Gran Turismo PSP review
| Game Name: | Gran Turismo |
| Platforms: | PSP |
| Publisher(s): | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Developer(s): | Polyphony Digital |
| Release Date: | 1 October 2009 |
| ESRB Rating: | 3+ |
It certainly didn't race through development
Gran Turismo has always been held high by racing enthusiasts as a truly brilliant simulation of precision wheel-to-wheel racetrack driving. For most of it’s career, it has been unchallenged in the market of simulators. This, of course, has changed of late, but none of it’s nay-sayers or rival developers have dared to try and create something for a mobile platform like the PSP.
Coming along just in time for the PSP Go! launch (free to us European early-adopters, too!), new Playstation Portable owners can enjoy a really solid racing title on the platform, while old hat PSP users like myself (I have my launch-version PSP fat) can finally herald the arrival of a proper racing title on the device.
At it’s core, this game is very much like the big-brother console versions. In fact, this game looks and feels a lot like GT3 or 4 on the PS2. Not as many cars or tracks available, but still feels the same. GT veterans will feel right at home with this title. Controls are the same, there is no crash damage and the tracks are likely to be familiar, from Laguna Seca to the always-challenging Nurembergring.
The PSP nub is easy to use, but knowing some still can’t grasp analogue control mechanisms, Polyphony Digital still allow you to steer your metallic steed with the directional buttons. X provides your accelerometer while square provides your breaks. As always with the PSP, these controls are not contexual, i.e. you cannot gently accelerate with the X button like the PS3 version.
Unlike previous iterations of the game, this title does not feature license-acquisition to ease you into the gameplay with challenging (and often unchallenging) license tests. Here, instead, there are a plethora of challenges. These are not necessarily license tests, but are just a career-type mode to help you earn money and earn freebie cars.
Racing features absolutely no career mode. Just individual races, which is rather disappointing, even for a mobile platform. Money is earned during races, but given only 4 cars are in a race it’s not hard to earn any money.
Menu system is nice and function, but not that eye-pleasing
New and old PSP users will know the PSP’s screen is stunning. The DS doesn’t even compare to it. It’s here, then that you can see why Polyphony Digital pushed the devices graphical grunt to the limit with 60 frames per second (which really shows off how smooth gaming can be on the bus/train). However, they managed to somehow make clunky and uninteresting menu systems. And given the load times in the game from one contextual menu to the other, you would hope they would provide something a bit prettier.
This game’s number one issue is that there’s no career mode. Racing is as good as GT can be. Not as sublime as the big-brother versions because there are only a handful of cars on the circuit at one time, and the challenges can be quite challenging indeed, but more often then not are frustratingly difficult or frustratingly easy and pointless. This means the one thing that hooked you into previous titles in the series is gone. This is because pretty much all the cars are unlocked from the get-go in the racing section, with all tracks available to use.
On top of this disappointing blow to the game, buying cars is made difficult by only providing four individual manufacturers available to purchase from each in-game day. Sometimes this will come up trumps, but more often then not you’ll end up with four manufacturers that don’t inspire you in any way. That, or when a company you do want to buy from arrives, you won’t have the cash and have to wait for the game to reveal the manufacturer to you again.
All-in-all, this is an excellent attempt at racing on a mobile platform. It’s probably the best example of it to date. But don’t get your hopes up for a full conversion of GT on the PSP. This is very much a “lite” version with no real challenge and a lot of clunkiness to ruin your expectations.
The game is out now, free to new PSP Go owners and available in most retailers on UMD for us old-schoolers.
[...] post by Shoryuken.ie [...]
Well there had to be some changes, PSP gamers need something to pick up and go, short plays etc. GT took up some serious amount of hours of my life but I can't justify now ha. Im happy to wait for gt5 and start drooling.
Much smaller and lighter then the PSP 3000. Solid feel to the controls, better then the PSP 3000. Bluetooth for stereo headsets and PS3 controller connectivity, a wired headset port of the standard kind.
Hurm if I could get more then 35 quid for trading in my old psp I owuld probably get one.
I'd give you more than 35 for your psp.