Gran Turismo Review

By Tom Bramwell Published 15 September, 2009

Out of time.

Version tested: PSP

When it was first announced alongside the PlayStation Portable, Gran Turismo 4 Mobile was a statement of intent. PSP, the videos argued, would be the only handheld for which you could buy games that look and feel like the ones you buy for the home. The intervening five years, however, which have also seen the game renamed Gran Turismo, have softened its impact considerably. It's tempting to begin by pointing out that while it does look and feel like a racing game you might buy for the home, that also assumes you're referring to the home of 2004.

But that would be doing Polyphony Digital a disservice. Gran Turismo pelts along at 60 frames-per-second and the developer has wisely sacrificed texture detail to preserve that, safe in the knowledge that the quality of the underlying car geometry will distract players from the odd low-res building in the background, and ensure those all-important replays still exceed expectations laid down by half a decade of portable WipEouts, Ridge Racers and Need for Speeds. They do.

Likewise, the handling model may be cut straight from Gran Turismo 4 - something Polyphony actually claimed to have achieved on PSP as long ago as September 2006 - but that handling model was and remains a cut above the majority of comparable handheld titles. There's real subtlety across the more than 800 vehicles available for purchase, allowing you to appreciate the difference not only between cars with different drivetrains, tyres and performance settings, but between different cars with the same drivetrains, tyres and performance settings.

'Gran Turismo' Screenshot 1

The volume of cars is amazing, but you will have to keep ducking out of race modes to make sure you see all the manufacturers on the rotating Dealership screen.

The issue of realism in racing games is often a thorny one (not least because I doubt any of us has driven a Bugatti Veyron - or indeed any of the Ferraris), but every vehicle is characteristic. Accelerate aggressively into a wide turn with a Honda Integra and you get massive understeer, compared to entertaining oversteer with a Mazda RX-7 and greater stability with a Mitsubishi Evo VII. But the fact you can appreciate the difference between the latter and a similar 4WD car is the more interesting revelation.

All the same, Gran Turismo for PSP is a strange experience. Because while it may look and feel like a serious driving game, it doesn't really function like a game at all for more than a few hours. Following in the tyre treads of pit-stop releases like Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Polyphony gives you a series of several dozen Driving Challenges to complete - similar to the old licence tests, but with cone slaloms, overtake challenges and beat-the-clock cornering tasks making up the bulk. Once you finish those, which doesn't take very long, you're left to your own devices.

There's no career mode to speak of - just Single Race, Time Trial and Drift Trial options, for which you pick a car and a track and then have at it, without any structured progression or notable unlocks (apart from the option to choose from your own MP3s for the soundtrack, and making that an unlockable just feels cheeky). Instead you just bash away with no particular goal in mind besides accumulating credits to buy cars. The only restriction is that the Car Dealerships only show certain manufacturers at certain times. It's not a great substitute for a career mode.

There is also an Ad Hoc multiplayer mode where you can take part in four-player wireless races or trade cars. There are a few race modes for local wireless, including a couple of ways to accommodate different skill levels (staggered starts and adjustable car performance), along with several options for the host to help keep things competitive (giving cars that fall behind a boost) and fair (punishing players for collisions). You can also fill out the field with AI cars or employ an AI driver on your behalf, whom you can level up by completing races in single-player.

However, that limit of four cars per race is true throughout the game, so it never really feels very populated - a sensation not enhanced by the absence of any online options. Perhaps online racing was a bit much to expect (although others manage it), but what about leaderboards? Drift Trial and Time Trial are crying out for them.

This will be a particular issue for people who struggle to find local competition, because there's limited fun in racing against your own times, and the CPU-controlled cars in single-player are thoroughly boring opponents. With no damage modelling or penalties in this mode for ramming, you can bully other cars out of the way on the first corner and then stay ahead without much difficulty. When you come up against speedy foes, they telegraph manoeuvres, stick to the racing line and make little effort to protect themselves while cornering.

The result is a game that by any reasonable measure is absolutely rammed with content - 800 cars, 35 tracks (most of which can be played in reverse, and several of which have multiple layouts) and a decent amount of tuning options (nothing like a full GT game, but enough to make a difference) and gameplay scenarios - but which feels awfully slight. It's especially galling because Driving Challenge gets better and better while it lasts. The idea of taking world-famous corners (like Nurburgring's Carousel) and making a short task out of them, giving you medal-winning times to compete for, could fill out as many challenges as you get in the whole mode. Instead you get half a dozen examples of each of a few good ideas and that's it.

'Gran Turismo' Screenshot 2

The difficulty balancing across Driving Challenge is decent, with the bronze medal usually attainable, but you can also skip tasks if you struggle.

You could argue that you're getting all the content you could possibly want and are then invited to explore it without restriction, and it's certainly possible to enjoy the game like this. I've lost countless hours over the weekend hunting down slippery sports cars, turning off all the assists and fiddling with Quick Tune, and then pitching them against hectic circuits in Drift Trial, my particular favourite.

But structured single-player career modes are more than just fuss; they're a way to regulate difficulty, excitement and choice so that the player gets just enough of each on an ongoing basis. Relying on players to make their own fun is either lazy or foolhardy. Coupled with archaic AI and the isolating absence of PlayStation Network support, this makes for a game that feels unfocused and regressive, despite its considerable technical and mechanical accomplishments.

7 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
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About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (130) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • ChaK #1 2 years ago

    as bad as halo then?

    edit : hooray, first time first ever _o/
    edit 2 : -65, rageboys :p
    edit3 : -191 hooray
    Edited by 3 at 17/09/09 @ 09:32

  • linea #2 2 years ago

    Is this 'hugely promising handheld games hamstrung by inexplicable design decision' day or something?
    Edited by 1 at 15/09/09 @ 17:13

  • Vroom #3 2 years ago

    Wow. 7 you say.

