Test Drive Unlimited 2 - Reception

Reception

Test Drive Unlimited 2 received mixed to positive critical response on release. Critics complimented the open world environment, and criticized the great amount of bugs on the game, the character models, voice acting, story elements and vehicle handling. On Metacritic, the PC version of the game received an aggregate score of 72/100, the PlayStation 3 version a score of 70/100, and the Xbox 360 version a score of 68/100. On GameRankings, the PC version was the highest ranked. The PlayStation 3 version scored 70.04%, and the Xbox 360 version scored 68.30%. According to an Eden Games employee, as of May 2011 studio internal estimated sales for Test Drive Unlimited 2 were put at roughly 900,000 units sold.

Matthew Kato from Game Informer praised the game, awarding it 8.5 out of ten and complimenting the mixture of open-world and online interactions with the single-player competitions and the free roam, calling them a "cohesive experience". He finally stated that Test Drive Unlimited 2 "might be lacking in most critical areas, but this is one instance where the sheer quantity of features prevails since their structure is thoughtful enough to make this game more than just a lazy vacation."

Bryan Stratton from G4 praised the replacement of the motorbikes from the original game with four wheel drive SUVs, stating that it was "an excellent decision considering how broken the bike physics were." He also considered the game's plot to be "so insanely ridiculous that there’s no point in describing it." About the character models, he commented that they "seem like they stepped out of a first-generation PS2 game, and the words that come out of their poorly animated mouths make the barely localized games of the late 90’s sound like the complete works of Shakespeare." He gave the game a score of 4 out of 5, finally commenting that "for all of its hokey weirdness, there’s a strange charm about it that will keep you coming back for more."

Jane Douglas from GameSpot was less enthusiastic with the game, awarding it a score of 7 out of 10, complimenting the open world and online iteractions as "attractive", but stating that, as a whole, the game "doesn't do any one thing better than a number of more specific, less expansive driving games." Oli Welsh from Eurogamer also gave the game a score of 7 out of 10. On his review, Welsh called Unlimited 2 a "fantastic escapism", complimenting the atmosphere and multi-player components. Otherwise, he criticized the theme, commenting that "for a game so obsessed with image and lifestyle, TDU2 is hilariously, if endearingly, uncool." He finally stated that "It's just a shame it sometimes needs to escape from itself."

Jon Denton from The Daily Telegraph gave the game a score of 7 out of 10, naming the game "another flawed gem" from Eden Games, and stating that "Test Drive Unlimited 2 teaches us that it’s not just the open world you create, but what you do within it that really forms its identity." William van Dijk Martín from spanish website MeriStation gave the game a score of 7 out of 10. He concluded that Unlimited 2 can be called "virtual tourism", and commented that "don't expect anything better than the first TDU - It's the same, but with tons of meaningless social options."

Ryan Clements from IGN was disappointed with the game, awarding it a mixed 5.5 out of 10, and stating that "This open-world driving experience is riddled with problems and even the driving itself is far from perfect." He criticized the "ugly character models" and voice acting on the game, considering that it "will annoy at first and then grow to intolerable levels as they're repeated constantly." Rory Manion from GameSpy gave the game a score of 5 out of 10. She compared the title against other modern racers, stating that "Want exciting racing? Grab Need for Speed: Shift, or Burnout Paradise, or Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Want the best driving model? Gran Turismo. Best car customization? TDU2's piddly sticker shops don't hold a candle to Forza Motorsport 3."

Destin Legarie from Destructoid gave a negative review of the game, awarding it a score of 4 out of 10 and commented that Test Drive Unlimited 2 was "surrounded by a bug filled world, glitchy gameplay, and a core mechanic that doesn't function." Steve Butts from The Escapist also gave the game a 2 stars out of 5, calling the game "a wreck, burdened with a laughable economy, too much irrelevant content and weak multiplayer options." He also commented that the game "definitely has its moments", further concluding that he "can't deny the game's quirky charm."