Gran Turismo 6 First Look

If there’s one thing Kazunori Yamauchi and his team at Polyphony Digital knows, it’s cars.  For years, they’ve produced some of the best racing games on the planet with the Gran Turismo titles, starting on the original PlayStation and continuing to other Sony consoles.

Now, nearly three years after Gran Turismo 5 came out for the PlayStation 3, the team is back for another go-around with part six. Initially announced in May, this installment will feature a number of enhancements over the previous game, as suggested by the legion of Gran Turismo community members.

Although some may question why the series isn’t making the jump to PlayStation 4 right away, Yamauchi and his development crew are out to prove it can still do a lot with Sony’s current system.  Gran Turismo 6 retains its polished frame rate – 60 frames per second through both cockpit and external viewpoints – as well as its impressive amount of detail on cars and tracks.  A GT Academy demo for the game, which is available for download on the PlayStation Network, lets you try it for yourself, whether you’re making turns around the Silverstone track, owning the competition in the Suzuka Circuit or serving up high speeds through the Autumn Ring and Grand Valley Speedway.

Like previous games, Gran Turismo 6 will give you access to tracks around the world, 71 in all, with more possibly added via DLC following the game’s release.  You’ll also have access to over 1,000 cars, including casual offerings like the Nissan Leaf and dreamier rides from the likes of Ferrari and Bugatti.  If one doesn’t work for you, there should be no problem finding another that does.

With each vehicle, Polyphony Digital understands the importance of handling.  After all, if Gran Turismo doesn’t feel like the real thing, what’s the point?  The team put painstaking research into making each car feel right, to make sure that physics and handling are just like the real thing.  While we haven’t tested all the models yet – the demo only offers a small portion of these vehicles – it holds up well when it comes to precision driving.

When it comes to control options, the DualShock 3 works as it should.  It’s important to keep speed in the right place, or else you’ll go careening into a side rail.  Thankfully, you can turn on driving aids for assistance, modifying certain things until the feel of GT 6 is just right.  This is a simulation, which can be a big change of pace if you’re used to arcade-based rides like Ridge Racer Unbounded and Activision’s Blur.

AI was also modified over Gran Turismo 5.  Drivers are a bit more competitive as you pass them on the outside, trying to keep their position as you attempt to catch up.  If you understand the way a track is laid out, however, you can seek key spots where you have a chance to take the lead from the inside, or pass your opponent entirely.  If you need to get a hang of how the game plays, don’t worry – the GT Academy demo comes with tutorials that teach you the basics.

Gran Turismo 6 will also have a number of features that support the GT community, just as previous games have.  Photo Mode is back, enabling you to take dreamy shots of your racing action to share with the world. Online features also make a return, so you can challenge others for best leaderboard times, or even race against players directly, should you feel the competitive need to do so.  More options and modes will be revealed over the next few months, leading into the game’s release later this year.

On a side note, if you don’t have one yet, pick up a Logitech PlayStation 3 racing wheel.  With this peripheral, you’ll really get the most out of your driving experience.  We tried out the GT Academy demo with the G27 Racing Wheel.  It feels quite good, especially when it comes to the rumble sensitivity after rolling off the track, only to regain your momentum and take the lead from your aggressive opponents.  If this $300 wheel is out of your price range, a $100 Driving Force GT wheel works just as well. 

The GT Academy demo is available free of charge on the PlayStation Network, so be sure to check it out.  As a bonus, you can register your best racing times and see if you qualify to enter the actual Academy itself for a chance at driving glory and prizes.  

Gran Turismo 6 will arrive later this year on PlayStation 3.  Don’t forget to check out our GT6 game page as well.