Gran Turismo 5 for Sony PlayStation 3

Here we are again with another perfect game, You know you are in for a good game with this title.
Like a classic car that has been lovingly but only partially restored, parts of Gran Turismo 5 look as good as new, while others are showing their age. Developer Polyphony Digital's latest "real driving simulator" introduces plenty of great new features to the long-running series, but it also recycles a lot of content. This is undoubtedly the biggest and best Gran Turismo yet, and despite its impressive level of realism it's also the most accessible, but aspects of both the gameplay and the visuals evoke deja vu, while the all-new online play uses a lobby system with about as many modern conveniences as a Ford Model T. If you love to drive, Gran Turismo 5 is a game that you're sure to enjoy; just don't expect it to have that new-car smell.
Though things improve later on, Gran Turismo 5 doesn't make a good first impression. Lengthy load and install times, unwieldy menus, and music that should be swapped out for a custom soundtrack as soon as possible are early disappointments, and sadly things don't get much better when you enter the GT Life career mode. You're told to buy your first car on a budget that more or less forces you to check out the used-car lot, rather than one of the game's many dealerships, only to find that most of the rides there look incredibly rough. That's not because GT5 features faded paintwork, rust spots, or bumpers that look like they've seen some action, but rather because the vast majority of the game's 1,000-plus cars don't look significantly different than they did when they appeared on the PlayStation 2. These poorly textured, jaggy-edged "standard" cars also lack the interiors of the vastly superior "premium" models, so when you drive them there's no option to do so using GT5's new cockpit view. Climb into a premium car, on the other hand, and the attention to detail both inside and out is staggering. The cockpit view is ruined somewhat by nasty-looking shadows that move across the dashboard as you drive, but they're not overly distracting, and the exteriors on these cars are so stunning that you need to take them into Photo mode to truly appreciate them.

Although the used-car dealer invariably has dozens of cars in stock, your purchases are limited not only by your available funds, but also by your driver level, which starts out at zero. You earn experience points toward your next level every time you complete a challenge or race, and as you gain levels you unlock additional events as well as the option to buy more powerful cars. You might think that being prevented from buying the most powerful cars at the outset keeps those early events competitive, but as in previous games, it's all too easy to win most races simply by entering in a car that's significantly more powerful than the rest of the field. The 45 different race series that make up the A-Spec (drive yourself) and B-Spec (give instructions to an AI driver) portions of your career all place restrictions on the kinds of vehicles that can enter, but they're rarely stringent. The result is that you end up winning races easily, which, while rewarding financially, isn't particularly satisfying. Even race series that restrict you to using certain car models aren't competitive unless you go out of your way to make sure that they are, because there are no rules in place to prevent you from upgrading that car in the impressively comprehensive and easy-to

Despite all the content (it's absolutely crammed) and the important improvements in the feel of the cars themselves, GT5 only makes enough progress from its predecessors to be a good game and perhaps not the great title everyone has been waiting for.

VideoGamesDaily agrees with our score of 8, saying that the Gran Turismo series is slipping:

"What PD have delivered is unquestionably a phenomenal achievement and will represent countless lost hours for petrol-heads the world over."

"But the GT series is no longer the gold standard for driving games."

Gran Turismo 5 gets the 10 many will have been hoping from Destructoid which says that GT5 has "something more that speaks to the world's car lovers and racing fans" and that it's a game that "truly has no parallel".

Joystiq leaves the hig-end racer just shy of full marks with 4/5 saying that petrol-heads will love the incredible depth of the game, but if you're any less of an enthusiast you'll find it hard to find the fun.

IGN leaves Gran Turismo 5 with an 8.5 for different reasons saying that while it's superb on the track it's severely lacking off it.

GamePro leaves GT5 jus shy of top marks with 90 percent. Metro on the other hand acknowledge GT5's quality but give it a more muted 8/10.

Elsewhere, TheGamersHub gives GT5 a 4/5, Eurogamer gives a 9/10 and PlayStation Lifestyle goes the whole hog with 10/10.

Over on VideoGamer, Gran Turismo 5 gets a 8/10. The site says the title contains "superb driving", but lacks "essential features". NowGamer plumps for a 9.2, reporting it's "amazed that Gran Turismo 5 can still spark this feeling".

UK newspaper The Guardian gave the game a 4/5 star rating. It reported: "If you want simply to bask in a deep love for cars, then there is still no better franchise."

Meanwhile, T3's Gran Turismo 5 review didn't provide a score, but did offer some gushing praise: "The hype and expectation pitch on a title that has constantly disappointed expectant gamers prior to launch have given it a lot to live up to and whilst it doesn't reach all expectations, GT5 is undoubtedly the best Gran Turismo to date and the most accomplished and complete racing title to ever hit the market."

