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A.P.I Review:	GRAN TURISMO
Developer:	Polys Entertainment	OPTIONS:	SCREENSHOTS: No.1   No.2   No.3
Distributor:	Sony	1-2 Player
Game Type:	Racing	Memory Card
Review Date:	May 1998	Analog, Wheel and Duel-Shock.

Setting the Scene

Where do I start? 
There is so much to say about Gran Turismo and after playing this 
classy racer solid for the last couple of weeks I must say that I 
still haven't experienced half of the massive amount of gameplay 
contained within this title. 

Let's start with the developers. 

Poly Entertainment are the highly skilled team who introduced us to 
Motor Toon Grand Prix a few years ago. It proved to be a colorful 
cartoon racer that raised a certain amount of interest with it's 
graphical flair pushing the PSX's 3D capabilities to new levels. 
This was soon followed by the sequel Motor Toon GP 2 which included 
more tracks, extra vehicles, quality FMV movies and many wonderful 
power-ups. Then all went strangely quiet. The reason for this has 
now been unveiled in the form of Gran Turismo which can only be 
described as the most complete racing experience of all time.
Expectations were high and with fingers trembling I inserted the CD.

Genre

Gran Turismo promises to be the ultimate racer and first impressions 
lead me to believe that nothing on any system will come close to 
topping it this year.... at least. Including an arcade and simulator 
mode, abundance of racing circuits and between 140 and 240 cars 
(depends on who is to be believed) to unveil, Gran Turismo is the 
racer to end all racers. 

Graphics

'GRAN TURISMO - The real driving simulation' boasts the opening 
credits and with a superb lengthy CG FMV opening sequence no one, 
but no one is going to argue with this fact. If you suffer from 
asthma then I plead with you to have your inhaler on stand-by as 
the intro will surely leave you breathless. Furthermore, the FMV 
is actually a higher polygon version of the in-game graphics. 
The highly polished vehicles could easily be mistaken for the 
real deal as break lights flicker on entry to each corner, wheels 
lock with oversteer and the suspension drops on every turn before 
springing back to life as the cars accelerate out of the bend. 
Most of the cars that appear in the game are showcased in this 
intro and if you are not drooling and ready to race after this 
build up... well, all I can say is you must be stone cold dead.

In-game the visuals surpass all other racing titles presently 
available on ANY games system. Apparently this is the very first 
PSX racing game that uses the system of projecting textures onto 
3D models in a similar way that was seen in Mario 64. The result 
is the cars look metallic and ultra realistic with the reflections 
changing in reaction to different surroundings. When driving through 
the mountainous regions every ray of sunlight moves across the 
vehicle as if tracking you through the winding canyon. Night time 
racing highlights this best as street lights flash over the car's 
windscreen while brightly lit multi-story buildings reflect from the 
highly polished paintwork.

The cars are precisely replicated to the most minute detail which 
will probably only be noticeable to a person who actually owns one 
of these vehicles. In fact when your trailing bumper to bumper behind 
a rival car the level of detail almost becomes a distraction.

The circuits are well designed and are situated in a wide selection 
of environments from dense forests to high speed racing rings. 
Grandstands line the home straight while hazards appear on every 
tight turning point. This may be in the form of a solid wall, grass 
verge or a run-off area consisting of loose chippings that grind 
your vehicle to a halt. The game moves along at an impressive 30fps 
and shows no sign of any pop-up, although when traveling at speeds 
in excess of 350 km/h on the long straights the draw line can be a 
little hazy, but I suppose this happens in real life when travelling 
at breakneck speeds. I wouldn't know.

The detail in the replays moves up an extra couple of notches where 
you can select which car you wish to follow and tamper with the 
viewing angles to your hearts content. Should you wish to save them 
on a memory card and retain for posterity, or simply to show off to 
your mates at a later date then this facility is available.

