Test Drive II is a sequel done correctly yet just like these high octane cars, it's over in a flash.
Graphics: 8
Sounds: 6
Value: 5
Tilt: 8
Actual score: 7.2
Car enthusiasts will probably know that in 1989 there were two cars that dominated the World's roads in the form of speed and control; these two powerhouses are the Porsche 959 and the Ferrari F40. Accolade, known for their Test Drive game in 1987 took notice of this therefore produced a fine product where you not only get the opportunity to drive these two magnificent beasts on the roads but also do this head-to-head. In addition there will be on-going traffic to avoid and to really get a sense of road supremacy, outrun any cops that happens to trail you otherwise being slapped a speeding ticket (and embarrassment).
And this is what Test Drive II is all about; showing who the king-ping of the road is. To start things off, naturally you need to select either the Porsche 959 (my personal favourite) or the Ferrari 40. To assist you in your choice there will be detailed stats for both cars as the old saying goes 'know thy enemy'. Once selected you can opt for time trial or go head-to-head. Logically head-to-head is where the action is.
Racing these cars won't be smooth sailing as there will be on-going traffic, potholes, the police and obviously your opponent. Depending upon the chosen skill level will determine the population of the traffic and the skill of your opponent and police. The higher the skill the more difficult the race and as a tongue-in-cheek the graphical representation when selecting your skill level ranges from a toddler to the racer man himself (this will test your ego people). In addition, the lowest four skill levels reserved for automatic transmission then the rest manual.
The controls are easy to navigate as the game supports both joystick and keyboard yet the joystick will provide the upper hand as the manual transmission it's easier to change gears. Yet it's still a little hard to manage especially when turning corners as it requires pressing down the fire button and moving the stick up or down to change gears. As you can see it's not a very good option when turning.
To win the race, you need to score the highest points during the six sections of the race and to end each section requires you to park next to a petrol station; that said if you fly past the station or park too far left adds a time penalty so it pays to take notice of the distance recorded on the indicator next to the review mirror. In addition, you start the game with six lives and each crash will loose one; once all if lost then game over yet completing a section adds an extra life. A word of caution: if you crash into a cop car then it's instantly game over so beware; it's better to get a speeding ticket then crashing into the police car.
The highlights of the game arguably are the police cars. If you happen to hear the cop's siren the easy way out is to slow down but what good is that when you are driving the ultimate chick-magnet machine; you can opt to speed up and outrun them or do the ultimate ego trip, slow down but still going over the speed limit, let the cop tail you behind then slam on the accelerator. I personally do this quite often as it really brings the frills of driving high speed and nothing is better than getting numerous cops chasing you. Also when you park into the petrol station take notice of the petrol station's signpost and the comments made about your performance.
The PC version of Test Drive II graphically is pleasant for what the PC can handle however considering that this game was also ported to the Atari ST and the Commodore Amiga, it's actually the poor cousin of the three. That said comparing to other PC games at the time is pretty much up there with the best. Accolade took pride in developing this product and fully supports both CGA and VGA modes. The cars themselves are quite detailed; their corresponding dashboard is well presented and easily noticeable with speed and rpm gauges and if you like by pressing the letter 'd' displays the gears on the left. The steering wheel has a red dot which indicates how far you're steering and a review mirror to check on all the action behind you (cops and your opponent). The landscapes are also quite acceptable and thankfully there is no 'vector graphics' lines displayed on the road. All this makes the player fully immerse in the driving experience of a lifetime as it's very rare during the time of release to have a full-fledge and effective 3D experience.
The quality of sounds is the game's weaker points. To look it at another way, the technology that fueled PC gaming when it comes to sounds wasn't fully fleshed out so expect plenty of bleeps. To the equipment at hand, Test Drive II has done a reasonable job making the sounds as good as it can be. The car engine is recognisable, the squealing tires somewhat but cool when the car takes off as it performs a wheel spin, going through potholes just produces a dull 'bleep', the collision sounds like a space invader alien just been blasted away and sadly the most annoying part is the cop's siren (and ironically so). Yet the opening musical score is quite ok.
Sadly all good things must come to an end therefore if you experience a good run the game can be over in about twenty five minutes. Yet due to the many obstacles you'll encounter, you can grab a couple more hours before it gets a little repetitive but the major factor is the ego trip and trying to achieve the best times is always a good thing. Accolade however acknowledged this therefore made allowance by adding more cars and scenery packages which includes muscle cars and European/California challenges but at an extra price.
Test Drive II is a sequel done correctly. Whilst the original Test Drive has five sports cars to choose from the game play gets a little monotonous as you are always swerving on a side of a mountain – good to start of with but soon it will get on your nerves. With Test Drive II major improvements have been made with regards to scenery (cliff face, tunnels, forests and barren landscapes) and the accumulation of dueling with another opponent is a sure winner. Adding on improved graphics and utilising an impressive 3D approach further enhances the game play as it's not an everyday occurrence that you'll get the opportunity to drive these magnificent beasts – well for me anyways!