Overall: 6

Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 10
Sound: 9
Concept: 3
Replay Value: 6

If you haven't played any video games in the last 4 years or so, you probably haven't heard about Gran Tursimo. It was a game that revolutionized the racing genre by simulating true physics as closely as possible with real-world cars. It spawned many impostors and imitators, as well as a sequel, and now we have the third game in the series on the more powerful Playstation 2.

As a game, Gran Turismo 3 actually echoes the PS2 console very well. Both were highly anticipated, and both were the 'best new thing' that everyone had to have. Sadly, both had high expectations, and both failed on several counts. Personally, I am a huge fan of the Gran Turismo series (if you don't believe me, check out 'Gran Turismo' at Gamefaqs.com), so waiting so long for a game that doesn't deliver is a terrible letdown.

To be fair, GT3 does build upon it's predecessors. The graphics are much improved. For example, in GT2 many people complained about the frequent pop-up, a no-no in racing games. Graphical flaws are nearly nonexistant in GT3, and the only ones I've seen are some extremely minor clipping problems which you'd miss if you blinked. Adding to the enjoyment, the physics engine feels more realistic than ever. However, building on it's predecessors is all that it does; unlike the original game, GT3 doesn't take any risks or do anything new.

The core of the gameplay is the tried-and-true 'Simulation' mode. Here, you must earn driving lisences by passing exacting tests, purchase a car with limited funds, then race for cash and cars in the effort to buy and modify bigger and faster machines. However, the excitement is gone, as those of us who have followed the series have already done this twice in two games, racking up countless hours of game time in the quest for the perfect car. There are no new game modes or really any new challenges.

In essence, it's all been done.

Not only is the excitement drained from GT3, but several other pieces seem to be missing. The vehicle count has been dropped from around 600 to just over 200. This may still seem like a ridiculously high number, but keep in mind that many of the cars are very similar; there are several Honda Civics and a dozen Nissan Skylines, for example. The unique car count, down from around 300 in the last incarnation of the game, is near 100-125 now. In addition, the used car lots have been taken away, along with the enjoyment of racing some of the truly historic machines from the last game, and thus the 'club racer' feel GT2 embodied.

One of the highlights of the first two games were the unique and challenging courses. Two new ones have been added, but some of the most interesting have been removed. Again, the game plays it safe, taking little risk.

Perhaps the biggest letdown is the unimproved AI. The computer cars have one course they take around the track; if you are in their way, you either move or they move you. While some say that this is realistic because the drivers, including you, are not suppoed to make mistakes, the AI does not react to your presence on the track at all. In real racing, a driver would not ram the vehicle in front of him when it brakes; he would either slow down or go around. If someone else has your line, you improve and find a different one, not bash them off the track. Sometimes the game feels more like trying to drive home at 3 AM on New Year's without getting hit by a drunk driver. It's a wonder that the designers, with all the power of the PS2 behind them, couldn't improve the AI to the level of games like Metropolis Street Racer, a game for the less powerful Dreamcast.

Closely linked to the poor AI is lack of vehicle damage. Players and AI drivers don't mind bashing into each other because there is no recourse. To truly simulate what it's like to drive a $600,000 GT class car in a race, the players would have to be afraid to even scratch the paint, let alone smash the side of the car against the guardrail. Simply having a damage system, and forcing the AI to react to that damage system, would have put the new spin on the game that is needed to keep it fresh. In fact, the closest thing to damage that was added is a poor 'oil change' system. AS you continue to punish your car by keeping the engine at high RPMs, you gradually lose power until you change your oil. All thid does is make it extremely important to win the first few races of a long series, so that losing positions in the last few (because you can't change oil in the middle of a series... I guess your pit crew can't afford it) doesn't kick you out of the overall top spot.

Of course, the graphics are spectacular, but you want to play the game, not look at the pretty cars. I can go to a showroom any time I want, but racing the cars is a different story. The game just doesn't do enough new to keep the player hooked, like the first two did.

But here's why you should buy it
Okay, so it seems like I have nothing good to say about this game, right? Well I do. While I'm making it seem like this game is a huge step back in the series, it's really not. It is a slightly better game than Gran Turismo and Gran Turismo 2, only not enough so to hook those of us who have played them. However, if you haven't played either or the two previous games, this is the one to get. It doesn't have the limitations of the first game, and it doesn't have the glitches and graphical problems of the second. While it is bland, it is the best of the three.

Overall, GT3 has succumbed to what the original game has created. After Gran Turismo was released to wide acclaim, many other games copied that formula, but none were quite as exciting. GT3 is now doing the same thing; going along with the formula, but now it's just a part of that crowd. If you've never played GT or GT2, you owe it to yourself to pick up this game. But if you have, and you're looking for something exciting, try some different titles, like Test Drive: LeMans or Metropolis Street Racer.

Recommended: No

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