit dem zu undifferenziertem Fahrverhalten landet Test Drive keinesfalls auf der Überholspur.

Jeuxvideo.com (11 out of 20) (55%)

Un jeu qui se voit malheureusement mettre des bâtons dans les roues par des graphismes plus que perfectibles. On trouve également ça et là quelques incohérences fâcheuses qui privent ce titre du réalisme qu’il aurait mérité et qui surtout lui aurait été nécessaire.

GameSpot (Belgium/Netherlands) (54 out of 100) (54%)

Ach, waar is de tijd dat Test Drive stond voor kwaliteit en uren racefun? De neerwaartse spiraal dient omgebogen te worden jongens, want dit kan echt niet meer.

Gamer's Pulse (5.3 out of 10) (53%)

Test Drive 6 is an arcade game that tries to mix in some simulation elements. Ultimately, it fails to fully succeed at either. The Tournament mode where you earn credits and customize your own car is very unfulfilling, since you can use those cars in any track using the Single or Practice modes. The upgrades also have a negligible effect on your car, so you’ll find that saving your money for a higher-class car is the more attractive option. After an hour or two you will get tired of this mode and start racing in the single races. After another hour you will tire of single player mode and will be looking for some one to race against. After another hour you will be playing a different game. As you can see, Test Drive 6 does not have that much depth. Unless you don’t have anything else to play for your Dreamcast, which is unlikely since the Dreamcast is inundated with great titles, pass up on Test Drive 6.

GameSpot (5.2 out of 10) (52%)

In the end, TD6 should be treated as a light snack. With Gran Turismo 2 on the horizon, it's daft to invest in any other racing game in the near future. TD6's mock-serious approach to arcade-style racing should warrant nothing more than a rental; to humor its illusion of depth would mean a sizable investment of time for a truly shallow return.

PSM (2.5 out of 5) (50%)

Do we really need another Test Drive? Well, yes, but this isn't it. TD4 was the only one to really break any new ground, but the two sequels, including the latest-TD6, show some improvement, but nothing ground-breaking. The games in the Test Drive series have all been about the same when compared to something like the Ridge Racer or Need For Speed series.

Adrenaline Vault, The (AVault) ( ) (50%)

Once again, Test Drive 6 has failed to escape from the many problems that have kept this long-running series from reaching its potential. Interface and gameplay limitations are the main culprits here, with the absence of multiplayer competition, the jerkiness of the animation, and the weak support for input devices particularly glaring deficiencies. This has not been the best year for conventional car racing releases, so there are not many better just-released alternatives available this holiday season; but unless you are desperate I would wait until next year.

GameStar (Germany) (48 out of 100) (48%)

Test Driver wirkt von Jahr zu Jahr unaufregender: das Fahrverhalten abenteuerlich, die Autos resistent gegen jegliche Schäden, der neue Karrieremodus schlecht designt. Blöderweise setzt Need for Speed 4 das gleiche Konzept auf einem grafisch und spielerisch weitaus höherem Niveau um. Die Test-Drive-Serie offenbart mittlerweile eine Seelenverwandtschaft zu Lada und Trabant. Auch die kauft man höchstens aus Mitleid oder Sammlerleidenschaft.

GameSpot (4.7 out of 10) (47%)

However, in the end, Test Drive 6 is just a mess. Its multiple flaws, poor graphics, and boring gameplay take away all the fun. While the high-speed racing can be entertaining for a while, particularly with some of the faster cars, you'll almost always run into a problem with gameplay that spoils your enjoyment.

GameSpot (4.6 out of 10) (46%)

In the end it's difficult to call Test Drive 6 a disappointment; having played the game's earlier incarnations has left me with an idea of what to expect. If the arcade-style aspects of the game had worked out more, then perhaps this title would have had an edge in the already-huge market of racers. As is, though, TD6 tries to go in too many directions, which, unfortunately, end up undermining each other. It was sort of weak on the PlayStation. On the Dreamcast it's a primped-up clone of a sort-of-weak game. There are a handful of great racers available for the Dreamcast. It's inconceivable for one to choose TD6 in lieu of a game like Speed Devils or Sega Rally 2.

PC Player (Germany) (45 out of 100) (45%)

Einst war Test Drive innovativ und erregend, inzwischen aber fährt man in provinziellen Niederungen. Über vierzig Autos und 24 Rennstrecken enthält das Spiel? Na großartig. Überlegt man aber, dass Test-Drive-Spiele in jährlichen Abständen erscheinen, hat man für keine Strecke mehr als ein paar Tage Zeit gehabt. So zumindest wirkt's auf mich.

