GT5: Worth The Wait, Or Wot?
PH emerges from the games room and asks what day it is...
Has it been long enough time to form opinions about the gameplay, they demand to know? And more importantly what's the answer to the burning question on everyone's lips - has this new version of Gran Turismo really been worth the six year wait?
But such trivialities as 'waiting' don't concern me when it comes to games like GT5. You see, to a petrol-head console addict, there's more to driving games than getting hold of the fastest cars, winning races and getting trophies.
No, games like Gran Turismo and Forza are about driving, not necessarily racing. So whether it's drifting a Volvo 240 Estate around London, or hours and hours spent making sure the damper rates are just perfect, that secret ingredient has to be present in a game like this.
Another thing petrolheads might appreciate, and which will hark back to that difficult world we call 'reality' is the game's used car dealer. Finding the car you're looking for is a real task in GT5.You can have all the money in the world, but if the dealer doesn't have your ultra rare vehicle in stock, then it's tough.
But all that special ingredient was abundant in GT4, so what extra elements does GT5 have that really justify those six years of development? The answer is in the details. Whether it's the pop of flames on a downshift, or the impeccable handling model, everything that was good in previous GT games is here, but improved.
As well as new additions, some of GT4's annoyances have been ironed out. The menu system isn't the wonky mess it was in GT4, and the sometimes infuriating licence tests aren't necessary to progress in the game.
Then of course, there's that staple of Gran Turismo, the tuning and customisation. But sadly that's one area in which GT5 has been overtaken -and indeed lapped - by Forza 3.
There's a lot of scope for turbocharging, tuning and tweaking, but Forza has so much more. It gives players the option to paint veritable artworks on their cars, as well as swap engines and add a larger array of parts. A RWD Chevrolet Aveo with a supercharged V8 is possible in Forza 3, and it certainly isn't in GT5.
When asked about the differences at the game launch, president of Polyphony digital, Kazunori Yamauchi, told us that every premium car in the game took six months to create. No wonder there aren't cockpits on all of the cars, or the game would never have come out! Standard cars are lifted from previous incarnations of Gran Turismo, given a polish, and dropped into GT5.
However, it's early days if the patching schedule is anything to go by. Within the four days of the games release, two patches have been released to add more functionality. The game designers say these updates will be regular, and will add more premium cars, as well as improvements to damage modelling, and fixes to bugs.
Collecting, tuning and tweaking is what makes Gran Turismo games so unique, and with awe inspiring graphics, a greater selection of cars, and all sorts of new and interesting driving environments, the answer to the 'has it been worth it question' is clear.
Yes - so go ahead and stick it on your Christmas 'wanted' list.
Given this is a motoring forum, surely there should have been some mention about the efficacy of the physics modelling for the cars. Does it do lift off oversteer, can you adjust the yaw of the car on the throttle, how much does set-up effect the car, etc, etc?
Try getting out a bit? I strongly suggest you try reading up a lot... Then hit the gym.
Lucas Ordoñez - the first virtual-to-real race driver. Big deal - Breaking New - someone kid that was good on a game was good driving a REAL Car. Whoop Whoop.
Later hahahahahaha
Maybe an * next to you Profile will indicate Married or divorced post playing with these kiddy games way into the night!
t. Most of your posts are patronising or down right pathetic.Gassing Station | Video Games | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff