Gran Turismo 6 released today and digital gear heads, motor heads, and clutch jockeys everywhere are now able to get their hands on the latest installment of this classic and venerable driving game.
This review will not focus on the complete game. I have not yet had enough time to consume the complete experience. I will, however, give you my first impressions and address comparisons to previous games in the series. A full review will be forthcoming once I’ve raced the tires off a few cars.
The Interface
The interface in Gran Turismo 6 is very much improved. Gran Turismo 5 had these oddly nested menus with horribly slow load times between them. Gran Turismo 6 does almost completely away with this. The new UI is more akin to the Playstation system dashboard, or even the XBox 360 menu system. You can see the interface in the video below. My only complaint initially is that the UI seems a bit dated, stylistically.
The Cars
With 1200+ cars, an insane attention to detail, and a clear understanding of what it means to curate the list down to a car lover’s dream, Gran Turismo does not disappoint!
The Tracks
Gran Turismo does not pull up on the gas when it comes to track selection. Over 70 tracks accompany the few hundred total configurations. The track details are insane, as usual. If a tree falls, or a sign changes, the Polyphony probably updated the track before launch.
The Driving
Gran Turismo calls itself “The Real Driving Simulator,” and as always, the game does not disappoint. The recommended racing line feedback is fantastic, including real-time updates to braking/speed recommendations that provide much more intuitive feedback for the racing line. In addition, even racing the Honda Fit is fun in Gran Turismo 6. The same can’t be said for many racing games. I can’t wait to get the higher end cars, but I will cover that in the full review.
The Graphics & Sound
The car sounds, braking sounds, road sounds, etc. are all top-notch. However, the overall graphic feel and music choices are really starting to sound dated. This is the one area that Gran Turismo disappoints in, so far. While GT6 is a fantastic representation of what was possible in the PS3 generation of gaming, if you have been playing the next-gen consoles, you will start to see the differences. In addition, Polyphony Digital has made some truly terrible music choices.
The Summary
The UI and music are just the parts that go between the driving and the driving so far is amazing. This game is a solid 8 at first glance and the full review may expose a gem or two.
Published: Dec 6, 2013 10:54 am