Game Review: Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (PS3)

[Triv1um]

Platform: PS3
Developer: Polyphony Digital
Genre: Racing Simulation
Players: 1-16
Price -
PSN - £25
Blu-ray Price - £20-£25

Overview :
You all know this game, a platform for all racing simulations. Ever since the first Gran Turismo on the PlayStation 1, people knew this game was going to go far, and my god it did.

This game is somewhat classed as a demo, it was intended to be a little taster for whats to come (isnt that what a demo is anyway).

Right from the greatly respected Gran Turismo 4 for the PlayStation 2. This game has quickly gained a vast fanbase, and all the games in the series are a must have for any racing fans.

Gameplay :
Right, this game has always been based on attention to detail with how the cars handle, it really shows. The physics are totally amazing, you need to use your racing lines to get good laptimes. You take a corner too fast, your plowed into a tyre wall.

Each car has there own characteristics (weight, bhp, torque) and you can really tell. The weights of the cars are a big factor in this series, you need a light car to get round suzuka at any speed. The tuned lotus handles like a go-kart!

When you finish the A Class you unlock a section called the Quick Tune, which is needed for the S Class. The a thing called performance points are thrown into play.

A quick runthrough of performance points are, the more powerful, the less the weight and the better your tyres are, the more performance points you will have for that car. In the S Class you will come across races that have a MAX performance points limit. So you can't take a F1 into a low end car race.

The quick tune is very important in the S Class. You need it to sometime downtune your car, or tune it up. While you can tune your car, to your personal prefrences like "toe in and outs" etc.

There are quite a good selection of cars to say this is a teaser. There are sections for Car Brands and a section for the Gran Turismo tuned concept cars.

The track selection is low, the well known real tracks avalible to race on are Suzuka, Fuji and daytona raceway. All of the tracks apart from Suzuka and Fuji, and quite boring. They are all very well made though.

Online play is actually quite well done, while you get the noobs that do not know how to race and knock you off the track at ever given moment. You get the good games with people who can race. One of the recent updates for the game, applys something that makes people flash when they are out of control or about to someone. I dont like this, it takes the realism out of the game. The lack of a ranking/stat system takes all of the fun out of it. But the cash bonuses you recieve for a race makes you forget about it.

The AI are better and more intellegent than ever. There lines aren't always spot on, they try and get out of the way when your stealing the slipstream. They are great.

The penalty system SUCKS. You have the AI bump into the back of you, you get a ramming penality (you slow down for a certain number of seconds) while the offender screams past you. This is always happening, and in a important Class S race its the last thing you want.

Graphics :
What can I say? Ground breaking. Full 1080p, perfect models, perfect lighting. Perfect perfect perfect.

The $#@!pits of the cars are all detailed as they should be in each car. Not a part out of place. Get into the F1 and try not to be amazed by the detail on the steering wheel. I dare you.

All the tracks are beautifully designed just as they should be. Not a texture out of place, not a sign out of place. Not even a tree out of place. Perfect!

I would go as far to say this is the most graphicly advanced game on the PS3 so far. (Maybe uncharted close?)

Once more, PERFECT.

Sound :
The sound is alot very good in this game. All the car engines sound very realistic. Yet there is 1 problem....

The tyre "squeals". Seriously, did they get this off GT1? They are way to high, to matter what car your in they sound the same. Trust me, around the Daytona Raceway its not fun "EEERRRRRRRRRR" round every corner. This needs a big improvement for the real GT5.

The soundtrack is horrible for my music tasted. Its all plain boring dreery crap. The worst soundtrack out of all of them in my opinion, but it wont be marked down on the overall score because its my music taste.

Replay Value :
This game has little replay value, when the races are done, they are done. You get little eurge to get all gold, because you will have raced the oval about 100 times to get the F1 car that costs 2,000,000 credits. The online play isnt good enough to keep you occupied if its done, but for £20-£25 who can moan?

Conclusion :
Overall its a good game for its price, a good taster for what is to come.


Online needs work, annoying penalty system needs ironing out, and the tyre squeals need fixing.

For the price it is worth the buy.

[bandit]

I agree that this is somewhat labeled as a demo. GT5 isnt even GT5. Its more of Sony just releasing to keep people from complaining about the constant delays. Just look at GT for the PSP.

Have you tried playing this with a wheel!?

Great review. I'm still debating whether or not to get this. I want me some Daytona!

Keep up the great work and keep them coming!

[Triv1um]

Yes, I've tried it with a Logitech G25. Beautiful steering wheel.

It reacts really well, force feedback is amazing on it. Even though in the F1 car it rattles around like crazy.

Its most certainly worth the buy.

If you have a good wheel, its a MUST have.

[bandit]

Waiting for my review sample of the Porsche 911 Steering Wheel from Fanatec.

[ninja9393]

Good review, I was curious about this game

[mcdougall57]

I like this game I'm just more concerned about the gameplay than the detail on the steering wheel of the F1 car.

[Shadowblind]

Reviewbump.

I don't like the look of this game with comparison to GRID. It just doesn't look....extreme enough.

[Triv1um]

Its two completely different games.

GRID has more of a arcade feel to it. GT5 is all about the simulation.

Its which ever floats your boat, I personally don't like GRID but love the GT series.

GRID just isnt realistic enough for me, the physics don't feel right.

I would try it out. For the price, you cant go wrong. And if you have a good wheel, you need it.

[bandit]

Agreed. GT5 is more realistic in both looks and physics. GRiD is arcade-ish like Ridge Racer and the likes. I personally prefer arcadey games.

[pibs]

I agree that this is somewhat labeled as a demo. GT5 isnt even GT5. Its more of Sony just releasing to keep people from complaining about the constant delays. Just look at GT for the PSP.

I didn't see it as a demo but more of whats to come, the GT feel is there but in a next gen way and thats enough to convince anyone familiar with the series to at least rent it. I found it to be a bit hard to earn money in the game and the high priced cars didn't help. It is a different gameplay experience compared to GRiD but GT is very easy to just pick up and play yet I still would just recommend it to fans of the series.