The Real Driving Simulator.

When first picking up 2022’s Gran Turismo 7, my initial presumptions were thinking how closely it would resemble other racing contemporaries, such as Need For Speed or The Crew. However, I was pleasantly surprised to learn just how different Gran Turismo is from it’s fellow racing brethren. With over 400 cars to choose from, beautiful renditions of cities like Tokyo and Paris, and a meticulous main hub to explore and customize vehicles, can Gran Turismo cross the finish line first, or stutter to a halt from engine failure? Let’s find out with this weeks post on Gaber’s Two Cents.

When critiquing a racing game one must ask the most obvious question first, before diving into all the title has to offer. Is the racing competent and dynamic, and most of all, is it fun? Newcomers might have trouble getting accepting the idea that this is not an arcade racing game, cars can spin out when braking at the wrong time, car parts such as engines and tires can wear out and become less effective, and simply holding down the acceleration button will not magically put you in first place. But with these particular set of drawbacks bring a plethora of opportunity to build your vehicle strategically and unique for whatever track is thrown at you.

Customization is the key to success with Gran Turismo. Which is not to say the actual driving maneuvers and other techniques in the game are not important either, but with the customization tools at hand, you can make any car adapt to any type of race you would like. For example, sports tires have dramatically less hold then dirt tires when used on tracks with gravel or dirt, so you would simply switch to the dirt type and immediately see just how more effective they are in that particular type of road. Just a minor example that barely scratches the surface when it comes to customizing your unique car collection.

Now lets dive into the driving mechanics that set this racing game apart from the rest. Speed may seem like the only thing that matters when it comes to a racing game, but with Gran Turismo, this simply is not the case. Some tracks feature sharp corners and tight maneuver windows, requiring drivers to decelerate and adjust on the fly to keep up with fellow competitors. Using the momentum and speed gained on turns and other maneuverable sections of the track force the player to have complete control over their vehicle. Failure to do so, will leave you smacking your prized vehicle against the track wall, or arriving at the finish line dead last. This emphasis on mastering your vehicles power, rather than relying on speed alone is done with great poise and allows for some truly nail biting moments when the finish line is in sight.

Quaint is the word that comes to mind when attempting to describe the campaign within Gran Turismo. With each mission comes a set of three cars where you must finish within the top 3 in order to successfully add each car to your collection. These missions are titled Menu Books, and the UI layout that comes with each one is accompanied with smooth jazz and excellent visuals that highlight each individual cars unique traits. With this UI layout it makes it very easy and inviting to learn more about these cars than you ever would by simply just racing with them. It’s an excellent design choice an leaves players wanting more vehicles for their collection. Simply put, it is a car enthusiasts dream, and allows more vanilla players to discover more about the authentic vehicles that are contained within the game.

With the cars providing the main soul for the game, it is easy to understand if the visual backdrop that the races provide are not up to par with the astounding car models. I am happy to report that this is not the case. With three explorable World Circuits, and several types of races within them, the settings contained within Gran Turismo range from Daytona and street circuits located in Tokyo, Japan. The racing world has never had more effort and care put in to some of the most famous tracks in the world. It’s not just the environments and vehicles either. As previously mentioned, Gran Turismo has a gorgeous UI for the main racers hub. It’s attractiveness is paired perfectly with the simplicity in it’s design and it’s easy to get lost in the several opportunities that are scattered all throughout the map, without becoming too overwhelmed.

With a single player experience jampacked with content, one would think the multiplayer section of the game might have gotten the cold shoulder. Once again I am glad to report that this is not the case. With a lobby withheld for the more casual race enthusiasts and a surprisingly deep ranked option, the game provides more than enough opportunities for fellow racers to put their unique cars to the test against one another. The ranked section even makes players abide by the code of conduct used in real racing leagues as well. This means no ramming cars, corner cutting, or any other cheap tactic used in more no holds barred races. This switch of pace is a breath of fresh air because it gives players to show their true skill when racing, rather than relying solely on tactics that are commonly used in most racing games, such as Need for Speed.

If I had to complain about anything it would most likely come form the absence of a mode like Free Roam, something that has become popular in Xbox’s own racing franchise Forza. it’s a tad disappointing considering how unique it would be to drive to wherever you need to go within the racing hub. However, Gran Turismo has little to no loading times which in the end make this more of a slight hiccup rather than an outright disappointment.

Overall Gran Turismo 7 is a competent racer that gives unlimited customization to some of the most popular and powerful cars on the planet. With tight racing mechanics, beautiful tracks, and a smooth soundtrack, Gran Turismo revs up it’s engine and roars past the finish line without a opponent in sight. All that and more is why Gran Turismo 7 received this particular Cent Score.

Cent Score: 5 Cents

A creative triumph that has it all, perfection never looked so good.

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