9 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
Test Drive Le SNOOZE
Date of Review: Feb 25, 2001
The Bottom Line: Excels greatly in everything but gameplay, lacks replay value. Excellent sound and visuals though.
Introduction
Test Drive Le Mans is a racing game, that's all it is. It is nothing more. There is almost no expansion, not much that is exciting. If you like racing games than maybe this will be great. The game is great in all aspects but, it lacks in gameplay.
Gameplay: 2
In real life this is an actual 24 hour race that pits the endurance, skill, and overall ability of the drivers. This game attempts to mirror it by basically doing the same thing, but you can take it straight to your living room. You have the option to choose from race time limits of 24 hours, real time, to 10 minutes in which it simulates 24 hours. There is also a quick race and time trial. You can also review your records such as best lap and races completed. Overall the gameplay is lacking and has little depth.
Controls: 4
Test Drive Le Mans has a standard control configuration like most racing games for the Dreamcast. The R trigger is acceleration and L is the brake. You steer with the Joystick and you can shift with the buttons. It is not a difficult control set especially on easy, where it auto turns and auto brakes for you. If your up for a real challenge try it on hard when it is very difficult to stay on the track and in 1st and the same time. Overall the controls are excellent and take little time to learn, but awhile to master.
Sound: 5
When you play this game you can hear the engines, brakes, everything. It's almost like being at the track when you play! The game is also complimented with a nice soundtrack featuring an upbeat style which sets the mood and livens you up for the race. The sound is probably one of the games greatest features, but it is nothing compared to the visuals.
Visuals: 5
The game has incredible graphics and makes a very good usage of the Dreamcast's graphical abilites. While the game does have very many jagged edges and lacks good anti-aliasing, it does have very detailed textures and cars. The view is rather odd, because it is almost like a fish-eye lens when playing. The game also appears to run very fast, but can be a little slow during heavy traffic areas.
Overall: 3
While this game does excel greatly it lacks in gameplay. I judge games based primarily on their gameplay. Since this game is missing depth and replay value I have to give it a 3. If your a die-hard racing fan than buy this, you will love it. If your a little into racing games I don't recommend it. While this game is very good, it just feels like it's missing something when it comes to the actual play.
