gran turismo 5
Developer: Polyphony
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: 24/10/2010
Format: PS3
I’m glad I’m writing this Retrospective look-back on Gran Turismo 5, as over the years my verdict on this game has hardened to one of a immature fanboy – ‘I HATE Gran Turismo 5’. When really, as a mature-minded, sane 33 year old gamer, I am just very, very disappointed with the game. It still, and always will be the biggest disappointment of the current generation.
Gran Turismo was always the benchmark for other racing games to go for. The first game (1997/98) was a revelation, in graphics, presentation and in AI. Beforehand many games stuck with the crash-bang-whallops of the Demolition Derby games (a fun and fine series) or to be the next Mario Kart clone (best for me was Crash Team Racing). The sequel, 1999/2000, followed the success of it by throwing more tracks, more cars, more modes, and with licensed music (The Cardigan’s My Favourite Game being used as the headline track). Then when the PlayStation 2 was first released SONY had to have its star title featuring in it launch line-up so Gran Turismo 3 was rushed out in 2001, but Polyphony Digital added the suffix - A-Spec to let people people know that the real sequel to GT2 has yet to come. Which it did in 2005 with the fantastic Gran Turismo 4, like what GT2 was to GT1 Gran Turismo 4 did the same to the PS2 launch predecessor.
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: 24/10/2010
Format: PS3
I’m glad I’m writing this Retrospective look-back on Gran Turismo 5, as over the years my verdict on this game has hardened to one of a immature fanboy – ‘I HATE Gran Turismo 5’. When really, as a mature-minded, sane 33 year old gamer, I am just very, very disappointed with the game. It still, and always will be the biggest disappointment of the current generation.
Gran Turismo was always the benchmark for other racing games to go for. The first game (1997/98) was a revelation, in graphics, presentation and in AI. Beforehand many games stuck with the crash-bang-whallops of the Demolition Derby games (a fun and fine series) or to be the next Mario Kart clone (best for me was Crash Team Racing). The sequel, 1999/2000, followed the success of it by throwing more tracks, more cars, more modes, and with licensed music (The Cardigan’s My Favourite Game being used as the headline track). Then when the PlayStation 2 was first released SONY had to have its star title featuring in it launch line-up so Gran Turismo 3 was rushed out in 2001, but Polyphony Digital added the suffix - A-Spec to let people people know that the real sequel to GT2 has yet to come. Which it did in 2005 with the fantastic Gran Turismo 4, like what GT2 was to GT1 Gran Turismo 4 did the same to the PS2 launch predecessor.
Re-studying the Gran Turismo history I’m aware of it repeating itself, and its big problem. In 2004 Polyphony released a sample, a hint, of what the next true sequel will be – in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Prologue is to GT5 what A-Spec was to GT4, to give fans a taste what the next true GT game will be. It may only had six tracks, but it did feature a couple of new ones - the London City circuit (think Monaco, but with no tunnel, interesting features or glamour), and Eiger Nordwand (a fantastic track, especially if you’re using a Drift car, and has a tunnel). Where it got Petrolheads salivating was it had a wealth of cars, from the Suzuki Swift to a few of the latest prototype sport and racing cars. (it had the Nissan GT-R when it was still in ealy pre-pre-production). It also gave us the beginnings of being involved with Top Gear, sadly the hope of driving the track in Prologue was dashed, we had to wait for the real game.
Before I start all down on GT5, it did have many good points, it still spoils with as many cars as we can get our oil-stained fingers on – Borderlands 2 treated us with a bazillion guns, Gran Turismo 5 continued to do the same with offering us a bazillion cars. It was gorgeous to see and her, the cars and tracks were stunning to look at and hear, every engine noise bespoke to their cars. And it still stood up to it’s mantra: The Real Driving Simulator. As it’s handling was second-to-none in that the cars felt real with every dip during braking, every rise when it accelerated.
Before I start all down on GT5, it did have many good points, it still spoils with as many cars as we can get our oil-stained fingers on – Borderlands 2 treated us with a bazillion guns, Gran Turismo 5 continued to do the same with offering us a bazillion cars. It was gorgeous to see and her, the cars and tracks were stunning to look at and hear, every engine noise bespoke to their cars. And it still stood up to it’s mantra: The Real Driving Simulator. As it’s handling was second-to-none in that the cars felt real with every dip during braking, every rise when it accelerated.
By the time Gran Turismo 5 came out though that mantra came to hurt it. Sure it still is, for the PlayStation anyway (as the Xbox has the just as impeccable Forza) The Real DRIVING Simulator, but as a racing game it was now Leeds Utd to many others’ Man City. Yes Leeds were a big name in football, but that was many moons ago, and despite continuing to act like a big club they’ve been surpassed by others, some with the help of a cash injection. It was fine for AI cars to be simple and strictly follow the racing line back in the early titles as there wasn’t many (if any) that rivalled them, we just wanted more cars and more tracks, most of the programming went into that. Where the likes of Need For Speed Grid, Colin McRae Dirt, Forza succeed was making racing fun, not just driving the cars good to drive. Like in Gran Turismo’s of before you just creamed down the straight and the use the by-the-numbers opponents to stop you at the corners, then when you’re far in the lead you didn’t have to go full pelt and take short cuts, as most are set in racetracks with the barriers far away. Like I say that was fine back in the old days, but with the opposition smelling blood they re-emerged and stepped up their game, considerably. So you would have thought in the FIVE years of development, and repeated comments in interviews with creator Kazunori Yamauchi that he listens to constructive criticism. The only sign of this is people have been asking for ages about the giving vehicles damage if they run into trouble, to join with all the other games. But giving its rigidity in racing AI, the damage itself is basic and rigid – a few dents here and there, and the the whole panel (like the front or rear wings for example) fall off, even if you just smashed the lights.
So to me Gran Turismo 5 is a runner in a marathon who started the first half quickly, just full of self confidence and ran it’s own race, not knowing that a marathon was a race and its competition caught up and passed it. A stunning looking and sounding runner, but totally unaware (or unconvinced) of its opposition. For SONY’s headline racing act and a favourite series of mine it’s lacklustre performance and sluggishness of release just made it more disappointing. This is a great racing in terms of Time Trials, but as competitive racing its still stuck in the old days.
I still eagerly await Gran Turismo 6. Let’s hope it has listened this time, and learned from its rivals.
Simon James 6/10
So to me Gran Turismo 5 is a runner in a marathon who started the first half quickly, just full of self confidence and ran it’s own race, not knowing that a marathon was a race and its competition caught up and passed it. A stunning looking and sounding runner, but totally unaware (or unconvinced) of its opposition. For SONY’s headline racing act and a favourite series of mine it’s lacklustre performance and sluggishness of release just made it more disappointing. This is a great racing in terms of Time Trials, but as competitive racing its still stuck in the old days.
I still eagerly await Gran Turismo 6. Let’s hope it has listened this time, and learned from its rivals.
Simon James 6/10
