Monday, January 17, 2011

Review: Gran Turismo 5

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Races were silky smooth, and no decrease in quality was noticed, even during split-screen play. I did enjoy testing cars and getting a feel for the track prior to the start of the race, but I would like to see additional vehicle qualifiers, particularly in regard to horsepower. The community dashboard offers a plethora of features including messaging, a lounge, and the ability to gift cars to others.

NASCAR

While entertaining, this mode should not be mistaken for a full-blown NASCAR title. With this in mind, fans should still try out the stock cars, if for no other reason that the excellent cockpit view. This mode play also offers a very realistic sense of these beasts' performance capabilities, while you race 11 other drivers (sorry, no 43 car fields). Skills which are class-specific (such as drafting) are extremely important to perfect, since you will almost certainly fall behind the pack without it.

KARTS

If you're like me, you may see karting as an undemanding form of motor sports. However, this mode of racing is really enjoyable, and I would highly suggest competing using the first-person camera. Since karts are very low to the ground, your sense of speed is exaggerated. Also, because of the short wheelbase, the tight turning radius can lead to unexpected spin outs.

COURSE CREATOR

The randomly generated course creator was a lot of fun to play around with, and the seemingly endless tracks the system generated were enjoyable to watch. You can even demo the course as it is constructed. The biggest downfall to this feature was the tendency for the entire track to change if only one portion was altered.

CARS/UPGRADE/CUSTOMIZE

Cars in GT 5 are placed in one of two classes: Standard or Premium. This doesn't refer to the vehicles' quality or monetary value, but only whether a cockpit view is available, as well as the presence of fully rendered (i.e. Premium) parts. Having said that, the Standard options are great looking, great performing vehicles. And in all honesty, most of the time I couldn't remember which car was which.

It's easy to see where all the development energy was focused in the newly released Gran Turismo 5. After five years, we all have an idea of what the game should look like, and despite a few downfalls, the game is more than capable of standing on its own four tires. Admittedly, since GT5 doesn't deliver on every single front, I wouldn't label it the most complete racing game available. But the fact remains, when you get behind the wheel of GT 5's numerous vehicles, it remains a racing experience like no other. And, despite Polyphony Digital's inability to release the game in a timely fashion, the company's singular vision and commitment to delivering a great race experience pay off big in Gran Turismo 5.

Having played countless racing titles throughout the years, racing game fans often find the primal thrill of saddling up a red-hot race car and pushing it to its limits to be elusive. Going fast is always fun, but there's something more that separates the great racing titles from the remainder of the pack. GT 5's success in capturing the thrill of racing cements it as a key player in the hotly contested racing game market.

The biggest reason for this is the seemingly infinite attention to detail, which draws you deeper in your seat as you whip around a corner or blast down a city street. Racing, whether on a game console or on a track, is about living in the moment. The game's very tangible sense of speed, combined with graphics whose detail more than keep pace, truly gives the sensation of being in that car, at that moment. You and the car are one.

I highly suggest you get into a premium car and race using the cockpit view. The details are so fine you can almost feel the stitches on the leather wrapped steering wheel. As for the driving experience, you will feel the sensation of every bump on the street, allowing better insight into the real rigors of racing. Throw in variables such as snow, rain, and lighting, and you have a game that visually lives up to the hype.

Another obvious factor that makes GT 5's racing second to none are the cars themselves. The physics are outstanding, and you really get a sense of the vehicles' driving characteristics - how easy they are to work with, and just how much performance you can wring out while still maintaining control.

Despite the glowing driving experience, one continuous criticism of the series as a whole is the uninspired, sterile impression of career mode. However, GT 5 doesn't abandon its traditional racing events format. As a high point, the available extra challenges make the learning curve relatively gentle, allowing even newcomers to earn money and XP in order to move up the ranks. Playing through Special Events like the NASCAR learning school or Rally stages is not only fun, but it breaks up the monotony of the normal A-Spec races, which is also a great place to turn when you hit a dead end and need an infusion of cash or XP.

The developers also peppered in rewards such as paint chips (which are used to change a vehicles' color), free vehicles, unlock codes for the Special Events, and Photo Travel locations. As you move further into the game, additional rewards become available for completing various tasks. As a result, my interest in Photo Mode was piqued, something I ordinarily wouldn't make an effort to explore (and which I found to be quite enjoyable). Unique incentives such as this are what keep the game play fresh and exciting, while making the entire gaming experience more cohesive.

For the most part, XP and money flow relatively smoothly, allowing a beginner to quickly work their way up the performance ladder. Having to race all kinds of vehicles offers the opportunity to appreciate each vehicles' high and low points, which helps players as racers in general. And in many ways, ultimate appreciation for the cars themselves is at the heart and soul of Gran Turismo.

As much as this newest incarnation has achieved the developer's overall vision, one can't help but recognize that the franchise needs to expand its horizons a bit. Gaming fans across the board have been vocal, offering suggestions which would offer a more complete racing experience. Despite this outcry, some of these issues continue to manifest themselves in GT 5.

For example, car damage has been requested for years, and now that it's arrived, I can only wonder what the developers were thinking. In the beginning phases, damage is mostly cosmetic and minor in relation to impact. This changes at a later point after "full damage" is unlocked. While I can understand the intent behind giving new players some wiggle room before an expensive chassis rebuild becomes necessary, this absence only hindered my driving skill. If I'm not worried about having to repair my car, I won't be overly concerned about hitting an object that I probably shouldn't. Since the game offers no cheap repairs, it may be best to learn proper driving technique from the beginning, instead of simply reducing vehicle damage.

Overall, online play is satisfying, except for the glaring absence of overall ranking or board leaders. In addition, I also think Polyphony missed a huge opportunity to integrate a user's online play with their single player career mode.

In addition, I would suggest integrating this into online play instead of the underwhelming B-Spec mode, which is where you command other drivers while they race for you. After all, why would I want someone else to race for me? I'm a race car driver at heart, and the jaws of life would have to pry me from the cockpit before I surrender the wheel to someone else.

After an extended, hand-wringing delay, Gran Turismo 5 is finally on the shelves. I didn't expect perfection, but did anticipate a gaming experience that made it worth the wait, and I wasn't disappointed. I certainly wasn't overwhelmed by every feature of the game, but on the whole, the considerable amount of exertion on behalf of the developer and attention to detail pays dividends. This is a racing experience gamers should not miss.

Below, I've included my impressions on additional aspects of Gran Turismo 5. For even more information other than what was provided here, please check out our complete overview from the other day. To see what has been discussed first hand, feel free to take a look at these videos.

Unlike a game such as Forza 3, there are not many customization options in GT 5, other than to change a Premium vehicles' wheel color. And although having a selection of over 1,000 cars is nothing to sneer at, I would like to see additional dealership search options in future releases.

R. Jacquez Has been writing articles for three years now. His Newest interest is in Flea control, so make sure you visit his newest website where he gives you all the information you need to get rid of those pesky fleas.

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