Gran Turismo (hot rodicus, speedicus maximus)
Written: Jan 23 '01 (Updated Feb 07 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A gritty racing simulation
Cons: Renown for its slick post-game replays; GT has surprisingly poor in-game graphics
The Bottom Line: With 11 tracks and over 160 cars, each with unique handling characteristics and exhaust snarl, don’t be surprised if you have to re-learn how to drive in Sony’s masterpiece.
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| boogie-oogie's Full Review: Gran Turismo 1 for PlayStation 1 |
In 1998, more than six years after aspiring filmmaker Kazunozi Yamauchi first pitched the idea to Sony, Gran Turismo was released. The innocuous driving game would become Sony’s best-selling franchise on PlayStation and forever change the façade of racing...
Matt’s eyes widened.
“Oh yeah!” he shouted.
Our intention was to brainstorm ideas for his college letters of application. But the discussion had taken a backseat to videogaming.
While looking for a car to drive, Matt stumbled upon the Dodge dealership... and the awesome Viper GTS. A cherry-red replica spun on a platform while specular highlights danced upon its polished exterior.
Not wanting to browse further, Matt chose the Viper. But, unbeknownst to him, he had coveted one of the game’s most volatile combinations of power and speed.
“Don’t let me win,” he smirked, seeing my meager choice for a competitor.
A frosty white Civic 3-Door spun modestly in my portion of the screen. It was the antithesis of everything the Viper symbolized.
“Oh, I’m not.” I assured him. “I’m trying to be as gentle with you as I can—so I won’t beat you too badly.”
(Like an outraged guest on a talk show, the statement had pushed his combative buttons.)
“It’s on! It’s on!” he howled, immediately starting the game.
Unveiling the universe
Crafted from the stuff American muscle cars are made of, the Dodge Viper oozes an infectiously pompous attitude. It is a mosaic of high-performance components built around a massive 8.0-liter OHV V-10 that’s more than four times as powerful as the economical 1.6-liter SOHC I-4 in Honda’s Civic.
Not surprisingly, the Viper rocketed from the Start/Finish line.
“Look who’s laughing now!” he mocked.
But the gleeful expression was soon wiped from his face as the GTS coupe bounded into a deceptively tight corner. Hard braking managed only to seize it with fits of over steer; and coupled with panicked steering corrections, his attempts to quell the moment deteriorated.
Fishtailing out of control, the Viper smashed into a wall several meters off course.
“I tried to warn you,” I said, matter-of-factly, passing him a few seconds later.
Like the shark in Peter Brenchley’s 1974 novel, Jaws, a pervasive physics engine lurks beneath the graphical surface. It can consume up to 50% of the CPU’s power keeping tabs on mechanics (a branch of physics that analyzes the actions of forces on bodies) while filtering effects through an ever-changing phenomena known as tire traction capacity.
Automotive performance is ultimately determined by each tire’s ability to grip the road—not mouth-watering horsepower... pavement-shredding torque... or a potpourri of high-performance parts. Power is nothing without control. And this real world reality is what separates Gran Turismo from other PlayStation driving games.
Driver on board
Realism is also what makes the game deliciously difficult. From your first driver’s license exam to the final lap of a two-hour endurance race, most activities are nail biting. You’ll need to drive with finesse in order to get a leg up on the competition, maintaining adequate control (tire friction) while dancing on the edge of the performance envelope. But learning to juggle physics with the competitive spirit is an art nurtured in Arcade mode and honed to perfection in Simulation mode.
In Arcade mode, one or two players jump right into the action without worrying about details like car settings and tune-ups, racing classes and events. Players simply choose a car and course and start the game.
Unlike its human adversary, the computer is not bound to Arcade mode automobiles and will regularly snag Simulation mode exclusives for its CPU competitors. (Arcade mode contains less than half of the vehicles in Simulation mode.) Nonetheless, racing against a variety of automobiles is more enjoyable than in other games, like successor Gran Turismo 2, where the opposite is the case.
In Simulation mode, all of the games 166 licensed automobiles are available... with a catch. You’ll either have to buy them outright or win them by placing first in sanctioned racing events or by scoring extremely well on license exams.
Beginning with 10,000 credits, a meager sum that barely affords a cheap used car, you’ll begin to work your way up the ranks, sweating all the little details along the way. But before your arduous journey is over, you’ll acquire millions of credits and possess a fleet of opulent automobiles.
In a Nutshell
Gran Turismo casts surprisingly ordinary vehicles in extraordinary racing situations. You are more likely to see shiny new Supras and second-hand Civics than bona fide racecars like Acura NSX-R GT2 or Mitsubishi GTO LM, though they exist. What makes the game compelling are its realistic vehicle dynamics, its outrageous level of difficulty and the ability to upgrade/tweak cars with a dizzying array of aftermarket parts.
Addendum...
Gran Turismo is available in three flavors: Japanese (January 1998), North American (March 1998), and European (May 1998). In each, 11 manufacturers—Acura, Aston Martin, Chevrolet, Dodge, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota and TVR—showcase at least 166 licensed automobiles.
The Japanese version offers the most intra-model variation, boasting one hundred models with one hundred variants. But the American release contains an additional vehicle: the 1967 Sting Ray Corvette. While European version does not add to the staple of automobiles, it does benefit from optimized code that makes better use of hardware while being less likely to cause slowdown inherent in the two previous releases.
Unlike the Japanese version, the American and European releases contain music recorded by mainstream musicians as well as accentuated course topography. Additionally, Arcade mode runs 25% faster than Simulation mode, giving drivers more hang time.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
boogie-oogie
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Location: Kansas City, MO
Reviews written: 11
Trusted by: 2 members
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