With a wide selection of vehicles available for abuse on a vast number of tracks in arcade mode from the first play, gamers are thrown straight in to the deep end with Gran Turismo 5. The career mode, whilst taking a mind-numbing age to set up quickly becomes the game’s most compellingly addictive attribute as gamers are offered a host of gaming options, vehicle shops, tuning garages and skills tests.

With the online patch for Gran Turismo 5, a 133MB download required by all purchasing GT5 with the hope of competing online, being launched just hours before the game’s official release, we have not been given sufficient time to test the title’s online capabilities and intricacies to such a standard to be included.

Despite its numerous slip ups and pitfalls, Gran Turismo 5 is one of the most comprehensively impressive and powerful games ever released. The possibility to play this title for weeks on end and not come close to attempting, let alone tiring, of the almost infinite number of vehicle, tracks, conditions and racing methods is a hugely impressive achievement. The longevity of this game and its insatiable ability to keep gamers coming back time and time again to top a best lap or strive for the next level of achievement is a trait reserved for the highest echelon of releases.

Gran Turismo 5, per molti, non è un semplice videogioco. E' una vera e propria fede corsistica; la digitalizzazione precisa e inappuntabile della passione per l'auto, della spinta agonistica di ogni sport automobilistico.
Gran Turismo 5 è anche il ritornello scandito nel corso di lunghi anni di attesa. Simbolo dell'attesa stessa, ed evidente icona di una passione (o di una speranza) che di rimando in rimando non si è mai attenuata.
Gran Turismo 5, nell'opinione della gente, è davvero l'unico ed il solo “Driving Simulator”. Si facciano da parte Forza Motorsport e tutta l'agguerrita concorrenza: possono avere forse un sistema di guida attento e preciso, ma non hanno il feeling di una serie che ha fatto la storia, non hanno il numero esasperante di vetture e competizioni del capolavoro Poliphony Digital, e non hanno una struttura tanto vasta ed una pluralità di opzioni così esemplare.
E il nocciolo della questione, la giustificazione di un lavoro che ha richiesto così tanti mesi di lavoro e di sudore, è tutto qui: nell'impensabile quantità di eventi, di auto, di possibilità. Gran Turismo 5 si configura come un'enciclopedia digitale e interattiva dell'automobilismo. Un parco giochi dall'estensione inesauribile, il paradiso virtuale di ogni amante della velocità, della tecnologia, del feticismo per il motore.
Perchè il frutto maturo di Yamauchi e Company, di fatto, esalta anche la bellezza materiale dell'auto. Grazie ad un motore grafico dal valore inesplicabile, che sazia anche gli sguardi più curiosi, trasforma ogni scorcio, ogni riflesso di luce sulla carrozzeria, in poesia visiva. Poco importa che l'engine sia segnato vistosamente dalle cicatrici di uno sviluppo andato avanti a singhiozzi. Se la qualità di alcuni elementi traballa, è il meticoloso lavoro eseguito sulle “Auto Premium” che già proietta la serie verso il futuro, segnando attualmente uno standard inarrivabile per qualsiasi altra produzione.
E, sopra tutto, si staglia poi il profilo della fisica di gioco. Capace di restituire sensazioni davvero uniche, e naturali. Capace di avvicinarsi quanto mai ad un'esperienza di guida totalizzante, onnicomprensiva, globale. Giocando con il Force Feedback dei volanti compatibili, con i controsterzi ed i controlli assistiti, con una simulatività spinta all'estremo, Gran Turismo 5 si erge davvero sopra ogni altro concorrente, fino a congiungere usabilità e realismo in un sistema che non punta sul numero di variabili considerate, ma sul Feeling al volante.
La visione di Yamauchi, il sogno ad occhi aperto di uno dei Game Designer più talentosi al mondo, si concretizza insomma nel nuovo punto di riferimento per ogni Racing Game.

I got this with my PS3 in the "Gran Turismo pack" and it lived in my PS3 for the first 3 days with my other new games still sealed on the floor!

It really is an awesome looking and addictive game. HD 720p, 1080i and 1080p make this look amazing - although at 1080p I have noticed some pixeling on the shadows of the cars but it doesn't take away from how stunning it looks. If you are lucky enough to have a 3D HD TV this is 3D compatible! PSP and is Playstation Eye enhanced too.

You get your starter pot of money and you buy your first Premium car to start racing. Once you win you can tune up your car to improve its handling thus letting you win more races. Once you have won a championship you win a car so you can participate in more championships.

Its not all big race cars - its very varied - some you will like some you wont. Some are a bit of a pain as you have to browse the used car market to source a 1980's Japanese car powerful enough to win the championship. Or you have to save up to buy a new Dodge so you can compete in the muscle car championship.

Lots of trophys to win from simple things like taking a photo of your premium car and sharing it to winning all the beginner championships. As you win more races your experience level increases and you can enter more challenging series of races.

With all the features of Gran Turismo 5 and the online racing ability you will definetly be coming back for more!

As a tip - complete the licences first before plowing straight into races - it will give you the skills you need to race properly. 100% recommend this game!