This Could Be The Test Drive Unlimited Alternative You’ve Been Hoping For

After the Gear.Club Unlimited 3 reveal trailer dropped just three weeks ago, we now get our first proper gameplay reveal from the latest installment in the series, developed by Eden Games in collaboration with Nacon.

For those unaware, Eden Games is the studio behind Test Drive Unlimited 1 & 2, which explains the familiar vibes you’ll likely notice from the upcoming racer, dubbed TDUs ‘spiritual successor’ by fans.

Creative Director Benoit Gomes walks us through the details from the initial Alpha build, showcasing what’s coming to Nintendo Switch 2 at the end of the year, followed by PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam) releases later.

Story Mode Takes You to Japan and France

The main concept behind the game remains centered around the story mode, which Gomes believes gives “a reason to drive” that many racing games currently lack.

Interestingly, the story is split between Japan and France, where you’ll regularly return to France and travel to Japan.

In Japan, you’ll start from scratch in an effort to establish yourself, develop your headquarters, buy and customize cars, find a team, and prove your skills on unfamiliar roads. 

New ‘Highway Rush’ Mode

A standout new feature is the ‘Highway Rush’ mode, where a gauge fills up based on your speed and successful overtakes. Once the gauge empties, it’s game over.

This takes place on Tokyo Xtreme Racer-style looped highways with adjustable traffic levels. Unlike TXR, you get daytime driving and full cockpit views.

There’s also the option for closed street circuits, with a ‘Time Attack’ mode where you can race against up to 10 AI opponents.

The much-loved split-screen mode and online leaderboards provide competitive options. You can also explore the stunning Japanese touge, the beautiful Mediterranean coast, with its sea views and French Riviera castles, when you need a break from the intense highway action.

Car Tuning Workshops & Dealership

Over 40 vehicles will feature in the game at launch. Thankfully, the new Japanese setting features more JDM cars than previous entries, with Nissan, Mazda, and Subaru officially licensed.

European and North American additions also return, alongside the Middle East, with the clip teasing hypercars like the W Motors Fenyr Supersport and Lykan Hypersport.

The game’s tuning and customization look awesome, with several large, editable workshops and dealership showrooms to explore. ‘Mechanic mode’ handles the tuning and tweaking.

A separate workshop also focuses on visual upgrades for your rides, offering a wide range of aftermarket parts.

In the clip, they modify an Alfa Romeo 8C, showing multiple bumper, side skirt, spoiler, and rim options. Also seen is weight reduction, including ‘Semi-Tubular Frame’ and ‘Carbon Chassis’ upgrades.

Many fans are already pointing out the game’s potential as a replacement for Test Drive Unlimited. In the YouTube comments, @al3xcr76 states:

“For Tdu 4, leave it to Eden Games. When I see the end of the video with the dealers clearly reminiscent of Tdu 1 and 2, it really hits me. Solar Crown should have been like this”.

Given Eden Games’ history with the TDU series, those comparisons are likely intentional and welcome for fans who have been left wanting after the disappointment of Solar Crown so far.

Has it got what it takes to fill the void? We’ll have to wait and see.

In case you missed it, here’s Gear.Club Unlimited 3’s initial reveal trailer: