OUR SCORE - 10/10
If you're someone who's been playing on the PlayStation since the olden times, there's no way you're not familiar with the Gran Turismo racing games. Gran Turismo was once the king of the racing genre, and after a short rest, the king is back. In all sorts of ways, because Gran Turismo 7 is the best racing game we've played in a long time.
A novelty with Gran Turismo 7 is a café where a virtual car enthusiast hands out simple tasks to get you on the right track. On the one hand, it will be a strange linear layout along with the previous games. On the other hand, the road ahead in the career mode has always been relatively locked because the lack of the right cars or licenses put a stop to most competitions initially. In this way, it is a more beginner-friendly start that does not directly detract from the experience for those already familiar, more than that the marked path is more obvious.
Something that excels Gran Turismo from the start of the series are the license tests that must be passed to gain access to all competitions. From virtual lessons in simple braking and cornering techniques required to tackle the first races, to really tricky tasks that must be completed in order for the real mastodon races to be available.
The missions are generally entertaining in themselves, but they all have a clever idea: they want to make you a better virtual driver who understands the importance of slipstream, cornering, fuel consumption, tire wear, aerodynamics and more. It's like learning things, but fun!
Another fun thing is to drive a car in Gran Turismo. Car physics got a big boost in Gran Turismo Sport - and is even more refined now. Driving an old Yankee compared to a four-wheel-drive rally car is two completely different experiences, as is the feeling of driving an over-tuned car versus a regular track racing car - or mastering the horses in a rising Ferrari.
The greatest push in the driving feeling, on the other hand, is given by the Dualsense hand control. It jerks and tilts in step with bumps in the road and when the car shifts. The control makes it easier to feel when the tires are about to lose grip. The resistance in gas and brake is also used in an excellent way. Car games once again prove to get a huge boost with Sony's innovative control.
But despite the wonderful control, some competitions can be monotonous. It is quite easy to happen that your car whizzes past all your opponents with ease, even though the performance is the recommended one. Some races, especially those with similar semi-rigid cars, can also result in a long line of vehicles that you slowly but surely push past.
Of course, we must also mention the graphics. The car models are delicious, which is not least noticeable during the reruns with nice camera angles and extra flashy graphics. In the special photo mode where cars can be placed against any background is also surrealistically realistic.
It is an evolution where we get the classic Gran Turismo setup mixed with many of the successful news in Gran Turismo Sport. Don't get us wrong, because the game is a noticeable step up graphically and also the driving feeling is sharper than ever - but Gran Turismo Sport does not become unplayable after we have spent many hours with this seven.
For car game enthusiasts who prefer a more semi-realistic experience, the Gran Turismo 7 easily occupies the leading position. This is a declaration of love for car games. The question is whether the announced but not yet shown Forza Motorsport can threaten the first place, or whether Gran Turismo 7 will stand firm for many years to come.
Comments