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Review:

1st April 2005:
Gran Turismo 4
Forget evolution, refinement is the key as you head out to the track once more.
Posted by Chris Snook - PlayStation 2 - UK and Europe

Perfection is very hard to achieve. Gran Turismo 4 comes very, very close.

From the beautifully crafted introduction where you are treated to a stunningly realised demonstration of what the PlayStation 2 is capable of, near photo-realistic views of the cars and a well created pit stop scene that captures the feel of a race almost immediately. Impressive for a six year old machine and shows just what tight coding can achieve when raw power is eclipsed.

There are two main modes that can be used, Gran Turismo mode where you undertake the role of a budding driver who is fighting their way up through many championships, proving themselves at every corner that they are indeed one of the best behind the wheel of any car. Arcade mode is a quick or not so quick thrash around the many circuits that are available either in a singe race or as a time trial. As a bonus is the ability to play split screen or on a LAN setup.

As the showpiece of the game, GT mode does not disappoint, it is however possibly the hardest element of the whole experience. Gaining even the B-License is a challenge that will provide all but the most hardened racers with problems. It is indeed hard, very, very hard to complete but there is a sense of accomplishment when you do that is a reward in itself and there is a quality that does draw you on and on to better yourself each time and to continue even after the fifth time you've failed to make the grade, something that is rare.

And the challenge continues with another three licences to gain, each more technically challenging than the last. Gaining each license gifts you with the right to enter more and more prestigious events and to gain more cars, money fame and circuits to tear around, again each proving to be more challenging and in many ways more fulfilling than the last.

There are also a billion and one options that can be tinkered with to improve your stable of vehicles, each a careful balance of utility and cool. You can tweak the engine, the brakes, alter the balance and weight and select what tyres you wish to use. Suiting each car to your style of driving and preferences. It is quite possible to spend most your time just tinkering and testing to see what works best.

Arcade mode provides a thoroughly different challenge. With initially 280 or so cars to select from and a number of different circuits to pick in order to sit back and relax as you take part in a race against the AI or a pal or two. There is also an option to follow the action in the B-Spec mode, a director style camera mode that has limited options that can affect what is on screen, useful for budding Murrays.

The initial track selection is pretty good, a welcome inclusion is the ten mile long former German Grand Prix circuit the Nurburgring, quite possibly the most gruelling circuit to race on, faithfully recreated with graffiti scrawl for realism. The level of track detail is maintained throughout the various circuits, including the dirt and ice tracks. Each presenting its own problems to those who wish to race them.

And racing is what GT4 is about, the depth is phenomenal as is the ability to explore the breadth of things. Though in many ways is almost two merged games. On the one hand mostly in GT mode it is massively realistic, the way the cars behave, move reacts and behaves as you would expect from such a vehicle, each and everyone has it's own quirks, ranging from the Prius' picky use of fuel through to the sheer joy of ramping around with a Ford GT40. On the other hand you can't really cause havoc to them, they do seem to remain pristine even if there are options to force engine problems or a pit stop if damage continues to be taken. It is here that the realism starts to slip, though admittedly more in the arcade areas. Each level fitting the purpose it is designed for,

The cars are gorgeous. They have an almost filmic quality, blurring again the lines of what media is what. Backgrounds are well rendered and evoke the qualities you would wish to see. The Grand Canyon is simply astounding as you race along the edge of that drop, sliding on the dirt desperately trying to gain any for of grip. Elsewhere detail is crammed in, sun, sky and trees are finely picked out. The one area this drops is the spectators on the dirt tracks, at distance they look and act like cardboard cut-outs and jar in comparison with the rest, turning into almost a cartoon representation as you blast past them.

Engines roar or purr as required, each again having a unique sound that adds to the feeling that you are there, even as wind noise buffets your windscreen, it does the job it needs to and works in it's minimalism. The music tracks however set the mood and lift things up further, they seem to be appropriate to cruising along or to add that little extra adrenaline as you zip about the Laguna Seca and spin out at the corkscrew.

There is an immense level of things to do, many different challenges and races to run, including endurance events and time trials and the split of GT and Arcade modes mean that there is a good chance that people will keep playing even when a difficult part has been reached. The more you play the more becomes available as elements automatically unlock after time played, there is always something new to find and try to unlock. There is also a quality that drags you back time and time again.

The one serious down point is that the Dual Shock is not really geared to handle this kind of game. The physical demands are great, as are the mental tasks, there is a lot to think on and process here, more than in most racing/driving games, that is even with the driving aids. GT4 is a game that would benefit from the use of a Steering Wheel at the very least. It is that demanding. Beyond that the responses are crisp and have character, no two vehicles quite act the same and the pad does the job probably as well as it can but it is not designed to handle the level of effort and action required.

With the inclusion of a picture capture mode that is available to take shots of the cars as they carom around famour locations and later save them to memory card or USB device. This goes someway to atone that there is no online mode, this lack was announced a while back which is a shame as this could really have boosted what is a wonderful title into the front line instant classic bracket, beyond this there are no real pit falls or flaws and despite the occasionally schizophrenic behaviour. It is a top draw game and one that should be looked at for it is a piece of technical genius and a programming tour de force.

Chris Snook

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Review Summary:

Possibly the ultimate refinement of a driving simulation to on any console, with superb graphics and technical realism to grab and hold you to the track. With a welcome arcade mode that allows for a cut down experience an some of the best tracks in the world, Gran Turismo 4 belies the platform's age.

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