Racing games come in a number of different forms which vary from the very fun and over-the-top, to the intense and ultra-realistic. If the latter appeals to your taste buds, then Gran Tourismo 5 Prologue may be the one for you.
The Gran Tourismo series has been in action since its debut on the Playstation 1 in 1997 and lives on today in 2007. It stands now in its 5th Edition form. Has it learnt the ins-and-outs of the racing genre in the past ten years? We’ll have to see.
From the 4th Gran Tourismo, Sony decided to release the ‘prologue’ which can be seen as a sample version of the game. GT 5 prologue, is a preview of the full version of the game that is to arrive who knows when. It can be seen as a way to give the audience a preview of what is to come. This however is a curse and a blessing to those who are eagerly awaiting its very far from imminent release.
One of the positive outcomes of the Prologue is that it gives gamers an opportunity to play the next Gran Tourismo edition and experience some of the racing that is to come but it does however feel as if the gamer is getting the raw end of the deal seeing as they will be buying the Prologue and the full version when it arrives.
Moving onto the game itself, is it worth a buy? There are firstly no licenses to acquire and only three tournaments which are divided into A, B, and C class. Once you complete those you will unlock the challenging S- class races. And then it’s sadly over. There is also an arcade mode where you choose a car and jump right onto the track. The choice of cars is not vast by Gran Tourismo standards. You’ll have 60 odd cars to choose from. These include BMW, HONDA, AUDI, and many more. The surprise entry here is Ferrari. This is the first time we have had the pleasure of taking this supercar for a spin in Gran Tourismo. Here you’ll encounter another problem – you only have six tracks to choose from. Can anyone say “limiting?”
Gran Tourismo has always set out to be a racing game that offers the experience of realistic gameplay, hence the words “driving simulator” and in its latest edition it has done exactly that. Each car that you choose will feel very different from the next in terms of power, acceleration, cornering ability and driving dynamics. For example you won’t feel as if you’re going all that fast in the Daihatsu but jump into the Focus ST and you’ll feel the power upgrade. This is great as you don’t have to only drive the super cars to feel some speed.
When it comes to the actual driving, you might end up being pretty grateful for buying this highly priced, compact, half finished game. The physics whilst driving are perhaps the most realistic you’ve seen in a racing game. Unfortunately you will not get away with a Need For Speed maneuver and be able to powerslide around a tight bend. You will be required to break at the right point, turn in and gently apply the throttle to ensure breezy cornering. Not only does it add a great deal of realism to the game but also makes for a challenge on the player to try and maintain this finesse for the entire race, or else you’ll be eating the AI’s dust. Be warned that this ‘realistic’ edge might not be everyone’s cup of tea as it takes away the fun of having a casual racing experience.
Even though you and your friends might not agree on how the game plays, you will definitely agree on how it looks. With graphics that are rendered in 1080p (yes, full high definition) Gran Tourismo 5 could be the best looking games to date on the consoles. The six tracks are well designed and the environments are highly detailed from the tar on the track to the trees in the background. The cars of GT5 prologue are absolutely show stopping. They are modeled very sharply, with great attention to detail and they have been so well rendered that they give off the same shine that a squeaky clean car would.
Besides the 2 player split screen race mode, you can also take to the track with up to 15 other friends via the online multiplayer of the game. You can also race against lap times set by other users to test your skills.
Yes, GT5 Prologue might feel like a money making scheme. Yes, it doesn’t feel as if it has enough to be a full game, but oh Yes, it one too add to your PS3 exclusive collection. With its jaw dropping visuals, and great driving physics, it’s a winner. “If you’re not first, you’re last” – (Ricky Bobby)
[starreviewmulti id=2 tpl=20]
