by Greg Reedy

Created on: July 13, 2009

Gran Turismo4 is currently the latest full release of this critically acclaimed and incredible racing simulation series. The game for the Playstation 2 was released in the mid 2000s and really is still a quality game even today.

One of the most endearing aspects of this game is the sheer amount to it. You can win race after race after race and barely make a dent into the game completion percentage and that gives the game a great amount of play and replay value. There is always something different to do and different types of racing from oval course racing to street course racing to dirt and ice rally racing.

There is also so many cars from just about every manufacturer in the world. If you have a particular car that you really want to drive, chances are you will get a chance to drive it. It does give a great chance for people to drive a wide array of different cars and gives the player a different driving experience with each car. That really adds to the simulation.

There are noticeable driving differences between the cars. Some cars turn better than others while some have much more speed. The cars also have a wide variety of tune-ups. They include engine upgrades, tire upgrades, suspension tune-ups and much, much more.

Actual gameplay is pretty solid. There are tire wear gauges done in real time. When your tires begin to wear, the car begins to fight you and it becomes a lot harder to turn it. One aspect of racing is running into the cars and the damage. Damage on the actual cars is not there and does not have much of an impact. You don't see on the cars which does tend to ruin the simulation aspect that Gran Turismo has always strived for. It's also easy for the cars to bounce off each other like bumper cars. That is a competitive advantage for the players but it is not really a great simulation. If you run into the back of another car at 200 mph, that should really affect how the cars drive. But it definitely does not.

Overall, Gran Turismo is a pretty good choice for a driving game and you certainly could do worse. Graphically, the game is quite good and almost reaches the level of a Playstation 3. If you have a Playstation 2, you will be impressed by the graphics. This is a good idea to buy, especially if you want to get Gran Turismo 5 for the Playstation 3. That game certainly looks promising and a must-buy if you are into racing games and/or the Gran Turismo series.

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