Source: ps3blog.net
The Polyphony guys hooked up 4 PS3s to display a quarter of a screen each to run Gran Turismo 5: Prologue at a resolution of 3840×2160 compared to its normal 1920 x 1080 display. They also had other units running the game 4 times as fast with a refresh rate of 240fps!
full write up can be found here;
http://www.gran-turismo.com/en/sp/d2788.html/ found via Kotaku
Source: videogamesblogger.com
Today, August 1st, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue owners will receive a big update that adds an in-game automotive media channel called Gran Turismo TV. It’ll give you both new free and pay-per-view programming, including “Top Gear“, UK’s premier car entertainment program, and Japan’s “Best Motoring” video magazine, dedicated to the pursuit of the pleasure of driving.
Here are the Gran Turismo TV facts lined up:
* For the first two weeks only, we are providing all pay-per-view content for at a discounted price of $.99! It’s a good way to get a taste Gran Turismo TV. The HD content we shoot for our exclusive stuff looks pretty amazing. Following the initial two-week period, content will start at $1.99. So start downloading away!
* Be sure to check the full Gran Turismo TV content list for a full content list, as we will be adding new programs on a regular basis.
* Gran Turismo TV will also include new features that allow viewers to fast forward, rewind, and move between chapters when viewing video content.
* Viewers can download up to 8 episodes simultaneously and pause individual downloads.
The Gran Turismo TV trailer:
Additional fixes in this latest Gran Turismo 5 Prologue update include: fixes in penalty judgments, more tire choices for Time Trial and improved physics during collisions between cars during online races, according to Sony’s PlayStation Blog.
Source: ps3blog.net
Ouch! On the good side, we one or two substantial GT5:P updates this year.
Source: videogamesblogger.com
Sony Computer Entertainment has announced that the cumulative worldwide shipment of the Gran Turismo franchise, a genre-defining racing and car-life simulator available on PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 (PS3), has exceeded 50 million units as of April 30, 2008. This remarkable sales figure was achieved in just 10 years and 4 months since the launch of the first title in the franchise - Gran Turismo, in December 1997.
The Gran Turismo franchise, from the original Gran Turismo to the latest Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, has continued to evolve alongside the PlayStation platforms. With its outstanding game play, beautiful graphics and the true to life driving feel, the franchise is recognized as the world’s number one automotive game title on the PlayStation format, receiving high regard not just from game fans, but also from professional racing drivers and people in the automobile industry.
The seventh installment of the world’s best-selling racing franchise, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue introduces entirely new entertainment modes by taking advantage of the broadband network, such as online head-to head racing for up to 16 players, “GRAN TURISMO-TV”; a new in-game online channel that delivers automotive video contents from around the globe, and downloadable additional contents including new cars and courses. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue has recorded strong sales since the first launch in Japan in December, 2007, followed by North America and Europe in Spring of 2008, with more than 2 million units of cumulative shipment worldwide and contributing to the further expansion of the PS3 platform.
Source: videogamesblogger.com
What are the best-selling games in America, Japan, and Europe (UK) this week? Thanks to Amazon online sales data here are the games that are the most popular now.
Nintendo Wii
North America: 1. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo), 2. Wii Play (Nintendo), 3. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 4. Wii Zapper with Link’s Crossbow Training (Nintendo), 5. Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo).
Japan: Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 2. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 3. Dairantou Smash Brothers X (Nintendo), 4. Wii Sports (Nintendo), 5. Family Ski (Namco).
Europe: 1. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 2. Wii Play (Nintendo), 3. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami), 4. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega), 5. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 (EA Sports).
Xbox 360
North America: 1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 2. Devil May Cry 4 — Collector’s Edition (Capcom), 3. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games), 4. Halo 3 (Microsoft), 5. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Ubisoft).
Japan: 1. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Ubisoft), 2. Frontlines: Fuel of War (THQ Japan), 3. The Idolm@ster: Live for You! (Namco), 4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 5. Armored Core: For Answer (From Software).
Europe: 1. Halo 3 (Microsoft), 2. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Ubisoft), 3. Assassin’s Creed (Ubisoft), 4. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 5. Army of Two (EA Games).
PlayStation 3North America: 1. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (SCEA), 2. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 3. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games), 4. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 5. Assassin’s Creed (Ubisoft).
