It’s finally here after endless delays and years of development – how can Gran Turismo 5 possibly live up to exalted expectations?
By Shane Willoughby of thegamingliberty.com
It’s hard to believe that Gran Turismo 5 has actually been released. After a string of infuriating high profile delays and nearly six years of development, GT5 was only ever going to be one of two options. It was either going to be one of the greatest games ever created or a deflating disappointment.
Now that the game has actually finally been released, Gran Turismo 5 continues to frustrate. It’s certainly not one of the greatest games ever made but is definitely not one of the biggest gaming disappointments this year. GT5 is in fact, an unforeseeable and frustrating third option. It’s a fantastic title that just falls short of unanimous greatness.
Gran Turismo 5 is a beautiful racer that has a few measly dents in its bonnet. So what? It’s easy to concentrate on the negatives because the games’ hype machine was such that it demanded a title that would not just offer THE definitive driving game but THE definitive videogame also (probably). It doesn’t exactly achieve the latter but this isn’t a reason to dismiss, begrudge or resent Polyphony Digital’s latest effort. Gran Turismo 5’s positives outweight its negatives significantly.
Don’t worry, there’s no ‘sitting behind the driver and hassling him incessantly’ view
So what can you say about a game that has been meticulously dissected, analysed and scrutinised by the internet in the last few days? If you detract yourself from what the web is saying then you’ll discover a glorious and immense title that is emphatic and resounding in its dedication to present the player with what is probably the greatest driving experience ever recreated in a videogame.
Gran Turismo 5 ticks pretty much every box. It’s a visual spectacle with a wondrous sense of scale. No other racer can touch GT5 for what Kaz Yamauchi and his development team has packed onto a single Blu-ray. Over 1,000 cars should be enough to keep racing purists happy alone. If you’ve ever played a GT game before then the presentation and the dedication to realism should be second nature to you and yet there’s enough here to make you feel like GT5 is in fact a completely different monster. If and when you embrace any GT game, it consumes much of your gaming time and Gran Turismo 5 is no different.
Earning licenses, making cash to buy new cars and increasing your driving levels is as addictive and motivating as ever. The actual driving experience is as sharp, disciplined and dynamic as before and is probably the game’s real core strength. It plays like a dream, especially if you know your driving and know your Gran Turismo. Each car and each track has its own feel and its own temperament. This is a game with variety, strength and resilience in abundance, all of which is cradled by a welcoming sense of familiarity.
Gran Turismo 5 – the series with the shiniest of the shiny cars
But GT5 has, as we all know, a few faults. But they don’t cripple the game. Not for one second. In its six-year pursuit of ultra realism, certain aspects of the game come in slightly under par. The much-advertised car damage just isn’t as good as it should be. There are numerous graphical glitches in there. The game’s AI is questionable. Cars move in linear patterns and just don’t react the way you would expect them too. It’s all very ‘on rails’ and quite linear.
The real competition comes when you get online, if you can get online that is – as we speak the huge numbers of gamers taking to the game’s online elements have crippled the game’s online components. It’s difficult to realise just how good GT5’s online modes are when you literally fail to connect to a race 30%-40% of the time. That said, playing online is refreshing and extremely rewarding, exposing the game’s AI for how inconsistent and boring it actually is. Sony will no doubt get on top of these online issues and within a week or two things will settle, making for a more consistent and enjoyable online experience.
Thus, Gran Turismo 5 is not without its failings but these are not enough to ignore the fact that GT5 offers an exceptional racing experience. In all, we consider Polyphony Digital’s long-awaited racer to be the must-play game you always knew it would be. Let GT5’s good looks, depth and refined gameplay define your experience, nothing else.
Format: Playstation 3; Developer: Polyphony Digital
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