What I Think of TDU2 - First Impression

[Crumpet]

After waiting for 3 years, my copy came yesterday. Turning it on I knew this was going to be a good game, and it was for sure.

Though a lot of bad speculation due to a small car list, and the lack of Lamborghini, the game seems to make me overcome this with a clean, attractive world with some fine detailed cars, both outside and inside. The handling model needs some getting used too, but after a few hours of just driving, I got pretty used to it and it now feels fine, and pretty smooth. The game will be keeping me busy for a while, due to two very big islands, and I'm keeping busy trying to find all the car dealerships and certain "wrecks" located around the island.

I love the high life concept, going to the car wash and having 3 sexy girls come out and clean my car is satisfying on it's own, the fact you have the ability to tune your car, and add decals is also a unique feature. It also has the option to have your car in matt, and even carbon, both paintable. The AI really isn't that hard to beat, even in a slower car. It noticeably get's harder as you progress through the game.

At the beginning of the game you choose a character, of which can be changed in almost every way, including a clothes shop, barbers, and even a plastic surgeon. Some of the downfall so far is the online mode, the servers are currently down a lot, and it can be very glitchy, and lag can get bad enough to crash your system if coming close to another user online. This has been replied to on Twitter and shall be getting fixed in an update, which is supposedly coming soon.

Like the first game, you have the option to use the horn, have your car windows up or down, and even have the roof down if your car can support that. DLC has already been released along with the Online Casino. This is only open to online users and two exclusive cars can be won here, however luck shall decide that. The Ferrari 458 Italia is not in the Xbox 360 version unfortunately, this is because of a licensing issue.

Overall I love the game, Ibiza, and Hawaii are beautiful, driving feels great, and the number of features along with some nice detailed graphics.

It's sad to put GT5 aside, but I will be enjoying this game for a while.



- A short clip of my purple MITO, and certain gameplay - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd0EDZEUC_A

- From Jai-AE86 (TDU2 Forums)

 

[the Interceptor]

That's funny...

I've been giving the way you obtain cars in GT5 some thought. I've seen a lot of people criticising how you have to sit through the repetitive animation in GT5 all the time, so I've been trying to come up with different ways to do this in the game. The first thing that came to my mind was that you have a huge garage like the one Jay Leno has, in which you can walk around in:



You would be able to approach all cars, probably open doors, bonnets, boots and do other stuff. And then there'd simply be a special corner with your newly obtained cars - problem solved!

So I watched the video footage of TDU2 you posted, and what's the first thing I see?

 

[LaBounti]

The trial and error wheel settings is a bit of a hassle, nothing feels perfect car to car. it's Grid all over again....


Is ok so far....... Those are my first impression. Like I wont get into the meat of the game until I get a decent setup....

 

[Diatribe777]

I'm really disappointed that you can't assign buttons.
Although I'm pleased with the DS3 layout, the lack of looking left or right with the steering wheel (dfgt) takes away from the experience.
You also can't invert the y-axis..bummer:tdown:

 

[the Interceptor]

My first impressions:

Got the game yesterday and gave it a short spin, did more driving this morning. I confess I was a little underwhelmed by the graphics first. Coming from the ultraclean and crisp-looking GT5, TDU2's looks need a moment to get used to.

But soon after that and after setting up my steering wheel properly (thanks NLxAROSA!), I just enjoyed crusing around the island in my Integrale, exploring the infrastructure as well as the details of the game. I try to avoid online as well as the social component, but it seems there's a bootload of things left to do here anyway. The scenery, day and nighttime as well as the weather effects are done quite beautifully, too, they transport the mood a certain time and weather can give you pretty well.

I love the freedom this game gives me in every regard, you can literally go anywhere at any time. Maybe I'm compensating the akwardness GT5 gave me with limiting what I can do right now, I don't know. Either way, I just started, and I already like TDU2 quite a lot. It really feels like an unlimited test drive. Just get in the car, turn up the radio and do whatever you like.

So far I'd say that TDU2 has worse graphics (much more lively, but not as clean and clear) and certainy worse physics than GT5, but overall it's a better game. Not sure about the sound yet. I'd say it's at least on par, maybe TDU2 even wins that round due to being richer and more lively.

 

[Bigbazz]

Car engine sound quality is terrible in this game, id be amazed at anyone who thought it was better in terms of engine sound than GT5, they sound like something recorded with an 80s keyboard synth.


TDU2 is a great game though i agree, but there are loads of gaping flaws, its its a buggy mess with online functionality still not working properly, there are major progression/economy issues later on in the game (after completing the solar crown), physics are quite bad, the radio becomes very annoying very fast with its short music playlist and large ammount of commercial breaks... (in a game... :|).

Road design in Hawaii is quite bad and you will soon get fed up of flying into the sea, mountains, other cars and well(not so) positioned lamp posts, when you experience one of the many many humps (jumps) in the road, that are often combined with corners after them, and are completely blind until you get over the top. These type of roads are all over hawaii and it gets really frustrating trying to drive them with the faster cars as you spend more time flying through the air and crashing into things than you do on the road.

 

[the Interceptor]

Car engine sound quality is terrible in this game, id be amazed at anyone who thought it was better in terms of engine sound than GT5, they sound like something recorded with an 80s keyboard synth.

I don't know, I've only experienced the Integrale so far. I think I know what you mean when you say it sounds a bit artificial, but I still think overall it's better than GT5. Here's why:

• the sound in TDU2 is not offset from the middle in cockpit view
• there is a much better represantation of the narrow-space-immersion inside a cockpit. GT5 is missing this almost completely
• the engine sound has much more variation to it. The exhaust crackles. The tone changes noticeably between letting the car roll and flooring it
• the tonal balance is better. The engine noise is richer and snortier, sounds more like a machine working hard than just a variated sound sample
• tire squeal and hitting things sounds much more realistic

As artificial as it may be, in my view it still is a much more lifelike and thus better representation of the sounds driving a car generates. I'm not saying GT5 doesn't have the potential, but as almost anywhere, it's like they started something great and then just gave up or took shortcuts. In TDU2 I rev my engine just because it sounds good. In GT5, I don't.

TDU2 is a great game though i agree, but there are loads of gaping flaws, its its a buggy mess with online functionality still not working properly, there are major progression/economy issues later on in the game (after completing the solar crown), physics are quite bad, the radio becomes very annoying very fast with its short music playlist and large ammount of commercial breaks... (in a game... :|).

I'm not as far in the game, and I can well imagine that these things will start to bother me when I get there.

Road design in Hawaii is quite bad and you will soon get fed up of flying into the sea, mountains, other cars and well(not so) positioned lamp posts, when you experience one of the many many humps (jumps) in the road, that are often combined with corners after them, and are completely blind until you get over the top. These type of roads are all over hawaii and it gets really frustrating trying to drive them with the faster cars as you spend more time flying through the air and crashing into things than you do on the road.

I've only been on Ibiza so far, but either way: these are small islands with rural roads. You can hardly argue that flying off these narrow and windy strips of tarmac in a Veyron with the taps wide open is unrealistic. If you go to fast over a blind crest, you may crash your car - what else is new? There is a reason speed limits exist, even if it's just in a game. Being allowed to drive around freely doesn't mean that it's clever to go 200+ kph everywhere.

 

[Bigbazz]

Your points are all valid but i think you need to experience some more of the game before you come to conclusions, the Delta is one of the best handling and best sounding cars in the game, along with a short list of others it sounds decent compared to many cars.

Pop along to your local Ferrari dealership and try out some of the cars there, you will get a feel for where i am coming from. With Hawaii, i am not talking about Veyrons, the first car i experienced there was a much slower Lotus Evora, and bouncing around the roads was one of my first experiences, lets not forget that you have to race along these roads, so cruising at legal speeds isnt where the problems arise.

 

[the Interceptor]

Yeah, I maybe need to get some more progress. Like I said, I just started, so everything I have seen now is based on first impressions. I'm sure there's a bit of shine there which will wear off during playing this game more. We'll see...

Anyway, I added my thoughts to this thread because it is about first impressions of TDU2 after all