Japan: 1. Senjou no Valkyria (Sega), 2. Senjou no Valkyria — Limited Box (Sega), 3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 4. Armored Core: For Answer (From Software), 5. Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5 (Konami).
Europe: 1. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (SCEE), 2. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 3. Assassin’s Creed (Ubisoft), 4. Burnout Paradise (EA Games), 5. Formula One Championship Edition (SCEE).
PlayStation 2 
North America: 1. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES (Atlus), 2. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games), 3. Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection (Konami), 4. God of War II (SCEA), 5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision).
Japan: 1. Musou Orochi: Maou Sairin (Koei), 2. Edel Blume (Idea Factory), 3. Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5 (Konami), 4. Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch - Lost Colors (Bandai), 5. H2O Plus — DX Pack (Kadokawa Shoten).
Europe: 1. FIFA 08 (EA Sports), 2. SingStar ’80s (SCEE), 3. Ben 10: Protector of Earth (D3 Publisher), 4. God of War II (SCEE), 5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision).
PC
North America: 1. The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff (EA Games), 2. Assassin’s Creed: Director’s Cut Edition (Ubisoft), 3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 4. The Sims 2: FreeTime (EA Games), 5. SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition (EA Games).
Japan: 1. Chaos;Head (Nitro Plus), 2. The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Pack (EA Games), 3. Clannad Full Voice (Key), 4. Little Busters! (KEY), 5. Sim People Kanzen Edition 3 (EA Games).
Europe: 1. Assassin’s Creed: Director’s Cut Edition (Ubisoft), 2. The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff (EA Games), 3. Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath (EA Games), 4. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War — Soulstorm (THQ), 5. The Sims 2: FreeTime (EA Games).
Nintendo DS
North America: 1. The World Ends With You (Square Enix), 2. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time (Nintendo), 3. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness (Nintendo), 4. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo), 5. Brain Age 2 (Nintendo).
Japan: 1. DS Bimoji Training (Nintendo), 2. Summon Night (Banpresto), 3. Minna no DS Seminar: Kantan Ongaku Ryoku (TDK Core), 4. That’s QT (Koei), 5. SimCity DS 2 (EA Games).
Europe: 1. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training (Nintendo), 2. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega), 3. More Brain Training (Nintendo), 4. 42 All-Time Classics (Nintendo), 5. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo).
PlayStation Portable
North America: 1. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix), 2. God of War: Chains of Olympus (SCEA), 3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (Rockstar), 4. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (Rockstar), 5. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (Konami).
Japan: 1. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (Capcom), 2. Vantage Master Portable (Falcom), 3. Maplus Portable Navi 2 (Edia), 4. Minna no Chizu 3 (Zenrin), 5. Star Ocean: The Second Evolution (Square Enix).
Europe: 1. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami), 2. God of War: Chains of Olympus (SCEA), 3. FIFA 08 (EA Sports), 4. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (Rockstar), 5. Call of Duty: Roads to Victory (Activision).
Super Smash Bros. Brawl knocks everyone else out to be number one in the Wii chart. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare keeps a firm grip on the Xbox 360 chart. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue once again finishes first in this week’s PS3 chart. Persona 3 FES debuts on the PS2 chart. The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff remains at the top PC spot. The World Ends With You debuts high on the DS chart. And lastly Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII remains on a first place on the PSP list. — More analysis at Gamasutra.
Source: ps3blog.net
I tried this game with a dualshock 3, and it’s good, but IMO, to get the real immersion factor, you need the steering wheel controllers. The G force sensations are still the big omission, but overall, this game comes surprisingly close to delivering the genuine racing sensation. The force feedback effects are much more involved than the simple buzzing you get from the dualshock: you feel all the bumps in the pavement and the tension in the wheel whenever you go into a tight turn. Also, the full 900 degree turning radius on the newer wheels is a huge improvement over older wheels that just let you turn within an artificially small range. Even though you only use a small part of that during regular racing (you won’t be doing too much parallel parking), it makes a big difference.
I use the Driving Force Pro, but if you are thinking about buying a new wheel, you are probably best waiting for the Driving Force GT, which looks like a slightly upgraded model. The Logitech G25 is also highly regarded, but that is at a way higher price point. For all but the most hardcore looking to get a real racing wheel, I’d recommend waiting for the GT.
