Pocket Gamer: Gran Turismo PSP review

And breathe out. After almost five years of undergoing a seemingly pedal-powered development rate, Gran Turismo has finally rolled out on PSP. The reward for your patience? Arguably the best driving game on handheld to date.

Before we get onto that, some figures. Gran Turismo PSP features an impressive 35 tracks comprising real world examples and long time favourites from the GT series, offering a selection of tarmac, gravel and ice on which to push your machinery to the limit.

But boundaries aren't exactly what Polyphony Digital respected when it came to the car roster. A staggering 800-odd vehicles are crammed into the UMD, which, to put it into perspective, represents more bodywork than any console GT title has featured to date.

[Elvfam511]

Oooooooooooooooooooo

[Greywulf]

The reviewer reviews it as what PD said it would be. A "portable party racer" without a career mode.

Or the reviewer says Sony lied and its not GT5 on a portable.

For example, you knew it wasn't going to have a career mode when it was announced.

[soxfan2005]

I've been following the development of this game for years now, and I don't ever recall it being referred to as a "party game, and not as a true GT experience.

Aren't PD supposed to be "perfectionists"? I just find it hard to believe they would reduce their prized property to a "party game". Either they ran out of time and had to rush GT PSP to make the PSP Go's launch, or PD was just not capable of reproducing the GT experience on the PSP.

I've owned a PSP for years, and I will probably get this game anyways, but I'm a bit perplexed about it. Today's news really took everyone by surprise, that's why I don't believe the "party game" reasoning.

[rockleex]

No, its not a party game. It COULD be if PD adds some kind of co-op mode for it. Which I have no clue how it could be done.

Anyways, PD probably thought people who play handhelds don't have the time to sit down and go through a regular career mode.

But I say that's not the audience that Gran Turismo targets in the first place.

So yes, it was a mistake to remove the most important aspect of every GT game. Hopefully they can add a career mode in future updates. They should have the career mode PLUS the bite-sized mode.

[Greywulf]

"While it's not possible to fully recreate the very same feeling you get from playing GT in Full HD, a new facet of gaming is opens its possibilities. If you have 15 minutes, if you're in your car, on the bus or on a train, you can turn it on, and play. So instead of recreating the same feeling you get when playing at home, we created a portable Gran Turismo that will offer the same satisfaction you get when playing at home." - Kazunori Yamauchi

"In single player
you have classic tracks, time-attack, drift mode and Mission Challenge. This mode has the familiar things you'd expect in a GT game, including license tests. There are of course elements designed specifically for the PSP, starting with adhoc mode, which will allow 4 players to race each other. In adhoc mode, you can also trade the cars in your garage or you can share them with others. These are unique features found only in GT PSP." - Kazunori Yamauchi

If you were, you'd know there was no career mode, and it was meant for short plays on a handheld.

"buh buh perfectionists"

They are, thats why a psp game has 800 vehicles that have animated spoilers. While some games i wont mention, dont even bother animating hands swapping gears.

[gamingisnotacrime]

congrats you are a trully commited PS brand hater.
cheers

PS
PD did said that it was going to be the whole experience, but if you want to see their perfectionist side get a PS3 at $299 and then buy GT5.

[stevenhiggster]

I have to say I'm on greywulf's side here. I saw that interview too KY did say that, in his own words it was a party game.

In saying that I am pretty shocked at the very average review scores the game is getting, I think some people had their expectations a little too high and were expecting GT5 on the PSP.

[NexGen]

That must mean it came out today? I just got a PSP, not sure when things are coming out for it yet.

I haven't played GT since 3 I think...the one for the PS2, this sounds like it would be fun.