  • uglygamer #4 2 years ago

    Ooh I intended to get a PSP for this aswell.

    /Awaits more reviews
    Edited by 1 at 15/09/09 @ 17:07

  • TopKatt #5 2 years ago

    Mmmmmmmm, need to play a demo I think.

  • cianchristopher #6 2 years ago

    "Coupled with archaic AI and the isolating absence of PlayStation Network support, this makes for a game that feels unfocused and regressive, despite its considerable technical and mechanical accomplishments."

    Going by the state of GT5:p I'd say this could well be the closing statement from the upcoming GT5 on PS3 review, also.

    Polyphony, what the hell have you been doing for the past decade? Nothing but modelling cars, it looks like...

  • uglygamer #7 2 years ago

    IGN gives it 6.8

    http://uk .psp.ign.com/articles/102/10246...

  • layleeloo #8 2 years ago

    Fact is most racing games are pants on my PSP as the thumbstick control just isnt accurate enough for anyone with decent adult size hands. Why this would be an exception escapes me

  • mull #9 2 years ago

    Not as good as Halo, then?

  • Goffee #10 2 years ago

    oops - how could they forget to add a game to their pretty engine, fairly basic oversight there. Odds-on the push to get it out for PSPGo had a lot to do with that.

  • SYS64738 #11 2 years ago

    @ ChaK

    Let's hope it'll be the last one.

    Anyways.... slightly surprised about the 7, but then again if the gameplay is just not there... I'm however am still getting it, let's face it a 7 ain't bad at all and it was my dream to play GT on a handheld for years.

    The review does read in parts though as if the game is being compared to fully fledged console titles which is a bit unfair (and not the first time that happened).

    Bottom line I'd say is, if you like car pr0n on the go = instapurchase, if your focus is gameplay/challenge/'story' progression then better try before you buy....

  • meggsy #12 2 years ago

    "It was as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in joy and were suddenly silenced..."

    Still a commendable achievement that makes me want a psp.

  • cianchristopher #13 2 years ago

    I gotta say, making the MP3 option an unlockable speaks volumes about the mentality of this development team!

    I loved this series up to and including GT3 on PS2 (in 2001, no less!), but everything they've done since has been found wanting. From the "Prologue" releases of GT4 and GT5, to this 4-years-too-late gaem, to their ridiculous time-keeping (how long does it take to make GT5, really?)....

    They have done nothing, NOTHING, to move the racing genre forward since 2001. They've been dining out on the goodwill earned by their first three titles for too long and I'm afraid their time is up!

    Look at the AI in GT5:p, look at the crashing model, the (lack-of) damage model, etc. This is gone beyond a joke!

    Can't wait to see the uproar when Gran Turismo 5 gets a 7/10 in a few months.

  • bad09 #14 2 years ago

    Oh dear this does not sound good from both EG and IGN, this was gonna be my first PSP game purchased in yonks to. Oh well no loss as my PSP is not really used for PSP gaming much. I will probably still pick it up when cheaper anyway.


  • Bigglesworth #15 2 years ago

    @lord
    You think this game was rushed??

  • HermitArcader #16 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:17:39 22-12-2011

  • matrim83 #17 2 years ago

    Third 7 of the day. 7 7 7.

    Its a conspiracy!!

  • Goffee #18 2 years ago

    Actually, this makes me wonder if the proper game will be released as an expansion, or a GT1.5Go release next year.

    Since its free with the PSPGo, I guess I don't really mind it being less than ace, but it still stings a bit.

  • chiz #19 2 years ago

    can you say 'rushed for hardware launch'

    Yep, "rushed for hardware launch".

  • Gaol #20 2 years ago

    I just can't think of a franchise less suited to a handheld device.
    Edited by 1 at 15/09/09 @ 17:34

  • Widge #21 2 years ago

    rashed for hudware lunch








    fuck

  • DrDamn #22 2 years ago

    @layleeloo
    "Fact is most racing games are pants on my PSP as the thumbstick control just isnt accurate enough for anyone with decent adult size hands. Why this would be an exception escapes me"

    Except that's not the reason the game got a 7. In fact the control is praised in the review.

  • Widge #23 2 years ago

    The lack of campaign mode is mental though. GT3/4 always felt like a drive around a selection of courses with AI cars for decoration rather than competition.

    I really want to shell out for this but part of me remembers abandoning GT4 halfway though as I got bored of grinding the levels.

    Fingers crossed for demos of Motorstorm and this on the store soon so I can decide which to go for.

  • retr0gamer #24 2 years ago

    No online multiplayer yet again is a joke for the series :/

  • Widge #25 2 years ago

    I can handle racing against AI as long as you're appropriately pushed by them.

  • patch #26 2 years ago

    lol @Widge.

    Before launch I was wondering if they'd delayed the game to come out with the pspGo... guess not. I get the feeling with a few psp games that they tried to shoe-horn an existing game into a handheld format. Games made with the psp in mind tend to be a lot more enjoyable (patapon, loco roco etc.). I can see myself getting this at some point, but not at launch.
    Edited by 1 at 15/09/09 @ 17:47

  • Sharzam #27 2 years ago

    I dont play local multiplayer on the PSP, so having no online means its a no sale. For me most of the fun with racing games is the the multiplayer with maybe wipeout being the exception as thats good all the time regardless.

    Here in Europe psps are not like, Japan yes there are plenty around but you dont get 20 people on a bus playing with them.