Overall, this game is great. It’s surprisingly improved from GT4. I wasn’t expecting much because: the graphics were already spectacular in GT4 so an upgrade in this department sounds predictable and mundane, none of the feature list bullet-points sounded exciting, and it’s the same basic formula with less content.
Thankfully, it’s a lot better than that. The graphics are a huge upgrade and it’s very noticeable. The driving feels much more realistic and the computer cars are more fun to race against. The track selection and event selection is definitely limited next to GT4, but there is still plenty to do. I’ve logged many hours into this already, and it definitely has longevity to it.
The new interface is great. Loading times are much snappier than GT4. The selection of cars isn’t near GT4, but it’s surprisingly complete and will have most favorites. The in-cockpit racing view is beautiful. And, overall, the whole game still has that hyper fine polish, style, and attention to detail that the series is known for.
There is a limited selection of tracks, and a limited selection of events and ways to progress through the game. While it’s great to finally get online play, the online mode is currently very simple.
I went to a large arcade recently, and played several arcade racers: it’s amazing how much better home systems are today. Of course, the arcade games are designed for quick novelty enjoyment, while the home systems are designed for more extended and serious play. Also, the home steering wheels are much nicer quality. This is probably because the arcade equipment is designed mainly to tolerate public abuse and easy repair rather than to provide accurate control and complex force feedback effects.
Source: videogamesblogger.com
Since the PlayStation 3-exclusive driving simulator Gran Turismo 5 Prologue isn’t exactly clear on how to unlock all bonus cars, the following short overview will show you.
Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding car:
* BMW Concept 1 Series tii ‘07: Win all B Class races.
* Daihatsu OFC-1: Win all C Class races.
* Ferrari F2007: Win all C, B, A, and S Class races.
* Nissan GT-R Proto ‘05: Win all S Class races.
* Nissan Skyline Coupe Concept ‘07: Win all A Class races.
There are also S Class events to unlock:
Successfully complete the main A, B, and C Class events with a Bronze Medal or higher rank to unlock the S Class events.
Watch the Ferrari F2007 in action at Suzuka with cockpit view.
Find out what cars are needed to finish each event in the game by browsing this Gran Turismo 5 Prologue walkthrough.
Source: videogamesblogger.com
What are the best-selling games in America, Japan, and Europe (UK) this week? Thanks to Amazon online sales data here are the games that are the most popular now.
Nintendo Wii
North America: 1. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo), 2. Wii Play (Nintendo), 4. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega), 5. Wii Zapper with Link’s Crossbow Training (Nintendo).
Japan: 1. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 2. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 3. Dairantou Smash Brothers X (Nintendo), 4. Wii Sports (Nintendo), 5. Hajimete no Wii Pack (Nintendo).
Europe: 1. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 2. Wii Play (Nintendo), 3. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega), 4. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami), 4. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 (EA Sports), 5. Wii Zapper with Link’s Crossbow Training (Nintendo).
Xbox 360North America: 1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 2. Blue Dragon (Microsoft), 3. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games), 4. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Ubisoft), 5. Halo 3 (Microsoft).
Japan: 1. The Idolm@ster: Live for You! (Namco), 2. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 3. Armored Core: For Answer (From Software), 4. The Idolm@ster — Xbox 360 Platinum Collection (Namco), 5. Skate (EA Games).
Europe: 1. Halo 3 (Microsoft), 2. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Ubisoft), 3. Assassin’s Creed (Ubisoft), 4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision).
PlayStation 3North America: 1. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (SCEA), 2. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 3. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games), 4. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 5. Assassin’s Creed (Ubisoft).
Japan: 1. Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5 (Konami), 2. Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! (Sega), 3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 4. Armored Core: For Answer (From Software), 5. Devil May Cry 4 (Capcom).
Europe: 1. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (SCEE), 2. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 3. Assassin’s Creed (Ubisoft), 4. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Ubisoft), 5. MotorStorm (SCEE).
PlayStation 2 
North America: 1. God of War II (SCEA), 2. Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection (Konami), 3. Arcana Heart (Atlus), 4. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games), 5. Final Fantasy X (Square Enix).
