Since Gran Turismo appeared on the Playstation in 1997, it has been the car fans’ most important universe for Sony’s platform.
Introduction
As a car sim, the series is one of the few that has gained great mainstream appeal while each game has increased in scope and been a universe in itself on Playstation. Japanese Polyphony Digital, which is part of Sony Entertainment, has always spent a lot of time creating the largest selection of cars and tracks (but not always asphalt), the opportunity to upgrade the cars and a lot of history for those who are interested.
This is also the case for the 2022 title, because there are over 420 cars to be found here “both old classics and state-of-the-art supercars that have been recreated down to the smallest detail. All cars have different driving characteristics and feel unique when you navigate through 90 lanes and routes in dynamic weather conditions, including classic trails from GT history. ”
In addition to well over 400 cars, there are over 90 courses that are all varied, serving night and day and different weather (none of these parameters are dynamic, but occur at the same time in each race), including wet roads with realistic water ponds to beware of.
Playability
This is the type of car game that is placed during simulation, hence the subtitle of the series “The Real Driving Simulator”. The fact that the developer puts an incredible amount of work into making everything feel as realistic as possible can make it difficult for beginners to get started, but fortunately this is not the case with sjuern.
You start carefully with small cars that do not go fast, so to speak. As you build up skills and make money, as well as take various tests to be able to qualify in races, you become cautiously good enough to borrow the keys to faster and faster cars. This is combined with a lot of help on the road. If you want, the car can even brake for you in the corners. I turned this off as soon as I discovered it, but left the help line in place, as well as a warning in the roadway and a “brake” warning when needed to make it a little easier.
I tested on Playstation 5 and then also with the DualSense controller which is as built for this car game with “adaptive triggers: Feel the vibration from the ABS brakes and the spinning wheels, and the different braking resistance of each car”, as Sony explains it. We agree. Of course, there is also implemented “haptic feedback” (ie vibrations) “With the game’s haptic feedback, you can really feel the car’s contact with the ground, from small bumps in the asphalt to the grooves on the curb”. I have not experienced as good use of a gamepad’s feedback to the player before, because there is a level of detail in the vibrations and the adaptive triggers that is better than anything else and that the Xbox controller can not stand up to.
The game teaches you to be humble in relation to the cars’ ability to take turns, this is not Forza Horizon or anything like that. You have to combine the correct speed and balance this out with just enough braking and at the same time make sure to straighten the car as soon as possible after a turn to keep the maximum speed, to beat the competitors. That said, it is actually possible to shop for a superior car, as only the class decides if you are allowed to park. In one race I ended up in eighth place – after I upgraded the car for around 10,000 “kroner” I came in second place. It is now one thing, and one can certainly complain that it is possible, but what impresses in terms of tuning is that even car amateurs, who include myself, immediately notice that the car not only drives faster, but also takes turns better at higher speeds.
Presentation
This is an intermediate title I can not remember writing before in a game review, but then this is a type of game I have not reviewed before. As mentioned in the introduction, the game creates a universe beyond the number of cars and tracks, because when you start right away you are presented with a small map where you jump from everything to tuning, multiplayer, shop, car wash (yes, you have to wash the car) and the cafe which is important in the single player section.
This is where you are presented with different assignments where the first ones end up in third place or better to gather three different cars in the same class. You will also be presented with some history about the different car types in the same place and you will get tickets you can play to win little or a lot of money, upgrades and cars.
There’s no “bridge” here in the yard or big-mouthed DJs reminding you to “check this out, dude!”. Instead, everything is elegant in just one way Japanese can where you are greeted by nice people who help you find your way in all the opportunities that open up as you “level up” and earn money you can again spend on new cars. The most expensive cars will cost millions, and it takes several hours to earn 200,000 points.
Graphics
The game is presented in 4K and 60FPS, and you have two graphics choices: priority of ray tracing or FPS.
Throughout the game test, I preferred to play with the best graphics, as the performance only dips below 60FPS when you see reruns of your own race and before you are allowed to accelerate. The most important question here is whether the game manages to keep 60FPS even when playing, and there is no doubt about that. Good job, in other words. The game also offers ray tracing which is the icing on the cake, but whether it is a must we are unsure as it seems from Sony’s wording that RT is only included when snapping still images?
Spot the competition in the rearview mirror, watch the sun shine in the body, and take incredibly realistic photos using ray tracing on the PS5 – with support for 4K and up to 60 frames per second
Sony
By comparing, I noticed that without RT, there are fewer light reflections in the game, and if we are to guess, the game increases the graphics level when you see your own race at the end in replay. Beyond this is the level of detail on the cars that one expects from a game of this type, and because it is a question of track races, the outside world has less to say.
Conclusion
It’s the obsession with getting fatter cars, or maybe going to the dealer and buying the dream car, that is the icing on the cake in this game. Combine this with a simple entrance ticket for anyone who has a little interest in cars, to those who have been engrossed all their lives and may even drive on the track, and you have a usual large package of car entertainment presented in a way that does not make a mat , but which gives the player the magical feeling that “I just have to run another round”. If you have managed it, you have managed a lot.