  • GreyBeard #28 2 years ago

    Well, ummm the major complaint on both this and the IGN review is the lack of a career mode, which doesn't seem like such a big deal for a handheld device which (presumably) is going to be used for short-bursts of play?

    I dunno, seems kinda harsh to me.

  • Physically_Insane #29 2 years ago

    ouch!

  • Fleeby #30 2 years ago

    No, just sounds like laziness...

  • PrivateJoker #31 2 years ago

    No career mode, wtf!?

    Anyway, I'll take the free version that's promised with the PSPGo on launch.

  • Bigglesworth #32 2 years ago

    I'd just like to make a cautionary point that the lack of a 'career mode' shouldn't necessarily sound the death-knell for a racing game. I understand that in this case the game appears to have little progression structure at all and has been criticised accordingly, but in general there are alternatives such as were used in GT4, that a perfectly workable means of player progression.

  • Beano #33 2 years ago

    How could they not include a career mode?

    Just plain stupid...

  • DjFlex52 #34 2 years ago

    "7/10 EG, probably 9/10 eveyywhere else ;) "

    Not so fast.....IGN - 6.8/10

    edit : "But who to trust?........ That is the question."

    Definitely not you, evilfoxhoumd ;-)
    Edited by 1 at 15/09/09 @ 18:12

  • uglygamer #35 2 years ago

    6.7 CVG

    [link url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=22 3409
    ]http://ww w.computerandvideogames.com/art...[/link]

    Uppers
    Fantastic handling
    Cars looks amazing
    60 frames-per second smoothness
    Downers
    No structure to the main game
    Endless grinding, no sense of achievement
    No incentive to buy cars

  • EvilBob_leeds #36 2 years ago

    Going by metacritic we seem to have a whole lotta average - a couple of 8s and CVG, with a 9 from videogamer.com and this review to come - a lot of love for the technical, a fair bit of annoyance at the lack of campaign.

    Anyone know why the wankers on this thread predicting doom and gloom for GT5 on the basis of this are getting marked up?
    Edited by 2 at 15/09/09 @ 18:33

  • spatss #37 2 years ago

    Lol at all the trolls here.

    I totally intend to get this. All I want is a easy to pick up and play racing game that fits into my pocket.

  • GreyBeard #38 2 years ago

    The CVG review also claims the original PSP Ridge Racer looks better (!) than GT... which is somewhat debatable at least based on the video evidence.

  • Shadders #39 2 years ago

    So there's no online multiplayer or single player? Are you sure you weren't reviewing the demo?

    Not only has this review put me off GT, but I think I'll cancel my PSP GO pre-order too, the free copy of this was the only way I'd been able to justify it.

    And I know they got the same scores, but the MotorStorm:AE review was quite a bit more positive than this (imo), who'd have thought that!?

  • GreyBeard #40 2 years ago

    @Shadders

    It seems to support ad-hoc modes for multi-player which I assume you can play in proper online mode if you have a PS3 and the Ad-hoc party app that Sony launched in Japan awhile back.

    I'd recommend reading the IGN review (even if you don't agree with the score) as its a lot more specific about features and details than Tom's review.

    And again, people shouldn't be getting their panties in a bunch over the score as a 7 isn't bad. Its certainly close enough to the top to be an absolute gem if the things that bugged the reviewer don't really bother you - Dan's 7/10 for Dead Space being a good example for me personally.

  • UncleLou #41 2 years ago

    Just as good as Real Racing, then.

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #42 2 years ago

    "6.7 CVG "

    That's amazing. The review reads like a 3 or a 4 at most.

  • Vin #43 2 years ago

    It's been rushed for launch since 2004!

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #44 2 years ago

    "I totally intend to get this. All I want is a easy to pick up and play racing game that fits into my pocket. "

    Then why would you pay £25 for a shabby Pokemon-with-cars effort like this, when you could get Ridge Racer 2 for about £3.99 and have four times as many cars onscreen to race, and an actual game structure as well?

  • autogunner #45 2 years ago

    good, now everyone go out and get GRID, the only racing game anyone could ever want

  • GreyBeard #46 2 years ago

    @Rev Campbell

    The main draw for any GT are the real-world cars and the handling models. That's it. You either find that a compelling selling point or you don't.

    Personally, its not my taste but I can appreciate the appeal it has for other people.

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #47 2 years ago

    "The main draw for any GT are the real-world cars and the handling models. That's it. You either find that a compelling selling point or you don't. "

    I'm well aware of that, but that's not what the poster in question said. He said "All I want is a easy to pick up and play racing game that fits into my pocket." Nothing about real-world cars or handling models. So why buy a rather poor game that's really a kids' collect-'em-up only disguised as a racing game, when you could get the most pick-up-and-play proper racing game for about a fifth of the cost?

  • toy_brain #48 2 years ago

    Its not like I'd have changed my mind anyway, but this and the other reviews coming in do at least cement my decision to go with Motorstorm: AE.
    I find the lack of career mode quite staggering. Just how hard would it be for them to take all their existing content then just lay it out in some sort of progressive structure? Couple menu graphics here, some pictures of shiny trophies there, and done. Yes? No?
    /Is not a games developer.

    Oh well, boosting a rally car around an icy bobsleigh turn sounds more interesting anyway.

  • StooMonster #49 2 years ago

    Fugger and buck. Been looking forward to this on PSP. :(

    Reads like they forgot the game. :(

    Will prolly still buy it anyway, if for no other reason than it's an excuse to get dust gathering PSP out of its draw, it hasn't seen sunlight since GoW.