Japan: 1. Musou Orochi: Maou Sairin (Koei), 2. Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch - Lost Colors (Bandai), 3. Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5 (Konami), 4. Suzumiya Haruhi no Tomadoi — Limited Edition (Banpresto), 5. Kyuuketsu Kitan Moonties — Limited Edition (Interchannel).
Europe: 1. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 2. FIFA 08 (EA Sports), 3. SingStar Legends (SCEE), 4. SingStar Party (SCEE), 5. SingStar ’80s (SCEE).
PCNorth America: 1. The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff (EA Games), 2. World in Conflict (Sierra), 3. Assassin’s Creed: Director’s Cut Edition (Ubisoft), 4. Sins of a Solar Empire (Stardock), 5. World of Warcraft: Battle Chest (Blizzard).
Japan: 1. Clannad Full Voice (Key), 2. Vocaloid 2 Character Vocal Series 01: Hatsune Miku (Crypton Future Media), 3. Little Busters! (KEY), 4. Final Fantasy XI: The Vana’diel Collection (Square Enix), 5. Infinity Plus (CyberFront).
Europe: 1. Assassin’s Creed: Director’s Cut Edition (Ubisoft), 2. Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath (EA Games), 3. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War — Soulstorm (THQ), 4. The Sims 2 (EA Games), 5. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision).
Nintendo DS
North America: 1. Professor Layton and the Curious Village (Nintendo), 2. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo), 3. Brain Age 2 (Nintendo), 4. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo), 5. Brain Age (Nintendo).
Japan: 1. DS Bimoji Training (Nintendo), 2. SimCity DS 2 (EA Games), 3. Maji de Manabu: LEC de Ukaru - DS Hishou Boki 3-Kyuu (Square Enix), 4. Bokura wa Kaseki Holder (Nintendo), 5. Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side 2nd Season (Konami).
Europe: 1. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training (Nintendo), 2. 42 All-Time Classics (Nintendo), 3. Solitaire DS (Deep Silver), 4. More Brain Training (Nintendo), 5. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega).
PlayStation PortableNorth America: 1. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix), 2. God of War: Chains of Olympus (SCEA), 3. Jeanne D’Arc (SCEA), 4. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (Konami), 5. Patapon (SCEA).
Japan: 1. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (Capcom), 2. Star Ocean: The Second Evolution (Square Enix), 3. Maplus Portable Navi 2 (Edia), 4. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd (Capcom), 5. Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch - Lost Colors (Bandai).
Europe: 1. God of War: Chains of Olympus (SCEA), 2. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami), 3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (Rockstar), 4. Patapon (SCEE), 5. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (Rockstar).
Guitar Hero III returns to the stage at number one in the Wii chart. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare keeps a firm grip on the Xbox 360 chart. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue finishes first in this week’s PS3 chart. God of War II’s PS2 re-release as a “Greatest Hits” game remains #1. The newly released The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff comes in at the top PC spot. Professor Layton and the Curious Village returns on the DS chart. And lastly Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII remains on a first place on the PSP list. — More analysis at Gamasutra.
Source: videogamesblogger.com
Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) announced what new PlayStation Network downloadable games, expansions, demos and videos were released for PlayStation 3 today. If the list seems short, that’s because last Tuesday’s PS3 Store update added a bunch of new content along with the store redesign that’s included in the PS3 Firmware update version 2.30.
Important note about the Metal Gear Online beta for all regions: To play in the beta you must register at http://id.konami.net. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to start playing on April 21st until 12:01 AM on May 6th, 2008.
