Gran Turismo Sport Game Review

GT Sport loses some of the breadth that’s defined the series, but brings something else valuable in its place. It’s a great-looking, solidly executed racing game with tense position battles that are more fun and satisfying than any I’ve had on console.

With servers that seem to be holding up well and a lively community, GT Sport looks like it could keep both casual and hardcore fans happy for a while.

Gameplay

The game’s gameplay elements are largely the same as previous games in the Gran Turismo series, with a focus on high-resolution graphics and a wide variety of vehicles. However, it features a new ‘photo mode’ known as Scapes which Polyphony describes as “a whole new era of photography”. In addition to the traditional photo mode, players can also use Scapes in a race and view it from the cockpit camera of the car.

The game features a partnership like World of warcraft with the FIA, the official governing body for motorsport, and is the first title in the series to include a dedicated FIA-Certified championship series with real prizes. Players compete in two year-long championships: the Nations Cup, where they represent their country; and the Manufacturers Series, which allows them to select their favorite car manufacturer. The games offer a number of other events, including a monthly schedule of races and events.

For the first time in the franchise, the game is fully compatible with Sony’s virtual reality headset PlayStation VR. Players are able to experience the game in VR, with support for 3D audio and haptic feedback on the controller. VR support is limited to the 1v1 racing mode, where players can choose from a selection of pre-set vehicle pairings.

The game includes a ‘Circuit Experience’ feature that helps new players learn the basics of driving and racing in the game, with a range of tutorials and practice circuits to help them get started. It also features a ‘Museum Mode’ that showcases the history of motorsport.

Graphics

As usual, the visuals in Gran Turismo Sport are a stunner. It has a smaller car list than the previous games in the series and even fewer tracks, but the detail is incredibly high and the game looks amazing whether playing on pad or wheel. The racing physics are top-notch, and for the first time in the franchise you can use a clutch simulation which allows the player to more accurately mimic the behavior of a car on the track and avoid stalling or slipping.

The livery editor is also a big step forward from the old GT games. The ability to customize the exterior of your cars is a welcome addition and the ability to share these designs with other players online is a great touch. However, it’s disappointing that there is still no damage model in the game. Some may see this as a major drawback, but for me it’s a small price to pay for the incredible handling that this title offers.

Despite a few disappointments in some of its features (no career mode, not a full suite of VR support) and regressions from the previous games, this is a near essential release for any PlayStation 4 owner who loves racing games. It has the best handling of any GT game yet, and the stunning graphics and racing physics make it an absolute joy to play.

Online

After a series of bloated entries, Gran Turismo is back to its roots with a return to racing perfection. Sport is a beautiful game that will be played voraciously by car fans for years to come. But it’s also an always-online game with a lot of restrictions, and that’s the part that could be a dealbreaker for some players.

With the exception of the VR mode, the majority of the game’s functionality requires an internet connection. This includes the ability to take part in races against online opponents, one-off time trials and “drift trials,” split-screen two-player battles and the limited VR mode. You can still play offline, but you won’t be able to unlock the cars that require an internet connection or access most of the tracks.

The good news is that GT Sports network functionality works very well. When you’re online, you can race against a wide variety of drivers from around the world in high-quality races that are very competitive. You can even compete in a series of championships.

For many fans, this will be enough to make the game worth the purchase despite its internet-dependent nature. However, for people who prefer to play in isolation or are unable to afford the premium PlayStation Plus subscription, Gran Turismo Sport may not be the game for them.

Soundtrack

For the first time in a Gran Turismo game, cars have a tangible sense of character. Whether it’s the lithe chassis of a lowly fourth generation Mazda MX-5 as it slams through improbable inclines and cambers on the Nurburgring’s Brunnchen, or the copious traction of a Nissan GT-R that translates into whip-quick, perfectly-catchable slides, the cars in Gran Turismo Sport have real personality. The trimmed down carlist does away with most of the classics and esoterica that made previous games in the series so endearing, but the hard focus on machinery geared towards racing means every vehicle feels uniquely different to the next.

While the game does a great job of training novice drivers (though the Driving Etiquette requirements are laughably unrealistic) and rewarding experienced ones, it doesn’t aim to simulate real-world racing – and it never quite feels right. Regardless, Sport offers a stunningly solid package with gorgeous cars and tracks, dazzling time-of-day variations and sublime handling, and an ultra-serious online mode that’s just a little bit better than PCARS2.

Polyphony Digital has taken its sweet time crafting Gran Turismo Sport, and the car-lovers who have been waiting eagerly to finally get their hands on the latest installment haven’t been let down. Even with its clumsy, overbearing menu structure and the loss of some beloved features, GT Sport is an impressive technical marvel that will have players craving more.