[GC 2009] Gran Turismo 5 Hands-On
We had our hands-on time with the newest entry in probably the biggest racing game series of all time. Read inside about our first lap in Gran Turismo 5.
Published: August 20, 2009
I have always loved the Gran Turismo franchise. Maybe not as obsessively as Sam, however I have played every entry in the series and I was one of the crazy people who imported the Japanese version of Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, even though it took me about eight attempts to actually make the game install itself thanks to its very consistent and informative Japanese on-screen instructions. It took me even longer to download the latest update a couple of months ago, but let's not waste too much time wallowing in long forgotten times and instead deal with Kazunori's latest grand jewel.
If you've played a Gran Turismo game before, then you'll most likely feel right at home with the GT5's driving mechanics – or not. In case you are one of those people that never really understood the hype surrounding a game that feels super sensitive and almost too realistic, then you'll probably be better off looking elsewhere for your racing game kick. Gran Turismo 5 is very much what fans of the series have come to expect, and then some - yes, you probably know it already: GT5 features a damage model for some, not all(!), of the cars in the game. Oh yes, you read right. Not all of the cars featured in the game will support the damage model that we saw in the one car, one track demo we got to play.
It was a short course around many turns and tight corners which allowed us to try out our driving skills with a fully functional Logitech Force Feedback wheel and a rattling and rumbling racing chair. It didn't seem like this was a new Driving Force meaning that those of you hoping for a Bluetooth enabled wheel from Logitech will need keep their fingers crossed.
The car we drove was a Subaru Impreza WRC 2008 edition and it took visual damage the moment we ran it into a wall of rubber wheels. Even the car's doors opened at one point. However, I have to say that I have come to expect a bit more significant visual impact on the car's exterior with some of the accidents that, eh, let's say happened. The car's driving ability didn't seem to be touched at all by a 250 km/h straight drive into a concrete wall.
When it comes to its presentation, the title's overall visuals made an even better impression on us than what we were used to from Prologue. The game once again ran in 1080p (that's what the slightly defective Bravia HDTV kept telling us), and with all that high-res glory the different driving cams were back. The amount of detail that went into the cars and their cockpits is simply astonishing, especially with the game running at a buttery smooth 60 frames per second.
According to Sony the game will arrive sometime in the 4th quarter of this year. This could mean that it'll be out shortly before Christmas. We, on the other hand, expect it to arrive in early 2010. Who knows, maybe Sony has better plans. Check back soon for a more in-depth look at one of the PlayStation brand's biggest titles in the making.
If you've played a Gran Turismo game before, then you'll most likely feel right at home with the GT5's driving mechanics – or not. In case you are one of those people that never really understood the hype surrounding a game that feels super sensitive and almost too realistic, then you'll probably be better off looking elsewhere for your racing game kick. Gran Turismo 5 is very much what fans of the series have come to expect, and then some - yes, you probably know it already: GT5 features a damage model for some, not all(!), of the cars in the game. Oh yes, you read right. Not all of the cars featured in the game will support the damage model that we saw in the one car, one track demo we got to play.
It was a short course around many turns and tight corners which allowed us to try out our driving skills with a fully functional Logitech Force Feedback wheel and a rattling and rumbling racing chair. It didn't seem like this was a new Driving Force meaning that those of you hoping for a Bluetooth enabled wheel from Logitech will need keep their fingers crossed.
The car we drove was a Subaru Impreza WRC 2008 edition and it took visual damage the moment we ran it into a wall of rubber wheels. Even the car's doors opened at one point. However, I have to say that I have come to expect a bit more significant visual impact on the car's exterior with some of the accidents that, eh, let's say happened. The car's driving ability didn't seem to be touched at all by a 250 km/h straight drive into a concrete wall.
When it comes to its presentation, the title's overall visuals made an even better impression on us than what we were used to from Prologue. The game once again ran in 1080p (that's what the slightly defective Bravia HDTV kept telling us), and with all that high-res glory the different driving cams were back. The amount of detail that went into the cars and their cockpits is simply astonishing, especially with the game running at a buttery smooth 60 frames per second.
According to Sony the game will arrive sometime in the 4th quarter of this year. This could mean that it'll be out shortly before Christmas. We, on the other hand, expect it to arrive in early 2010. Who knows, maybe Sony has better plans. Check back soon for a more in-depth look at one of the PlayStation brand's biggest titles in the making.