Video Games (4 out of 10) (40%)

Auf alle Fälle bleibt der Eindruck, den man beim ersten Betrachten dieses Games bekommt, auch nach längerer Spielzeit derselbe. Nämlich die unvermeidbare Frage, ob man es wirklich mit einem DC-Game zu tun hat. Das mag sich vielleicht auf den ersten Blick etwas drastisch anhören, doch spätestens wenn das bestenfalls durchschnittliche und völlig austauschbare Intro vorüber ist, erinnert nichts mehr an die ach so hochgelobte Rechen-Power des DC. Der Fairness halber sollte an dieser Stelle vielleicht erwähnt werden, dass der Soundtrack des Games zwar von (bekannten?) Bands wie Eve 6 oder the Cars beigetragen wurde, die Stücke im Spiel jedoch viel zu kurz sind, um bei längeren Kursen den Griff zum Lautstärkeregler zu vermeiden. Das ist auch der einzige habwegs erwähnenswerte Aspekt des Games.

Computer Gaming World (CGW) ( ) (40%)

Like comic/actor Adam Sandler, Infogrames’ TEST DRIVE series continues to thrive despite critical scorn and obvious flaws. With a development cycle seemingly a year or more behind its chief rivals — and some of the worst control coding of any action racing game — it nevertheless keeps on motoring along. TEST DRIVE 6 is the latest from the studios of long-time developer Pitbull Syndicate. and it once again relies upon the proven formula at real-life sports cars in highly improbable situations. Is it a test drive? Not on your life. This has long been one of PC gaming’s premier examples of floating-above-the-ground arcade-ism, and that hasn’t changed.

Planet Dreamcast (4 out of 10) (40%)

Test Drive 6 might be worth renting if you really like racing games or thought Test Drive 5 was cool, but come on, there's a bunch of superior racers already on the Dreamcast. Almost everything Test Drive 6 does, somebody else already does better. What's the point? If I had to sum up this game with one word, I'd just say "Blah" and stick out my tongue. Not much else would need to be said.

IGN (3.4 out of 10) (34%)

Overall, Test Drive 6 only escapes "completely forgettable" because it left such a bad taste in my mouth. Take shoddy visuals, uneventful gameplay, and poorly schemed car physics and you've got one truly unrewarding experience on your hands. I was just starting to get over the gruesome play experience of Slave Zero when I was hit with this one -- Infogrames needs to hire some quality control if they care one iota about their track record. I don't think their Dreamcast reputation can afford another stinker after this.

Digital Press - Classic Video Games (3 out of 10) (30%)

This series dates back and after 15 years of programming, we get this?? The once lucrative Test Drive name has been scarred to a point where not even plastic surgery could fix it. Gamers should expect more from such powerful hardware. Go buy and old PC and play the first game in the series. It has more redeeming features than this lazy entry.

PC Accelerator (3 out of 10) (30%)

Cool soundtrack aside, the rest of the presentation of the game feels flat, behind the times, and unrefined. Sadly, TD6 doesn't come close to being as good as NFS3, let alone the fourth iteration. It doesn't even make up its NFS shortcomings by excelling with a good multiplayer option. There isn't one.

Cincinnati Enquirer (1 out of 4) (25%)

Test Drive 6 attempts to overcome its inadequacies with a high-powered sound track from some of today’s hot bands, including Fear Factory. Unfortunately, while the music is good, it doesn’t fit with the action and would be better off sold as a separate CD. It’s a shame that a series like Test Drive would take such a fall. When originally released, the first few Test Drive’s were top-notch entertainment. Unfortunately, like countless money-driven sequels, it just didn’t know when to stop. Sadly, one will be challenged to remember the highlights of the series after playing this painful, and hopefully, final version.

JeuxVideoPC.com (5 out of 20) (25%)

La série Test Drive a tenu plus d'un joueur en haleine pendant de longues soirées entre amis ou en solo. Mais avec le temps, de meilleurs jeux sont venus qui ont relégué ces titres au fond de l'armoire... Cela vaut-il encore la peine de les ressortir ?

incite PC Gaming ( ) (20%)

If you want to play this kind of racing game, run out right now and get Need for Speed: High Stakes.

Game Chronicles (1 out of 10) (10%)

I can't think of a single redeeming thing to say about Test Drive 6. Unless you really want a copy of the Fear Factory "Cars" video on MPEG-CD then you have no reason to buy this game. It is an insult to racing fans and Dreamcast owners everywhere. The Test Drive legacy of poor and uninspired sequels continues even on the most powerful console system available. This is "strike two" for Infogrames. I'll be anxious to see what they release next, but I'm not holding my breath.