American Games (Demos):
* Gran Turismo 5: Prologue - $39.99
* Metal Gear Online beta (for those who have beta codes)
American Games (Content):
* Rock Band tracks:
– GlaDos from Portal - “Still Alive” (master) - free
– Motley Crüe - “Saints of Los Angeles” (master) - $0.99
* Rock Band Pack - $5.49
– Blondie - “Call Me” (master) - $1.99
– Lynyrd Skynyrd - “Simple Man” (master) - $1.99
– The Police - “Message in Bottle” (master) - $1.99
* Rock Band 2nd Pack - $2.99
– Bang Camaro - “Rock Rebellion” (master) - $0.99
– Count Zero - “Shake” (master) - $0.99
– Freezepop - “Super Sprode” (master) - $0.99
* Warhawk - Operation: Broken Mirror Add-on - $7.99
European Games (Demos):
* Metal Gear Online beta (open to all of Europe, won’t work for non-PAL users due to IP restrictions)
European Games (Content):
* Lair - Dragons and Control Pack - free
* Warhawk - Operation: Broken Mirror Add-on - £3.99 / €7.99
European Trailers:
* Grand Theft Auto IV: Everyone’s A Rat
Source: videogamesblogger.com
The PlayStation 3-exclusive Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is available at either retail stores or available for purchase and a 1.87GB download at the PlayStation Store for a price of $39.99 / £24.99 / €39.99. The download is so much smaller than the retail version, because you won’t be loading any cinematics until you choose to play them in-game via the GT TV, once you do they’ll be downloaded from the server. The Blu-Ray disc version however will give gamers some extra incentives including a behind-the-scenes High Definition video feature called “Beyond the Apex”.
System: PS3
Genre: Racing
Release dates: December 13th 2007 (JPN), March 27th 2008 (AUS), March 28th 2008 (EURO), April 17th 2008 (USA)
Players: 1-2 (2-16 online)
Developer: Polyphony Digital
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Designer: Kazunori Yamauchi
Origin: Japan
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, is the precursor to Gran Turismo 5 and features over 70 meticulously detailed vehicles from manufacturers such as Ferrari, Audi, Lotus, Mitsubishi and Nissan. You’ll experience the vehicle-specific physics technology and intricate graphical rendering that Polyphony Digital is renowned for. There’s also all-new driving physics for the most lifelike driving experience ever and new, improved opponent artificial intelligence for a tougher race challenge, even if they rarely go away from the ideal driving line to take you on.
Additionally, for the first time in the history of the franchise, users can race online — at 60 fps (frames per second) in stunning 1080p HD with up to 16 vehicles at a time on beautifully rendered tracks from around the globe, including Daytona International Speedway and a London City track. It comes with crisp, realistic lighting effects (replays rendered in 1080p at 30fps).
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue also features various innovative modes to harness PS3 system’s capabilities while further developing an automotive lifestyle and global community. Among them is Gran Turismo TV, a new dedicated online channel available exclusively from the Playstation Network that delivers worldwide motorsport programming and manufacturer content. Additionally, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will support online racing events to foster community competition. A new in-cockpit view
will provide a unique perspective for racers and features real-time gauges (speedometers and odometers) and human animations (including casting of the driver’s shadows) that accurately represent the true performance and handling of each vehicle. To extend the realistic driving experience, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is also compatible with the new DualShock 3 controller, which has vibration functionality.
Watch the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue intro.
Click on the bottom-right corner arrow to view it fullscreen.
What are Gran Turismo 5 Prologue’s main features?
* The first ever Gran Turismo title with online racing: drive online against up to 16 other Gran Turismo aces.
* Race a total of over 40 stunning, high-performance cars.
* Race on seriously realistic, real life tracks including the Eiger Nordwand, the London City Track and Suzuka – then race them in reverse and with alternative routes.
* All-new physics engine means true next-generation vehicle handling.
* All-new and improved opponent AI for a nail-biting race experience.
* Access to Gran Turismo TV: a world of great motoring TV programming online.
* Online Dealership: Access to car manufacturers online.
* My Garage - a personalized homepage feature with friends, chat and personal game records.
* Quick Tune facility allows you to adjust power, tyres, suspension and more.
* All in stunning High Definition at 1080p (race: 1080p-60fps, replay: 1080p-30fps).
Additional content included with the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Spec II version/patch:
* 1 circuit (High Speed Ring available in Normal and Reverse layout).
* 4 automakers (Aston Martin, Citroën, Jaguar, MINI).
* 5 tuners (Amuse, Art Morrison, Blitz, Mine’s and Polyphony Digital as “Concept by Gran Turismo”).
* 22 stock cars.
* 12 Tuned cars.
* 8 Event Races (2 per class).
* 2P Battle mode (offline splitscreen).
* Drift Trial mode (returning from Gran Turismo HD Concept).
* Free Run mode.
* Driving Line feature.
* Quick Tune feature.
* Performance Point (PP) system.
* Real time adjustment (4WD, ABS, ASM, Brake balance and TCS).
* 1 GT-TV video (”Top Gear” series 6 episode 1).
Already announced updates coming later in 2008:
* Vehicle deformation (damage modeling) will be added.
* In-game voice chat between players to build community.
* More cars and courses, so that by the time Gran Turismo 5 is out, Prologue will have equal content.
Watch Gran Turismo 5 Prologue’s multiplayer online gameplay.
As a conclusion let’s rate Gran Turismo 5 Prologue on its fun-basis.
FUN FACTOR - 8.0
While this racing simulator may be the Prologue to Gran Turismo 5, the Spec II version comes feature-packed with 16-player online races, over 70 cars (including tuned cars), 6 tracks, 12 layouts, 60fps (during races), 30fps (during replays), full HD 1080p and LPCM 7.1 channel high definition sound. CPU opponents respond well to your presence in the single players events and quick arcade races. Local- and online multiplayer adds a lot of challenge (global online rankings anyone?) and replay value to the package. The dedicated online channel Gran Turismo TV is another fun addition to a game already completely geared at car fanatics. And let’s be honest if you are one of those car fans, you don’t need any review to tell you this Prologue will look, sound and control every bit as fantastic as the previous games in the series. But if you do, well it’s better actually.
Graphics - 9.5
It’s the most beautiful driving simulator you’ve ever seen on a 1080p HD TV. The amount of detail put into each car is insane. The vehicle models, the tracks and the lighting on them create extremely realistic visuals that are the game’s strong points. The new cockpit view brings out even more graphic detail and the camera angels during replays are the icing on a delicious cake.
Audio - 8.5
The soundtrack is does a great job of immersing you in the moment, and of course includes the famous “Moon Over The Castle” theme song from the Gran Turismo series. Sound effects like those of the engines are superb, very realistic sounding for each car, especially with a dolby surround set. The engine also sounds different according to which view is selected among the available four. In short, you’ll be in car-heaven.
Ingenuity - 8.5
While Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is compatible with the DualShock 3 controller for rumble feedback, there’s no Sixaxis motion sensor option included to control your cars with like a steering while. It’s a shame, because this would’ve been a great addition, but now you’re forced to buy and hook up a (GT Force) Racing Wheel to get that full drivers feeling, especially in the cockpit. Still, the standard PS3 controllers give access to the ultimate driving simulation experience available on the market right now. The lack of damage on the cars should be corrected later in 2008. Hopefully the creators will also patch the lack of slowdown after cars hit the metal sides of the track or another car, as right now you’ll find some online players abusing this ‘bouncing off’ bug to speed past you on the time trail scoreboards. In the end you can’t resist the challenge Prologue offers with its choice between standard and professional physics handling and the way the races are incredibly fine-tuned. While I’ve never driven any of these fancy cars (which I suppose is the point of me getting the game) it comes off as having extremely realistic gameplay. Well done Polyphony Digital.
Replay Value - 7.5
If you’re into Gran Turismo you’ll love what the game has to offer no matter what anyone says. Expect the single player (the meat of the game) to take you about eight hours of racing through all 30 A-C class events, after which you’ll unlock the ability to tune cars and drive them on 10 more S-class races. Sadly the event requirements are up and down and will often lead you to a dead end, meaning you’ll be buying a car to complete an event, only to find out you bought the wrong version of the car. This is a result of the old-fashioned menu structure. So don’t make that mistake and go through all the sub-menus before spending your credits. I’m also not too pleased about there being only six tracks throughout that experience, even if you can play them in reverse as well. With that said, I’ve been playing it for over two weeks now and I’d expect the average fan to get many more weeks of fun out of the title thanks to the addition of online multiplayer.
As for multiplayer, even without the cockpit mode in the offline splitscreen battle mode you’ll still find yourself enjoying a race against a friend. If you’ve got a broadband connection, another great addition is the online multiplayer for up to 16 players to go head-to-head on some of the world’s best racetracks. It’s a shame online multiplayer is held back by the lack of friend list, match making, custom race support, photo mode and the long loading times. Aside from the Online Dealership option to play with, the Global Online Rankings and the My Garage homepage features will leave the world in no doubt as to just who is the best at Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, at least until Gran Turismo 5 drifts around the corner.