Game Review: Gran Turismo 5: Prologue

(andPOP) - Sony’s flagship racing title has finally come to the Playstation 3 and it couldn’t have been more anticipated by car buffs and simulation junkies alike. Don’t get your hopes up just yet though, this isn’t the treasured Gran Turismo 5 people have been clamoring about and waiting for all these years, this is Gran Turismo 5: Prologue. Too big to be a demo, too small to be the final product – Gran Turismo 5: Prologue is a taste of the future, and something to keep fans of the esteemed Gran Turismo series satisfied until the full game is out next year. GT 5:P is available for purchase both on disc at retail stores nationwide or as a direct download through the Playstation Network.

Gran Turismo titles have always pushed the boundaries not only of racing simulators and realism, but also of detail and graphic capabilities. Once again, Polyphony Digital has succeeded in this with one of the best looking and most realistic racing titles on any platform to date. As I said earlier, GT5: Prologue isn’t the final game, but this title shows us what we can expect.

Certain aspects of the game’s past titles have been noted and improved, namely the AI of computer racers, now not only does the AI react better and more realistically, but each level of difficulty can be felt and adjusted accordingly. Some other features to note in this game is the new in-car camera view, complete and robust digital instruction manual, GT TV, online play and a large selection of real world cars to choose from.

Prologue’s main mode of play has you racing events in a C class, with mediocre cars, low level AI and simplistic racing styles. Once players complete all the races in the C class, the B class opens up and it’s a whole new ballgame. GT 5:P gets very challenging very quickly, and going from not losing a single race in the C class, to not being able to win a single race in the B class can be frustrating. At times like this, it is important to remember that you are not playing an arcade racer, it’s a simulator, and as such, sometimes finesse is a little more important than putting the pedal to the metal. Once you master the tricks of the trade and complete all the events in the B class, you’re ready to move onto the most difficult level in this game, the A class.

Hopefully by this point in your gaming career, the final Gran Turismo 5 will be coming out soon.

The audio features in GT5:P are outstanding, never before has the sound of screeching tires and revving engines felt so realistic and exhilarating. Normally I’m not one to get excited over a racing game but when I hear that engine purr I turn into a completely different gamer. It feels and sounds almost as though you were actually sitting in the passenger seat of one of these racing monsters, the Dolby Digital selection doesn’t hurt either. The only problem my ears have with this game is the old school racing music that sounds a little too reminiscent of the Daytona USA days.

Where the Gran Turismo titles shined most are back and better than ever, this game looks amazing. When you first pop the disc into the PS3 and start it up, the introduction video will literally leave you speechless.

Never skipping as much as a single frame with lighting effects making every supremely detailed model looking flawless and as realistic as a any car can be, you may just want to let the AI do the racing while you sit back and enjoy the show. While the cars look amazing, the tracks and environment themselves are nothing to sneeze at either, beautifully detailed, the game is soft on the eyes. There are a few drawbacks to the environment though, like poorly animated sparse crowds during turns, and a Ferris wheel that doesn’t move, otherwise everything you look at is near flawless. Supporting all HD from 420p to 1080p, featuring over 60 real world beautifully rendered racing machines, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue is (in my opinion) the best looking game on four wheels out there now. While this title doesn’t give a strong feel of speed, not a lot of blurring or any wind effects, GT 5:P isn’t about power racing, it’s a simulation of what real world racing is like, and as far as I know, this is as close as most of us are going to get to it.

This isn’t your Burnout we’re talking about, way more times than I’d like to remember I would over turn or speed into a curve too quickly and spin out, forcing me to either not place, or reset the track. To help those new to Gran Turismo you are offered a racing line, complete with red marks to show where you are going too fast, and gear switch timing. It’s more of a trainer than something you are supposed to keep on throughout the entire game. Think of the racing line as a training wheel for those unfamiliar with the physics of simulation racing. The controls are simple enough so that you don’t worry too much about what button to push and worry more about the curve up ahead, and while motion controls are missing, I feel the control layout, and the ability to change any option in control you like more than makes up for this choice. A selection of Logitech racing wheels are also available for the picking, and while not available yet, this game is compatible with the Dualshock 3 controller.

Track wise there aren’t that many race locations to choose from. The layout and setup of each raceway is different enough to keep gamers busy for a little while. Add onto that the challenge of buying every car, completing every event (including company sponsored events), reverse racetracks, and online play (which is never the same race twice), and you have a prologue to a future game that in theory should last you happily until that game itself comes out. If this is a taste of what’s to come, I sit and wait with eager anticipation for the future of gaming.

Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 5/5
Sound: 4/5
Replay Value: 3.5/5