  • frankfurter209 #50 2 years ago

    Polyphony deserves this kind of righteous criticism. They're a close-minded arrogant company relying on car wank over actual racing. Is anyone surprised there is still no AI? The same old bumper-car physics and invincible damage models? Fuck them, this series is going nowhere.

  • TurboBailey #51 2 years ago

    Wasnt this the game that was suppose to sell all those fancy new PSP Go??

    /facepalm

  • GreyBeard #52 2 years ago

    @Rev

    Arguably from a pick-up-and-play standpoint GT's lack of overt career structuring makes it more accessible than a RR2 with its arcade-style sequential event unlocking.

    If you assume difficulty is determined by the handling characteristics of the car being driven, with the more advanced vehicles being naturally more challenging and expensive (thus harder to acquire), the fundamental difficulty curve is present and correct but with most (if not all) the race courses and styles available from the start.

    Seems like a win to me, especially for a handheld title.

    I hate to say the obvious, but isn't it a total no-brainer that if you don't actually enjoy the driving, any race game is fundamentally worthless?

    Polyphony seem to have the core gameplay well covered (tracks, cars, handling model) so I'm a bit surprised that they are getting hammered so hard for not constantly patting the user on the head for their efforts.
    Edited by 1 at 15/09/09 @ 19:37

  • coolbritannia #53 2 years ago

    hardly surprising. GT3 was the last decent game in the series.

  • niz #54 2 years ago

    Digital Polyphony has lost the plot. GT5 is probably going to be dazzling visually and offer 3411 different cars, but very little improvements when it comes to gameplay. Same old grinding against AI-less cars which follow you on a rubberband. Go faster, they go faster, go slower, they go slower. Stop in the middle of the track and wait - AI cars will smack into you at 300 kph without even trying to avoid you. Just like on PS1. Yawn.

    Instead of modelling hundreds or thousands of cars (a few dozen DIFFERENT cars would be enough) they should concentrate on bringing the gameplay and online features to the level people expect in 2009 or 2010 - at the least.

    But they won't - it's going to be style over substance all over again.

    Edited by 1 at 15/09/09 @ 20:21

  • db3 #55 2 years ago

    Polyphony need to get out a bit. If they hadn't wasting years stuck in their own little world modeling thousands of cars, creating demos and prologues we might actually have decent end product. I've now lost all interest in GT5. It will take a plethora of 10's to get me excited again.

    Roll on Shift.

  • GreyBeard #56 2 years ago

    @Lord

    Because its a handheld game, and if you want to play it like a couch racer you maybe should buy GT5 instead?

    The whole game is in permanent "career" mode, your measure of progression is the number of cars in your garage.

    You can show your e-peen to friends by trading cars from your garage to theirs, or by beating them in an ad-hoc race.

    Seems quite simple and elegant to be honest.
    If you actually think about it, all the content you'd expect from a career mode is there. its just laid out in a free-form way, presumably because its a handheld game and is intended to be played in short bursts.
    Edited by 1 at 15/09/09 @ 20:49

  • JamieR #57 2 years ago

    Not interested in this they is alot more better games i want on the psp id rather just by gt5 on the ps3

  • GamesConnoisseur #58 2 years ago

    GT PSP DEFENCE FORCE is out and about and hurting to run down any critcisms!

    I too am still gonna get the game, but for god sake nothing can forgive the decision to view PSP gamers AS only wanting a piddle teeny racing at a time and just get cars depending on time of the year?

    Simple game design 101 is to give incentive for gamers to get entralled and enjoy game more by having a sense of progressions with rewards and keeping them asking for more.

    As others say career mode would have been the main course, now all we get is a starter course and that it!

    Major disappointment when I found this out.

    As it is, I m sure it's the most fun I get until novelty wear off in far shorter time than anticipated.

    Poly and Sony, look at the feedbacks and consider adding career option via dlc pleeeease!

  • Alkeno #59 2 years ago

    PD promises great GT for PSP at launch (or near launch, can't remember).
    PD finds out that GT5 is sucking all their resources no-end and stop the port of GT4 to PSP.
    PSP buyers get upset for a good reason, they were promised a great GT for PSP.
    Sony gets upset cause PSP isn't doing as well as expected and userbase is pissed.
    Sony phones PD and tell them "get the f****** game out, now!"
    PD reply "but... we only finished porting the engine and the assets! there is no gameplay!"

    What a pity, you shouldn't give player so many cars and circuits and then tell them "go, have fun!". That is mean...
    PD give

  • secombe #60 2 years ago

    Give me 200 cars and a career mode anyday, can't help but feel the lack of any real structure will harm it in the long run, the GT series is a pretty dry soul-free experience as it is.

  • wayneh #61 2 years ago

    Pre-order cancelled, thanks EG. I'll wait for some feedback in the forum before I buy.

  • andromeda #62 2 years ago

    This is a must-download for me .

  • Ryze #63 2 years ago

    Trust them to fuck this up with a lack of structure, and infrastructure (mode) after delaying for 5 YEARS.

    Fools.

  • SAH1977 #64 2 years ago

    GT Mobile is GT4 plus Ferrari, Bugatti and Lamborghini, and a pick up and play interface. Sony needed the GT brand and the technical demo it provides to sell the PSP GO, consumers demanded it, so they gave it to you.

    Anyone who's seriously into driving sims cares very little for GT Mobile as it simply cannot work on a mobile platform.

    Hopefully PD have spent so little time on new content and features for GT Mobile as they are working away on GT5 with damage, weather, night and day cycles, head tracking, online features and physics that take another step forward as they did from GT4 to GT5P.
    Edited by 1 at 15/09/09 @ 22:10

  • Widge #65 2 years ago

    Any reason it cannot work on a mobile platform other than "it can't"?

