Led Slingers

If you’ve ever played a Gran Turismo game you’ll know the basis of any of the games. Over the years not much has changed in the style of gameplay, it’s still and hopefully always will be one of the best simulation racing experiences to date. The only real changes to any of the games are cars, tracks, music and of course vehicle mods.

The game starts you off with a set amount of money and you have to purchase a car (in your price range, no Ferrari’s yet, sorry!) and with that car you get to start racing. So the first step is selecting the dealership. And even though this is only a Prologue, there are still about 60 cars to choose from. There are 26 original car companies ranging from Daihatsu, to Ferrari, a new addition to GT, and 5 modifying companies each equipped with a few cars. There are also several stand alone custom cars/contest winners which were modeled after show cars that were honored to be picked by the games creator in Nevada to be in GT5.

While in a race, the views are all the typical race views, but GT has added a new view, in car. While in the in car view you can see everything from the drivers hands to the buttons on the dash and the speedometer increasing as the speed does. Granted, other games have done this as well, but this has been done especially well like everything else in this game graphics wise.

There are 4 different game modes to choose. The usual arcade and multiplayer is included. There’s also a typical GT career mode consisting of C-A classes to clear, where each race gets you money so you can buy better and faster cars and have a chance at winning higher ranked races. The final mode is the new online mode which lets you earn cash from races that you can use towards vehicle purchases in the career mode. If you choose to do arcade or multiplayer there are 6 tracks to choose from and as mentioned enough cars that no one should complain. Also in arcade when you pick your track there is the typical race mode but GT has decided to add in drift mode.

In total there are six tracks to choose from, Ranging from Suzuka to the Fuji Speedway. Each track includes amazing scenery, fans that move independently and little details that really show on every turn. Most races are done with 8 to 16 opponents who can make passing pretty challenging, and the game frequently encourages/forces you to use the technique of slipstreaming. All I can say is Learn It, Live It, Love It as you’ll need to master this technique to progress.

Aside from all the modes explained there are a few other options in the main menu. There’s the garage where all the cars you’ve purchased are stored. There are also the typical options and replay menu, and a ranking board to see how you’re doing online.

As far as vehicle modifications go, it’s all fairly basic from the get go and limits you to adjusting traction control, tires, and several other options. Once you finish the C, B, and A classes however, a new menu opens with more vehicle customization options. Each car in GT has its unique look and styling, and all the cars are about as close as it’s going to get to the real thing. IMHO they’ve once again risen to the challenge and when it’s said that GT is a driving simulator it’s not an idle statement, especially when it’s played in conjunction with the GT force driving wheel. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is an excellent racing experience, for a demo. Although it is a demo it is still a big enough demo to keep you busy for a while. The graphics are very impressive and the sound is fantastic as well. The racing physics are solid and well designed. The AI is impressively smart and sometimes takes some patience and perseverance to pass and overtake. The online mode is continuously challenging and is updated every couple weeks with new challenges open only to certain classes and vehicle types which I think will keep the online racing fresh and extend the shelf life of this game. At the very least I would say this game is worth a rental, but if you’re a racing fan, your 40 bucks would be well spent here.