Test Drive: Off Road - Wide Open

After getting a long-awaited update on PlayStation 2, the popular all-terrain racing game is coming to the mighty Xbox, courtesy of Infogrames. Test Drive Off Road: Wide Open is set to give players more of the original's classic gameplay as well as a plethora of completely new features and updated statistics.

While the PlayStation 2 version was a stunning title in itself, there's no denying that visually, the Xbox version is superior. The environments are now more detailed than ever. The frame rate is great, the textures are smooth and varied, and this is all perfectly demonstrated by the wide range of locations featured in the game. Wide Open plays host to some of the most hostile environments drivers could imagine, featuring rough terrain, steep hill climbs and a number of on-course obstacles.

Fully licensed vehicles and a wide range of modes, including jump tests help to make Wide Open an extensive and realistic title. Just a few of the game's top race cars include the new BMW 4x4s and the European Mercedes. 30 tracks including a variety of A to B courses are just the icing on the cake.

The Xbox controller, while not the most ergonomically pleasing, has also been put to good use. The analogue control method is great, and helps to make handling feel a little more natural. Later stages in the game will require more precise control, but that's all part of the learning curve.

Test Drive Off Road: Wide Open is a great racing simulation that, while not as accomplished as Codemasters' Colin McRae Rally, gives Xbox owners a little taste of what second, third and fourth generation games will have to offer.