  • Collymilad #66 2 years ago

    EL.....OH....EL.

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #67 2 years ago

    "Any reason it cannot work on a mobile platform other than "it can't"? "

    No reason whatsoever.

  • tachometer #68 2 years ago

    The original GT on the PS1 had the most enjoyable career mode in it and Polyphony have gradually been making the series less fun since then. They seem to think that having a gamey structure to their software detracts from how brilliant their coding is.

  • patchbox360 #69 2 years ago

    eurogamer - sega rally 9/10

  • markypants #70 2 years ago

    Well that has just saved me £225. I was going to pick up PSPGO with this, but think I'm going to hang back a while. It's a shame because it sounds like everything is there from which to make a career mode, but they didn't bother putting it all together. Could have been a killer app, but could end up damaging peoples opinion of GT5 (through association) if all these bad reviews flood the internet. :-(

  • electrolite #71 2 years ago

    Of all the machines to do a half-arsed driving game when you have a lot of competition....

  • LetsGo #72 2 years ago

    " isolating absence of PlayStation Network support"

    This. It's 2009, most PSP games have network support now.

    What a joke.

  • The-Bodybuilder #73 2 years ago

    How do you delay a game for 5 years and still release it practically unfinished?
    This really doesn't bode well for GT5.
    Edited by 1 at 16/09/09 @ 10:05

  • Pro_Gamer #74 2 years ago

    LAUGH-OUT-FUCKING-LOUD AT HOW PATHETIC SONY HAVE BECOME

    This is a fucking disgrace. A fucking 7 for a game that took 4 years to make? WTF is this shit? FUCK OFF $ONY

  • lefizz #75 2 years ago

    I have to say i havent been truely impressed with a Polyphony racer in f@>king years. GT 1 and two on PS1 were when they were at there best
    I remember when the first Gt came out on pS2 and really in some ways that was pretty dissapointing, no damage, basiclly a glossed up version of their PS1 stuff
    Ever since they have been late to every party, online, damage.

    Others have just taken this stuff further and further whilst they just added more polygons and spent years getting the specularity on paint work right.

  • Rens11 #76 2 years ago

    Why did they Gimp the single player career!!! I seriously hope GT5 doesn't have a lame single player career the best bit about GT is starting in a crappy car slowly working your way up, ah the memories of finally upgrading my crappy sprinter truneo into a comparitivley beastly Evo on GT3 :)
    Edited by 1 at 16/09/09 @ 01:54

  • Mr_Brown #77 2 years ago

    That is really disapointing, I had high hopes for this being the defining game for the PSP. No network play and poor AI are the two worst things about it really. If you don't have the challenge of a career mode at least offer the player a challenge against the computer or other players. There should be one or the other. I don't really have much confidence in Polyphony anymore after the crushing disapointment that was GT4. The fact that they have been focusing on making the maximum amount of money instead of improving the game for long term fans is unforgivable really. Roll on Forza 3.

  • SAH1977 #78 2 years ago

    'Any reason it cannot work on a mobile platform other than "it can't"? '

    GT is a second rate experience with a dual analogue control pad, nevermind the PSP controls.

    Not to mention I can think of little worse than wading through a 30-40 hour game on the PSP.

  • Widge #79 2 years ago

    It just reminds me of early days PSP games where they'd be "adapted" for the portable platform, which roughly translated into removing most of the game and leaving an empty shell because that gave a more satisfying portable experience.

    Sometimes you want the entire big fat meaty game all there.

  • HuggyAtHome #80 2 years ago

    Such a shame - a new GT used to be a huge event for me, now it's just a bit of a yawn. They seem to have taken the fun out of the game and not moved on other than the car models. There are lots of better driving games out there on all platforms.

    I do fear for GT5, but hope I am wrong.

  • Widge #81 2 years ago

    IF the AI quality was good and IF you could set up your own career mode (custom tournaments and races) then I'd plump for this. In the meantime, I'll wait for a demo or for GT2 to be released onto the store.

  • Xerx3s #82 2 years ago

    "This is a fucking disgrace. A fucking 7 for a game that took 4 years to make? WTF is this shit? FUCK OFF $ONY "

    Get a fucking reality check mate. A 7 is a very good score.

  • milky_09 #83 2 years ago

    to be honest its the friggin psp for fucks sake. what more does eurogamer or its legion of psp/ ps3/ gt haters want?

    for a start it runs at 60fps. matching a home console racing game.

    it has 800 cars. (im sure therell be duplicates in there but still a phenominal figure when compared to most racing games... even of you include gt5 and forza 3 thats still an awesome achievement and beats forza 3,2,1 and all gt games bar gt5. that has over 1000.

    it has 35 tracks plus 70 variations of those tracks... closely matching if not beating forza. and coming relatively close to most gt games.

    the size of the game is 937mb-ish...again another huge achievement... for decent load times etc.


    if it looked like shit and didnt play like gt at all...then fair do's.

  • Pro_Gamer #84 2 years ago

    "Get a fucking reality check mate. A 7 is a very good score. "

    Is that some sort of a joke? Seriously, I need to know if you are being sarcastic or not. A 7 is hardly worth DOWNLOADING let alone buying

  • lefizz #85 2 years ago

    Now thats quite funny.

    A 7 is fine, if it was an EA title no one would think twice. The issue is EA have never been seen as the creators of the modern racing genre, have never been put on that high pedestal, have never said there games were the second coming. Oh and EA would never spend 4 years making a game let alone one which gets a fucking 7.

