Gran Turismo 7 – Review
Gran Turismo 7 is the most self-assured game I’ve ever played. The words “The Real Driving Simulator” appeared on the screen as soon as I turned Polyphony Digital and Sony Interactive Entertainment’s latest PlayStation exclusive on.
I was then instructed to race to the music of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra before watching a lengthy opening film showing how the automobile has been intertwined with history for the last century.. From there, I discovered a game with extremely detailed car models, intricate simulations, and a wealth of information on the history of most major car manufacturers and the vehicles they produced.
Pros:
Looks fantastic
Deep driving mechanics
Lots of sim-friendly options
Varied tracks and cars
Lots of customization
Cons:
Not for everyone
Score – 10/10
Gran Turismo 7 is a refined, beautiful driving simulator that justifies this pompous attitude. Even though Gran Turismo 7 isn’t the best choice for casual racing fun and the menus can be frustrating, it is a beautiful game that respects automobile culture so much that it wants to spread the good word to anyone who picks this game up. Gran Turismo 7 is doing everything it can to turn you into a car enthusiast, and it’s doing so with a confident smirk on its face.
Gran Turismo 7 focuses more on its racing simulator roots than Microsoft’s other racing games.. The latest game in the series revolves around purchasing and customising automobiles in order to compete at the highest level. Taking full advantage of the PS5, each vehicle is rendered in stunning detail, both on and off the track.
In general, the game is a fantastic PS5 showcase, thanks to its smooth gameplay and ray tracing modes that highlight the beauty of automobiles in specific lighting conditions.. Sony’s Pulse 3D headset’s audio design is also very clear and sounds great. The haptic feedback and adaptive triggers of the DualSense controller mimic the sensation of breaking while driving.
Players in Gran Turismo 7 are encouraged to customise and maintain their cars. In Gran Turismo 7, if a player doesn’t regularly service their cars by washing them, getting an oil change, and more, they will notice a difference in its performance in every mode. The “menu” objectives that players receive from a Café in the Gran Turismo resort form the foundation of the single-player experience. Some examples of these goals include getting three of one particular car model, going to specific locations, or finishing in the top three of a championship.
Gran Turismo 7 has a more realistic feel to its physics, making it feel slower than other racing games. Even if players aren’t racing at speeds in excess of 100 mph, that’s not necessarily bad. Restraint in these areas makes the game more exciting and encourages players to be friendly to each other while driving at high speeds. A collision with another vehicle will not give the player a bonus point or spread debris around; rather, it is a hard and uncomfortable bump that will put them at a disadvantage. There is no way for players to go back and undo a critical mistake they made in the final lap of a five-lap race that could have cost them first place.
Restarts can kill a race’s momentum because most laps last between one and five minutes. By wasting their time, Gran Turismo 7 encourages players to become better at the game.
In order for players to progress, the game offers a variety of modes and tools. The License Center is a great resource for players of all skill levels who want to brush up on their driving skills. Afterwards, they put them to the test in Missions, which are shorter races with more specific parameters, such as not hitting any walls while driving through an area of a track. These menus, missions, World Circuit races, and licence challenges earn players credits that can be used to purchase new vehicles at one of three dealerships or used at the tuning shop to improve the cars they already own.
The foundation for additional modes is laid here. “Scapes,” an extensive photo mode, allows players to photograph their cars around the world and see the ray tracing in action. The previous entry’s “Sport” multiplayer mode and the more relaxed “Casual” multiplayer mode are both back, allowing players to show off their hard work and customizations to their friends.
Gran Turismo 7 is an excellent showcase for the PS5’s capabilities and a must-have for any serious racing fan.
In Music Rally, players race to the beat of various songs, attempting to reach checkpoints in order to extend their timer and drive the distance they set for themselves. In Gran Turismo 7, it won’t make or break anyone’s enjoyment of the game; rather, it’s what people return to if they only have a few minutes to play.
Gran Turismo 7 is an excellent educational tool, too. Even more supplementary material, such as videos from each manufacturer and museum timelines that document a company’s entire history, are included in Gran Turismo 7’s car index. The opening film’s focus on automobile history is deliberate. In order to honour and educate people about automobiles, developers have created a virtual museum. Having only a limited knowledge of the subject matter, it was a great learning experience for me.
The Dunlop-sponsored Gran Turismo 7 track features a Honda Civic Type R.
Gran Turismo 7 primarily aims to appeal to automobile enthusiasts, but it also hopes to sway any newcomers it encounters on the road. It also makes an effort to entice casual racing game players.
With Gran Turismo 7, newcomers are given more assistance in learning the game’s mechanics through a more guided single-player experience. A good introduction to an intimidating simulator is provided here, but the later championships and races can be a bit of a drag. The final championship, in particular, requires players to drive multiple laps on five of the longer tracks in the game.
You can purchase cars instead of winning them in a race if you’re willing to spend real money, which seems a little unfair. Gran Turismo 7’s most ardent devotees may also be put off by the requirement to complete certain objectives in order to access all of the game’s features and modes.
A clunky interface on the game’s main menu further exacerbates the problem. There are a lot of menus that look like they were designed for a PC port that doesn’t exist yet. Using the D-pad or control stick, neither of which felt natural, was the only way I could get around these menus, and it was a constant source of frustration. Fortunately, menus are clearly labelled so that figuring out what to click isn’t an issue.
Gran Turismo 7 isn’t like Forza Horizon 5, an arcade racing game in which players drive across a vast open world to complete missions and objectives, so those on the fence should know that before they buy it. In this simulator, the focus is on a more relaxed single-player experience with a variety of menus and customizability options.
Although Gran Turismo 7 is confident in its mission to be “The Real Driving Simulator,” some gamers may find it too complicated to play for more than a few minutes at a time. The game’s focus on educating the player about automobiles and racing may turn some casual viewers into die-hards.
Those who love the Gran Turismo series, as well as those who are interested in learning more about automobiles and racing, will find plenty to enjoy in Gran Turismo 7. With its focus on elegance rather than exhilaration, this simulator stays true to its original vision and showcases the PS5’s full potential.
