It should be noted that I consider myself a very good driver... in real life. However, I must admit that I'm not a Gran Turismo expert. Our very own
Chris Roper (Editor-in-Chief of the IGN PlayStation Team) is the biggest Gran Turismo fan in the office, but he's not in Cologne right now, so you'll have to do with my JRPG-loving antics.
As this was one of my first experiences with a force feedback wheel, I must say that Gran Turismo 5 uses the peripheral extremely well.
The driving experience is once again recreated brilliantly here and that's something any gamer can appreciate. Driving a blue Subaru (the model/year wasn't explicitly stated -- or it was in German) down a pleasant track lined with trees, I was treated to my first look at the Gran Turismo damage models.
Yes, damage models were in use on the show floor here in Cologne and they already look fantastic.
I will admit that I expected a more significant impact when I rammed my poor Subaru straight into a wall, but who am I to complain?
The aforementioned impact caused the front bumper to dislodge from the car, though it still hung for dear life. Furthermore, both doors were forced open and flapped about as I frantically skidded down the road. Fortunately, I didn't have to worry about shifting gears,
as the demo seemed to be locked in on the automatic setting.
As if I wasn't having enough trouble keeping up with the competition under normal circumstances, I received a call from our UK team's own Matt Wales while I drove. This talking and driving caused a severe accident, which just goes to show you that you should not talk on your cell phone while you drive, unless you have a hands-free headset.
All kidding aside, Gran Turismo 5 feels real -- that's all there is to it. As I'm not a seasoned veteran of the franchise, I can't speak to the intricacies of the experience, but what I can confirm is that the game runs beautifully and the controls feel as pristine as ever. I was lucky enough to speak to Kazunori Yamauchi following my hands-on time and confirm a few bits of information that GT fans might be curious about. First: Kazunori was still unwilling to give a solid release date for Gran Turismo 5. Although, Kazunori explained, as Gran Turismo PSP is right around the corner, its upcoming PS3 counterpart shouldn't be too far away. That sounds like "sooner rather than later" to me.
The next detail Kazunori touched on was regarding damage models. I can confirm that not every car in Gran Turismo 5 will sport damage models -- it will only be select sets. However, Kazunori has yet to decide on a finalized list of featured car types for damage support.
Lastly, it sounds like Porsche will not make it into Gran Turismo 5. As disappointing as this was for Kazunori, Porsche signed an exclusive arrangement elsewhere and will probably not be included. It looks like Porsche fans will have to wait.
That's all from Cologne. Keep your eyes peeled for more GT goodness in the near future.