    Sad

  • SYS64738 #86 2 years ago

    ""Get a fucking reality check mate. A 7 is a very good score. "

    Is that some sort of a joke? Seriously, I need to know if you are being sarcastic or not. A 7 is hardly worth DOWNLOADING let alone buying "

    If you base all your purchasing decisions solely on review scores then good luck with that (unless your own posts were meant to be some sort of joke!).

    For me the game (despite the disappointing lack of a career mode) still ranks as an 8-9 out of 10 (I should really stop using scores but what the hey) because if you look really hard enough, the gameplay principle is still the same - you take a car, you race it, you win money, you buy another car, to beat the same track on a higher difficulty level. It was of course a lot more fleshed out in previous games (which creates much more sense of achievement, therefore motivation and is more fun), but the principle, albeit with much less restrictions, is kinda still there. The challenge in this game will be to set your own challenges to keep yourself motivated, e.g. try to beat a lap time achieved with a supercar with a slower vehicle. If you can't/don't want to do that, get Ridge Racer or LA Remix etc.

    I didn't finish GT4 after I came across those ridiculously long F1 races (1.5 to 2 hours each x 15 I think, and without save option during the races) - I can see that some people might have had the time and patience to complete them, but I instead ended up racing random events again and again to get more money to buy a certain car I wanted to try out. I don't intend to play GT PSP for hours on end in one go so I think it's just about acceptable (for me) the way they designed it.

    Still, I do miss the career mode - as others have said, I'm sure they could've come up with a career mode that doesn't need 500MB of space and was similar to GT1/2 in a day or two.

  • Widge #87 2 years ago

    All games that get 7 are shit. This is now a fact.

  • Widge #88 2 years ago

    Does this mean all games that get 8 are just a fraction above piss incarnate?

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #89 2 years ago

    OH MY GOD

    only as good a Real Racing on iPhone? Sony's E3 presentation made me think I might have bought a PSP for this, I suppose I should be thankful that now I feel I don't have to.

  • SYS64738 #90 2 years ago

    Only games rated 10 and above are worth considering, apparently.

  • UncleLou #91 2 years ago

    only as good a Real Racing on iPhone?

    Careful, I got negged for pointing that out. :)

    And that after RR was reviewed harshly because "normal" handheld standards were applied.

  • GreyBeard #92 2 years ago

    @pro_gamer

    Are you for real ?

  • SYS64738 #93 2 years ago

    Let's look at the bright side - over 100 posts for a PSP review:) Haven't seen this in a while!

    And I hoarded lots of UMD's last year cos I thought I'll end up with another dead system similar to the Mega CD back in the days...

    @Twinberrettas - couldn't agree more.
    Edited by 1 at 16/09/09 @ 09:42

  • Bazfrag #94 2 years ago

    We need a new scoring system, as some people still think a 7 = terrible.

    How about just having a 7-10 system? 7 means its a broken insult to gamers, 8 means average, 9 is a worth playing and 10 is must buy..

  • rhubarbandcustard #95 2 years ago

    I was really expecting this to get a 10.

    It's Gran Turismo. On a handheld. 800 cars. 45 tracks. Endless replayability. 60 fps.

    I'll re-read the review in a moment but...why isn't this a 10?

  • Xerx3s #96 2 years ago

    "Is that some sort of a joke? Seriously, I need to know if you are being sarcastic or not. A 7 is hardly worth DOWNLOADING let alone buying"

    And this is exactly what's wrong with the industry today. Anything but a 10 is considered shite. Which is exactly why these numbers say fuck all. Unfortunately, these kiddies can only comprehend that single figure, anything in between is too complex.

  • Zebula77 #97 2 years ago

    Hmf, yesterday's preview made me think this was gonna be a ten out of ten. But no career mode - what were they thinking?!? That's the most important part of any GT game, surely.

    Guess I'll wait for GT5 then.

  • Bigglesworth #98 2 years ago

    The more I think about this, and this is only the second time because it didn't occur the first time I visited this review/thread, the more I suspect that the 'career' omission (which, lets not forget, historically for GT has been little more than a line of different race-series' and championships with ever harsher or restrictive entry criteria) was deliberate: a concession to the 'bite-sized' gaming ethos that people often think systems like the PSP are meant to provide. Essentially, what PD have done is given you everything you had in GT4 in terms of cars and tracks, more in fact, and said "here you are, now you can race when you can't have your console with you - have fun". So very wrong?

  • Arwin #99 2 years ago

    After reading several other reviews, I'm coming back to this review (and many others make the same mistake) disappointed about not learning about what IS in the game. So much time has been spent to what is NOT in the game, that however understandably, the review fails to inform me about the product I'm buying (or have bought, in fact, for 23,49 at play.com which seems pretty good value even for the little I'm learning from this review. ;) ).

    Things I wanted to learn about are if there are at least off-line leaderboards, and how they are organised, if there is any interaction for them between ad-hoc players that link up, etc (haven't found this information yet). Also I wanted to know what kind of races you can set-up. I read in another review that you can setup the races up to 99 laps at least, you can limit them to certain makes, etc. and that the prize money is adjusted accordingly, and you can go at it with any car. Also, the higher difficulties B, A and S first have to be unlocked in the challenges (much like the licences before).

    It's kind of interesting how these things pan out. If a new developer had come up with this game with only the challenges and the cars used in them, and they'd unlock the tracks and cars for free play, and you'd be done with the whole thing in a few hours and pay 23,49 for it ... probably would also have gotten a 7? ;)

  • Widge #100 2 years ago

    Can you set up tournaments too? I don't do PSP online and if I could effectively create my own tournament/career mode, that would be nice.

