Gran Turismo Sport: PS4 Review

Gran Turismo Sport: PS4 Review

Platform: PS4
Developed by Polyphony Digital

The Gran Turismo brand is still in tact on PlayStation.

Synonymous with solid simulations, the 2017 entry is one that makes the most of what it's already got and ensures the grunt of the PlayStation is capitalised on.

It's the same as it was - and the same as most car simulations are these days; race tracks, build your skill base up, accrue points and XP, spend money on cars and generally progress through the ranks.

But Gran Turismo Sport manages to do all this and still looks beautiful.

Whereas DriveClub claimed a higher ground in terms of making cars look like a work of art, GT Sport concentrates more on the handling of these beauties rather than ensuring vistas and environments are sparkling too.

It does make a case for a little old school racing simulations in many ways though, as its intentions are clearly all about the cars, whereas others, such as the Forza series, manage to make it about the environments just off the track as well.

Perhaps the biggest fault is any kind of truly dynamic weather system, meaning some races feel a little static in some ways and out of step with what's currently around.

However, there is a lot of beauty in GT Sport's motors.

Lovingly crafted and beautifully rendered, the cars are the star of GT Sports - and at the expense of a more single player campaign, the online mode is where the game's spent a great deal of its time. Whilst you may never crash entirely out in a race (there's yet to be a car seen despite plenty of scraping up against the railings) and there it lacks a degree of reality, it's the technical side of the game which flourishes.

And nowhere is this more evident than in the VR version of the game.

Nervous after DriveClub's VR made this reviewer want to hurl within seconds, it's pleasing to report that the VR experience is exceptional. Several burn outs around the tracks soared by without a hint of nausea and while the inner race experience is a static, the experience is second-to-none.

Cruising through Tokyo and its streets from the inside of the helmet is thrilling and shows that one year after launch VR is finally getting the bits that flawed its last 12 months right.

Ultimately, while GT Sport can feel a little more of a technical beast than an arcade thrill, it's still showing no signs of slowing against its competitors. It may need a little tweak under the hood for its next reveal, but this is still a series that's vying strongly for pole position despite a growing field of competitors.