Sounds and Effects

Ever been trackside at the start of a motor race? The roar of the 
engines at the off is completely deafening and this has been captured 
perfectly. So much so that I found after repeat playing I had to 
turn down the volume a couple of notches. I must be getting on a 
bit. Each car seems to have it's own engine noise whether it be 
the whining of the turbine or the rich throaty roar as you hit 
maximum overdrive. The lightweight models produce a pitiful high 
pitched cry of anguish as they strain to move through the gears when 
pushed to the limits. I also found it amazing the difference in 
sound when you upgraded your engine.

On the music scene the tunes are satisfactory being an upbeat 
selection of jazz/rock sounds although they are often drowned out 
by the rip-roaring engine noises and the sound of burning rubber.

Playability

It is advisable that you first concentrate on the races offered 
in Quick Arcade. Here you compete in a Single Race, Time Attack 
or 2 Player Battle. There are 3 difficulty setting to choose from 
Easy, Normal or Hard with the main objective being to win each 
race, on all difficulty settings, in all three grades of car, 
which will unlock all 24 full races, various goodies and 
amazing bonuses.

Now it's time to select a car but before this you must decide 
on a specific maker from Subaru (Impreza WRX 4WD, Legacy RS / Saloon 
or Sedan), Toyota (Supra RZ, Celica GT, MR2 GT-S, Trueno GT Apex), 
Nissan (Skyline GT-R V-Spec, Silvia K's 2000cc, 180SX Type X, 
Primers 2.0Te), Honda (NSX Type S, Prelude Si V Tec, Integra 
Type R, Civic Si R), Mazda (Efini RX-7, Svanna RX-7, Eunos Roadster, 
Lantis R 2000) or Mitsubishi (GTO Twin Turbo, Lancer GSR Evolution, 
FTO GPX, Mirage Asti RX). Each car is graded from A to C along 
with stats showing acceleration, speed and handling. You may 
also change the color using one of the shades supplied by the 
cars real manufacturer. Hey, this is like going into a real showroom 
to buy a car and if you cannot decide then feel free to drop into 
Time Attack and take each of them for a test drive (would I make a 
good salesman?).

Ready to go? Not quite. Decide on the type of setting (either 
Racing or Drift), Automatic or Manual Gears and one of the four 
racing circuits initially available. Beginning from 6th position 
on the starting grid adjust your viewing angle from in-car to 
up-and-behind (a third higher vantage point is available on 
certain versions), if you so wish, then prepare to bump and barge 
your way through the pack in a race where every computer controlled 
car gives it's all. The Easy races should pose little problem 
but the Hard setting will require precision overtaking and 
nerves of steel. Once the race is over you can sit back and 
watch a multi-camera replay that is presented in style normally 
reserved for television. Pressing the face buttons changes the 
view from in-car to intelligently positioned track side angles 
that will have you drooling from the mouth.

Quick Arcade will offer many hours of entertainment but for a 
true stimulating experience then drop into Gran Turismo mode. 
Gran Turismo is a fairly complicated set of events (even more so 
when the instructions are in Japanese). Here you are given total 
freedom to reach the pinnacle of your racing career and it's your 
own decisions that will determine how fast you advance up the 
rankings.

Just as in real life you begin your career from the bottom with 
1,000,000 credits in your account. Sounds good? Not really because 
you don't have a vehicle so it's off to the showrooms to purchase 
the best car that money can buy. Each of the ten manufacturers have 
their own showroom but unfortunately none of the tempting motors 
on display are within your budget. Doh! There's no choice but to 
wander into the back courtyard of 'Dodgy Den's Dealers' where 
you will find a selection of second hand cars of which a few are 
within your price range. Is this a true simulation, or what? If you 
take pride in your vehicles then your second-hand banger can be 
re-sprayed or simply taken to the car wash to spruce up it's 
appearance, but take care, this all costs credits. At last you are 
now ready to race. 