  • Jay-ITFC #101 2 years ago

    No career mode = crazy stupid!!! Sure people would have preffered 100 cars, 20 tracks and a career mode! Do they not think!?

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #102 2 years ago

    A career mode and bite-sized gameplay are not mutually exclusive.

    The game would still be split up into race events of a few minutes each. Hell, they could even have included endurance races if they allowed one to save mid-race.

  • secombe #103 2 years ago

    The staggering oversight, even more so than lack of structure, is that there are only 4 cars on circuit and no online. This is supposed to be a racing game, yet the actual racing has taken a back seat to graphical prowess. You can't even fall back on online leaderboards, which would at least make time trials interesting. In many ways, its indicative of the worst aspects of console 'generations' and how that affects the quality of games, prettier but no more substance.

    It highlights the wider issue with the GT series, what have they really done to push the series on in the past 10 years? Yet it still generate huge sales figures, if this were any other series/genre people simply wouldn't stand for the lack of development. PD will just keep scanning cars and adding them to each version, because it seems that's all many people care about.

  • des #104 2 years ago

    Wow...GT PSP sucks...5 years to make this monstrosity
    No wonder thy are giving it free with PSP Go...

  • Zebula77 #105 2 years ago

    @ Bigglesworth: Well, that's definitely a different perspective, and put like that it makes perfect sense. I just want the whole enchilada. :p

  • Widge #106 2 years ago

    I see the biggles perspective and it makes sense. I also want it all. I like to race for something, not for nothing.
    The only game that I've enjoyed aimlessly driving around is in Burnout Paradise, thanks to the big freedom thing.
    Still, 7 is not rubbish

  • GreyBeard #107 2 years ago

    @Widge

    The big thing is that its basically intended to complement GT5, not be a cut-down clone.

    The point of the game is that it allows you to collect cars Pokemon-style, which can then be transferred to the full-on GT5 for use in the career mode there.

    There are far too many hateful idiots in this thread with axes to grind to grasp this sadly.

  • milky_09 #108 2 years ago

    from what ive seen it looks awesome and from reviewer comments plays great. ok its missing a career mode. but you still get races to participate in, its just alot more free form. if anything i think its a strength that ur not forced to go thru career mode... if it was the case itd be more frustrating to progress. if anything pd should be commended for getting 800 cars and 100 tracks below 1gb for psp.

    says it all when eurogamer gave sega rally 9/10. that was multiplatform too...

  • WJF #109 2 years ago

    'The big thing is that its basically intended to complement GT5, not be a cut-down clone.

    The point of the game is that it allows you to collect cars Pokemon-style, which can then be transferred to the full-on GT5 for use in the career mode there. '

    In essence then - it's half a game that needs another console and another full priced game to fully experience?

    Fun times.

  • SeesThroughAll #110 2 years ago

    I haven't tried this game yet, but I would have to agree with a lot of people that the lack of a proper career mode is a serious omission to a GT game. Nevermind that it's a PSP game, it's Gran Turismo! People expect a career mode! I can certainly understand that the game will suffer criticism due to this.

  • Trinod #111 2 years ago

    They should release GT2 via the PS1 emulator and be done with it. Thats would be better than this! Or **cough**you could just do it yourself **cough**custom firmware ...

    ...now wheres that lemsip gone
    Edited by 1 at 16/09/09 @ 15:15

  • MaxiSleep #112 2 years ago

    Reallty cant believe the lack of career node. This is the first version I will not be owning since launch on the PS1

    Idiots.

  • Widge #113 2 years ago

    I want to play GT on a portable, not have it sit alongside a console offering. What do you do if you don't have a PS3?

  • bad09 #114 2 years ago

    @ Trinod

    Christ on a bloody stick WHY THE HELL have I not put GT1/2 (the best ones) on my PSP before now?????????? Thanks dude!

    / heads to Ebay

  • GreyBeard #115 2 years ago

    @Widge

    Buy a PS3?

    Sorry, I'm being facetious.
    My serious answer is if you don't like what GT PSP has to offer just don't buy it! Same as any other game. Why the hell are people acting so fucking indignant about it?

    Development time and expectation is irrelevant - Its still just a £20 handheld title, not a full-price game.

    You may not like the Poke-cars approach that Polyphony has taken, but it is what it is. And its probably a smart move when you consider the very strong likelihood that GT5 will be on shelves this side of Christmas.

  • MaxiSleep #116 2 years ago

    My serious answer is if you don't like what GT PSP has to offer just don't buy it! Same as any other game. Why the hell are people acting so fucking indignant about it?


    Because many of us bought PSP's in anticipation of a full version of GT. Yes mine IS that old.

  • FladgeMangle #117 2 years ago

    I'm amazed at how many developers simply don't get the PSP.

    All this "pick-up-and-play" nonsense, you'd think it was a sodding mobile phone.

    The PSP is perfectly capable of delivering long term and deep gameplay and has the best standby mode of any handheld. So I call foul at the excuses about the lack of career mode. I believe the game was taken off the shelf and quickly dusted off in time for the launch of the PSP go, so it was essentially (at partially hysterically) a "rush job".

    Furthermore, the dip-in, race wherever you like and follow your own path sounds a bit like the Monster Hunter questing model. Now I wonder why they'd adopt that?

  • GreyBeard #118 2 years ago

    @MaxiSleep

    Its been a long time man, perhaps its time to let it go?

    Or perhaps (as you've waited this long) buy the thing anyway to see if you actually enjoy the game rather than just reacting to a bunch of second-hand opinions on the internet?

  • RobTheBuilder #119 2 years ago

    God its no wonder Edge took scores out for an issue.

