This is a tough one. The exploration is something I would recommend this game alone for, but the lack of Test Drive DNA makes me not want to play anymore until major updates.

I want to recommend this now, because what is in the game is quite good.
I have seriously enjoyed exploring, it's the best part. Seems maybe not as unrestricted as Forza Horizon 5 and 4, but the places you visit seem way more real, Horizon feels surreal, but this you feel like you're exploring a real place down to very minute details mainly in the way the roads work. I really liked that, I've taken loads of screenshots and thoroughly enjoyed just driving around.

The very disappointing part, is something they have mentioned will come at a later date, but it's just their word at the moment and there is no proof.
What I'm talking about of course is the lack of Test Drive DNA.
The parts that made Test Drive Unlimited 2 so great, are very simple concepts. Buying and selling property, licenses and that feeling of having a "life" around racing and driving, it was great but extremely simple to implement and for some reason many games haven't done or even tried this, except for GTA/GTA Online, the difference is the purpose of GTA is very different.

If they do what they are promising, and add the simple yet proper Test Drive DNA into this game, it will be thoroughly enjoyable, but right now, apart from the exploring it's just another racing game.

This is a tough one. The exploration is something I would recommend this game alone for, but the lack of Test Drive DNA makes me not want to play anymore until major updates. I want to recommend this now, because what is in the game is quite good. I have seriously enjoyed exploring, it's the best part. Seems maybe not as unrestricted as Forza Horizon 5 and 4, but the places you visit seem way more real, Horizon feels surreal, but this you feel like you're exploring a real place down to very minute details mainly in the way the roads work. I really liked that, I've taken loads of screenshots and thoroughly enjoyed just driving around. The very disappointing part, is something they have mentioned will come at a later date, but it's just their word at the moment and there is no proof. What I'm talking about of course is the lack of Test Drive DNA. The parts that made Test Drive Unlimited 2 so great, are very simple concepts. Buying and selling property, licenses and that feeling of having a "life" around racing and driving, it was great but extremely simple to implement and for some reason many games haven't done or even tried this, except for GTA/GTA Online, the difference is the purpose of GTA is very different. If they do what they are promising, and add the simple yet proper Test Drive DNA into this game, it will be thoroughly enjoyable, but right now, apart from the exploring it's just another racing game.