Gran Turismo 5 brings together some of the biggest names in the auto industry and places them at your fingertips. The game brings some of the best graphics onto the screen and includes 3D viewing and online play. Some of the sleekest cars on some of the world's premiere courses are included in this huge game. I've been playing it since November, purchased it on Black Friday, and haven't scratched the surface.
I've been a fan of Gran Turismo and played the first two in with great enthusiasm. The first one definitely blew my mind, with all the cars and all the ways to tune them. The second one had even more, and then the licenses and endurance races. But as you go to three and four, you start to wonder if the game was more for playing or just for watching. Even in Gran Turismo 5 you're tasked with completing just as many races in A-spec mode than on B-spec. The new element in B-spec is that you now get the option of entering in more than one racer. I haven't got to that point yet. I do have three racers now, all above level 10. It feels more and more like a RPG.
As for the rest of the game, not much has changed. The races are broken into five modes on A-Spec, and the first three (beginner, amateur, professional) are relatively easy. You're going to have to get back into the groove of racing since GT4 was five years ago. The licenses are hard and easy. Hard if you want to get Gold and Silver, but relative simple. Just concentrate a bit more than usual and you'll get the bronze. Some of the newer tracks takes time to get used, but nothing is too confusing.
The special events have been amp'ed up. There are now go-karts, the Top Gear track, and even a selection of Nascar races. I went through a lot of them, but still haven't got the trophies yet. The Go-Kart races and the WRC stuff seem the most fun so far. I didn't like the Nascar trials, and I think it's going to be a grueling time finishing it.
I've yet to finish one game online, but my connection is slow and the races online didn't interest me. Most people don't mind running into you at full speed or being ran into for that matter. I just hope that more interesting DLC's will come along. As for now, I'm sticking with single player mode. Until then, keep racing.