    Frankly this is every GT I've ever played. Great driving, impressive graphics, but rubbish boring AI and little sense of worth outside the cars. After GT4 on PS2 I see no reason to buy another GT until they fix the AI into at least something approaching that of a bargain PS2 game... /sarcasm

    Let's be honest here, its a great technical achievement, but at the expense of the game. 30fps with 8 cars and better AI and maybe we'd be talking Polyphony.
    Edited by 1 at 16/09/09 @ 17:58

  • WinterSnowblind #120 2 years ago

    @GreyBeard
    Sorry, but I don't buy that. For the really hardcore GT fans, yes, a Pokemon style car collecting utility game to go along with GT5 may be useful, but I don't see why the PSP should be relegated to such low standards. We were expecting this to be a full fledged racing game, and that's what it should have been. Like others have said, the PSP is certainly capable of a lot more.

    Instead, they seem to have cut as much as possible just so it can boast things like having 800 cars, which is just totally uncessary when there's next to no gameplay modes.

  • o_ci2007 #121 2 years ago

    I actually own and play my psp a lot. The first thing is you have to accept that this is not a scaled down ps3. The graphics for movies and especially trailers are amazing but not a true representative of the game. In game graphics are not as smooth or as good as the trailer by a long short. I am currently playing dirt 2 and like all racing on the psp its awful. The sound seems the same for all the cars, the handling arcadey, the AI of computer cars is all over the place, its unrealistic, inconsistent and can go around a tight hairpin at 100mph. However I am always prepared for the games to be awful and hence any slight positives is a bonus for me. I am expecting gt5 prologue to be bad but if the cars look half as good as the trailers I will be happy.. I am not fussed about lack of a career mode.

  • bad09 #122 2 years ago

    "I'm amazed at how many developers simply don't get the PSP.

    All this "pick-up-and-play" nonsense, you'd think it was a sodding mobile phone. "

    Yeah it's only gonna get worse to as Sony chase trendy Iphone. It's quite sad as I remember buying a portable PLAYSTATION all those years ago. Best fun I've had on it (PSP related) are console perfect versions of GTAs, Tekken, SFA3, Craxzy Taxi, Ridge Racer. Great games completely intact on handheld.

    Problem is instead of looking at what console games would be great on PSP they normally just cobble together a bad version of their latest game which you are probably already buying on a home console if you want it anyway.

    Devs these days are just knocking out tat people don't want on PSP so they don't buy and the devs then think people don't want deep meaty games on PSP. So go for this "quick" type of stuff.

    TBH I suppose a pick up and race GT may offer some small enjoyment so I'll nab a copy down the line but I would have much prefered an actual game more than 800 car "gotta grab 'em all" I'm not gonna use, seriously what is the point of so many cars. Idiots.

    And they have the cheek to claim PSP piracy is the reason people hack their PSPs...

  • speedjack #123 2 years ago

    Its stuff like this that made me get rid of my PSP and buy a DS.

    Developers keep trying to shoehorn console games on with reduced functionality, but unlike the DS there is no unique feature (dual screen/stylus) to differentiate it - so you're left with a watered down port with crap nub and d-pad control.

    Its a shame as I'd argue the PSP had one of the best launch line-ups ever (Lumines, Wipeout, Everyones Golf etc).







  • outy #124 2 years ago

    I was originally anticipating both a career mode as well as a comprehensive infrastructure mode, this is a massive let down as i would have still bought the game if it was missing one of these functions.

  • GreyBeard #125 2 years ago

    @Wintersnowblind

    Just because its different, doesn't mean its bad! And ultimately what it boils down to is that on this game Polyphony are allowing the player to set their own goals rather than mapping them out for you.

    There are bunch of tracks, tons of tweakable cars, several race styles, variable lap lengths and multiple AI difficulties. Its all there, just formatted differently.

  • milky_09 #126 2 years ago

    id understand totally if gt psp only had 10 cars 3 tracks, career mode, shit pyhsics and visuals...id understand if the meat of the game sucked. i.e the actual racing...which by all accounts is excellently translated to a handheld.

  • EmiliasHorse #127 2 years ago

    Sony had my cash right up to paragraph 5, then things went very quickly downhill. Will need to try before I buy on this one.

  • Arwin #128 2 years ago

    This weekend I went back and played GT4 (on my EU BC PS3). It greatly reinforced how glad I am that I don't have to do the career mode again. That slow grind and enormous map of events that you could or couldn't enter was ok for a console title, but even there it's a bit of a mess to be honest. Look forward to trying the handheld GT and see how much I like that.

    Really happy that in the modern console games you can make money and unlock cars both using offline and online racing, because I think I'm a bit done with the 'career modes' ... I never finished any career mode of any racing game anyway, save perhaps a season of F1 races in one of Geoff Crammond's masterpieces and one or two old rally games. Best I managed in the GT series was 78% or so in GT4. I think that basically reinforced my belief that the career mode is not for me - just give me all the cars and let me do time trials and such (which then become online competitions on GT dedicated sites) on any track/car I want, and I'll be happy with GT PSP.

    For Forza 3 and Gran Turismo 5, maybe just stuff like the achievements/trophies will be enough to get me going most of the time, but eventually it will be all about the online I think.
    Edited by 1 at 22/09/09 @ 11:04

  • steveb07 #129 2 years ago

    I've had a PSP from the original Japanese launch and have been wanting a GT game for it since then. I will buy this but I've actually started playing GT1 on my PSP this week and really enjoying it.
    I also have an iPhone and might buy Real Racing as well.

  • jonsaan #130 2 years ago

    It's a shame that this review will put so many people off. I have played little else for the past month or so. It's a really excellent game.