In Gran Turismo mode their are four groups of events to enter. Time 
Trial and Spot Race are immediately available. Spot Race offers five 
circuits in which prize credits are awarded depending on the position 
you finish the race. Don't expect an easy ride to victory because, 
let's face it, your car is crap. Finger down on full throttle, brake 
before the corners, follow the perfect racing line and learning every 
inch of the circuit may still leave you trailing the pack. Therefore 
a good qualifying time will move you up the grid a few places and 
then keep one eye on the mirror and block everything that tries to 
overtake. This sometimes means you must weave all over the track because 
if your opponents pass, you will not see them for dust. Soon you will 
be able to afford the car of your dreams and compete on an even footing. 
Time Trial allows you to sample the test course plus ten of the circuits 
in standard and mirror mode.

Once you have gathered a few credits together you may return to the 
second hand car sales and trade in your vehicle for another model. 
Obviously the value has been reduced so if you prefer you can simply 
buy extra parts and customize your original vehicle. There are several 
grades of tire, brake, engine, suspension, muffler, mission and turbo 
components on offer at reasonable prices and they all should improve 
your performance if balanced correctly. At first I thought about 
taking a course in car mechanics as it was a little confusing but 
thankfully there is a test circuit on hand so you may tinker around 
with the settings then take it for a trial run. Now when you return 
to racing you may adjust the set-up for each circuit. There is little 
that cannot be adjusted - aero dynamics front and rear, gear ratio, 
turbo boost, brakes, stabilizer, camber, damper, ride height, spring 
rate, tire set up, weight reduction, racing body... the list is endless 
and each may be set within a fraction of a degree.

When attempting to enter the big money events you will notice that 
the races in GT League and Special Event are inaccessible without 
the relevant driving licence. That's right, you must pass a series 
of stern tests before a Driving Licence is awarded. There are three 
grades of licence which are class B, class A and International A 
which must be obtained in that order.

The Driving Test consists of eight short examinations which involve 
acceleration, emergency stops, advanced cornering, hand brake turns 
and single circuit time trials. Some of these are quite tough but 
learning these skills are essential to your progress and don't worry 
because you can attempt each section of the test as many times as 
you like. The most experienced drivers will receive a Gold Medal 
which, if all eight are collected, rewards you with a special
custom car.

Gaining a licence will unlock the most exciting and profitable races, 
not to mention the long distance endurance events which last up to 
90 minutes. Qualifying in pole position now earns you bonus cash while 
winning the race brings in multi-millions credit prizes and free 
cars that cannot be found anywhere else in the game. Soon you will 
be rolling in funds and stocking up a garage full of vehicles that 
will cause envy to your rivals. These may be sold for credits or 
upgraded and used for racing.  There is even the option to save your 
machines onto a memory card then take it to a mates house and race each 
other in split screen mode.

It is believed that there are between 140 - 240 different makes and 
models of cars in Gran Turismo which at the rate of my progress will 
take many months to unveil and test drive. There has got to be something 
in there for everyone and each of the car manufacturers has an 
ultimate dream machine for you to aim for which is priced at a 
reasonable 50,000,000 credits.

Control of the vehicles is so realistic, even more so when the Sony 
Analog controller is used. The new dual-shock Analog pad is also 
compatible. The most obvious point to make is that you must DRIVE 
the cars. This means breaking on the straight leading up to the 
corners and accelerating out of the bend. Failing to do this will 
undoubtedly see your vehicle hurtle out of control, smashing into 
the barriers and grinding to a halt. Should this happen then it is 
painfully slow to turn the vehicle around and build up your speed 
once again. Thankfully your opponents have been coded with a less 
than perfect AI and you will often witness errors and misjudgments 
as they make similar mistakes to your own which offers further 
realism to the proceedings.

Selecting one car and sticking with it has both advantages and 
disadvantages. The obvious benefit is that you will quickly learn 
how to handle the vehicle in all circumstances and taking those 
tight corners will soon become second nature. On the downside many 
cars are only designed to perform on a particular type of circuit 
and racing the wrong car on the wrong track can be extremely difficult, 
if not impossible. By changing to a more suitable vehicle you will 
knock seconds off your lap times and advance through the stages far 
quicker.

Value for Money

When Gran Turismo finally arrives on a format for your system don't 
even think twice about renting this excellent racer, buy first. 
In fact if the cash flow is on the low side then trade in all of 
your other racers to allow you to obtain this little gem.