[hk20000]

Originally Posted by sas

My review:

Cons:

-Yes, no career mode (no modifying) is retarded considering this is afterall, Gran Turismo.

I see what they did there though, instead of a career mode like all previous GTs, it has the "match your ride" system which is like that hidden mode found in GT2 (they just make up a list of cars to race you depending on what you drive).
On a design perspective it makes sense because a PSP is intended for casual gaming something like a 20 lap race is not suited to the console.
Hardcore fanboys don't like it but oh well?

-The Random car dealerships that appear. But it does keep my interest coming back everytime to only see that "Izuzu" is now available!

That's to enrich the value of multiplayer play, there are over 800 cars in this game (I only realized this after I read the online docs about it) there will be cars that your friend rocks that you totally can't find or afford. Being able to share the cars means you can get some cars for free given you play this outside your living room sometimes in a social setting.

- The horrific A.I. that is sadly common on all GT games. IMO, this is one of the WORST aspects of GT. They will keep their line stubbornly and ram into you. For fun, I like to challenge myself and try to overtake them with out getting rammed into.

I find it a lot better than Forza once you ramp up the track difficulty (it's the same track it has to be the AI that's ramped up) to A or B. I have close battles with the whole pack of (albeit small pack) cars the whole way around nurburgring and that's exciting.

- A.I. is too easy. Often, I find myself trying to avoid them under braking.

As above, I think you need to race on the same track a few more times to get the AI to "think straight". Tracks as inorganic as Tsukuba circuit you will find yourself doing late braking battles against the AI, which means white knuckle all out racing. The AI will not ram you if you took an advantageous spot before entering a turn (i.e. inside) but if you somehow attempt to overtake on the outside they will "force" their way around like what you would too back in GT2. But it's a very good balance of realistic AI and crashing. (unlike NFS:Shift where a tap is almost always guaranteeing a spinout)

Pros:
- Best racing game on the PSP! GT fan boy alert. If you can ignore the career mode, this has got to be the best simulator. I can give a rats ass about drifting and "boost" buttons while evading cops. I doubt I will touch Initial D very much anymore more.

Amen to that, with that said, if you enjoy career mode you can always find a repackaged GT2 Sim that will let you do all sorts of things....different style I guess.

- Massive amount of car selection. For the people griping, lets get real. If this wasn't GT, you wouldn't be bitching. What other game will you find a Ford Taurus SHO, Lambo, Civic?Pretty diverse if you ask me.

LOL it has pickup trucks too. But it still has that funky powerband that's very un-truck-like....

-Realistic tracks. Laguna seca. Twin Rings and more.
-The graphics.

It's amazing how it pretty much resembles the look and feel of GT4 plus some more on such a small console.
Also I quite like the new physics say if you got a car completely sideways in a spin you can do a pretty good smoke show now with a car with some gutsy engine instead of some artificial accelerator limiter in the previous games.

With that said I still hope for a few more things in the game:
1. no rims. Come on man I want my hellaflush and those 90s Japanese cars come with wheels that look like ass...
2. possible multiplayer via wifi? It's hard to find someone to race as it is. It's uncool to ask ppl do u have GT on ur PSP coz u sound like a fucking nerd.
3. no press sensitive acceleration button and brake button - this makes the control fidelity go back to GT2 era with the digital buttons but the physics a fully 09 model.....so it's...errr challenging to drive smoothly.

But overall, great game, remember to select the cars' driving physics as "professional" and shut down TRC and ASM or else it's not really GT imo.