Title: Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
Platform: PlayStation 3
Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Polyphonal Digital
Genre: Racing Simulator
Release Date: April 17, 2008
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
Links: Official Site, Purchase
The Gran Turismo franchise needs no introduction given that we're coming up on the fifth installment. Most gamers are aware of the 10-year-old Gran Turismo brand whether they've experienced one of the games or heard chatter about it from total strangers. It seems that Sony and GT go hand-in-hand like Sega and Sonic, given all the hype surrounding each consecutive installment. And now, as we've experienced before with GT4, fans have a meaty little $40 taste of the upcoming Gran Turismo 5 mammoth almost a year before the full-version hits the streets.
So the big dilemma here with Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is how to evaluate it. Are you even supposed to review it? After all, it's not a complete game yet it's not quite a demo either.
We're not getting the full picture, yet there's more here than just one level and a few guns. GT5P is not a beta, but rather a small sample of something bigger. Isn't that how prologues work? It's a brief introduction to a much larger story? There's certainly enough here to constitute a full game yet we're promised much more in the horizon. It's almost rather thrilling and scary at the same time: too much game can be overwhelming whereas too little game can leave you feeling cheated. As Goldilocks would say, ultimately GT5P was "just right" in every aspect, given its nature.
Despite the "prologue" size, there's no question that GT5P has plenty to offer in presentation. If anything, the game serves as a benchmark of sorts for curious minds, pushing Sony's hardware to new console-oriented heights. While the game might not be for some, there's enough 1080p eye-candy to draw even the most prejudiced player.
The overall experience feels visually realistic in almost every way from mountains in the distance to environmental reflections dancing on the hood. No, those pre-rendered scenes aren't clips of live footage: that's the PlayStation 3 at work. The moment the game loads you get the impression that this title is top-notch, a splendid, utterly stunning work of art in every aspect... even on your standard television set.
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue's My Page.
But that's not all folks. An awesome soundtrack accompanies the brilliant visual presentation. While the special sound effects bring the environment and vehicles to life in an audible sense, the soundtrack adds a sense of groove only felt speeding down the highway. You know the scenario: you're cruising down a back highway at 70 mph and the twists and turns seem to bend with the beat thumping through the speakers. The same feeling holds true with the game's soundtrack, pumping musical acts like Weezer, Mars Volta, DJ Shadow, the Klaxons and many more. There are 30 songs that encompass the mix of dance rock, electronica, indie rock and classic rock, 12 of which are exclusive to the North American release. Unfortunately, there are times when the music never plays and you're left racing along with only the sound of the engine to keep you company. There's no way to turn on the radio and access any of the tracks voluntarily. That is indeed a shame, as the lineup of tunes are simply awesome.
The feeling of awesomeness holds true with the "My Page" interface once the main part of the game begins as well. This area serves as your personal "space" of sorts, displaying the time, weather, a calendar dated with upcoming events and the 13 game options lined up single-file across the screen like the PlayStation 3's XMB menu (although in this case, hovering towards the bottom). The current in-use car is showcased in a full 3D environment in the background (call it an interactive wallpaper if you will). It slowly rotates 360 degrees, pimping so much eye-candy and photo-realistic detail that you could swear you could walk into the scene and drive off. Let's not forget that there's even an option to zoom in and check out the car, allowing gamers to savor each high-definition pixel one by one. Again, GT5P drips with quality in presentation and appearance... did we mention that already?
As the "My Page" serves as the personal lobby, all aspects of the game are accessible through the menu. "Event" is the meat of the single-player experience, offering four Classes comprising 10 races apiece. The uber-hard "S" class becomes available once the "A" Class is completed (which also unlocks the end-game movie). Gamers can unlock cars as well when completing a Class; the Daihatsu OFC-1 is added to the garage once all C Class racers are completed with at least a Bronze Medal (third place). You can get your hands on the coveted Ferrari F2007 once you complete all Class races (C, B, A and S).
Other items on the "My Page" menu include the game's Manual, a Save feature in case the Autosave feature is disabled, a Replay section where players can access recorded sessions and the offline two-player split-screen mode called 2P Battle. Gaining access to your collection of cars involves hitting the Garage button where you can drool over their virtual splendor or sell them off for much-needed credits. If you're in the mood to buy (or forced to do so in most cases), just hit the Dealership button and you're moved to a screen featuring a plethora of manufacturers ranging from BMW to Dodge to Volkswagen. Additionally, each manufacturer contains one Event race specifically for one particular model. Finally, there's the Arcade section of the menu (Drift Trials, Time Trials and Single Races) that allow the player to choose a track with the current car in use although no awards are given (this portion feels more like a test-run area).
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