Gran Turismo – Late Polyphonic Digital Tradition

In the past, PlayStation has also become synonymous with the popular Ridge Racer (yes, “Riiiidge Racer” by Kaz Hirai, E3 2006). History lined with Polyphony Digital. Best of all, it overlooked the multiple delays that became more severe over the course of the seventh generation of consoles. Yamauchi has made many promises to provide fans with the most realistic gaming experience.

Shall we call Gran Turismo a reality series today? Opinions appear to be deeply divided. Some believe that the brand shines far beyond its limits, often going against its promises. Traditionally, opponents of Yamauchi are angry at the fact that there are several hundred cars available. We are talking about a so-called luxury car, a deviation from the standard list. Automobile industry history, simulation sticker included, trademark for generations. Three facts to shape opinion about the Gran Turismo series. Fans will not deny, the rest?

pixel car

The first cars available in the classic Gran Turismo (1997, PlayStation) are a delight for those times, the magic number 300p. That’s how much each car built with a 32-bit PlayStation consumes. There was no luxury car concept yet, a “nightmare” in the eyes of the players on the other side of the barrier. The Magnificent Seven has worked on the title for nearly five years. Meanwhile, the number of members has grown exponentially, but the game’s success has been credited to the studio’s CEO for years. This stance bears a slight resemblance to the no less famous character of Hideo Kojima in the days when the Japanese visionary joined the ranks of the powerful former Konami. Success is mainly attributed to one name. Right or wrong, a matter of approach. However, Gran Turismo has embarked on a historic race to be called the best racing game in its unique category.

The sequel released on two CDs is actually more well known, but if we add today’s grumbling community as a “matter of principle”, Gran Turismo 2 is treated as a big plus. In fact, the number of pixels per piece was identical to the original. Therefore, it is not surprising that there is a short interval between the first performances. When the great PlayStation 2 game was born, the figure increased tenfold correspondingly for Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (2001, Sony) and Gran Turismo 4 (2004), an average of four thousand. The real drawer starts with PlayStation 3. And it’s not just about pixels. Sony’s entry into the seventh generation finally brought online play with the launch of PlayStation Network in 2008. Gran Turismo 5 was already in its infancy, and perhaps the most confusing of all Polyphony Digital’s massive endeavors. Time tells us everything here. Fans had to wait six years for the fifth installment. Gran Turismo 5 (2010) presents a quite interesting publishing phenomenon, which Konami used years later, so another analogy.

Before the Standard Edition hit the market, Sony and Polyphony Digital introduced Gran Turismo 5: Prologue. Practically speaking, we had a preconceived notion of the supposed enormity of the possibilities behind the fifth edition, by far the loudest part of the series. An extended demo has finally been released, focusing on the online side of the gameplay. Naturally, this has already been attempted on the occasion of GT4, but the PS2 era has not yet adapted to these demands. Gran Turismo 5 took the course to literally new paths. Classification of cars of the Standard and Premium classes has been applied. The decision sparked a wave of heated controversy. So why introduce the qualitative division in advance, if it is possible to improve almost all the cars available in the game? The differences were completely absurd. Standard cars, unlike cars of the “upper class”, did not have the ability to see directly from behind the cockpit, there were no windshield wipers, etc. Yamauchi bragged that the title featured over 1,000 vehicles, but it was an obvious move in terms of quantity rather than quality. One of the most bizarre decisions in studio history. This is a game that has been delayed many times, offering a quality department.

Tradition is required

Gran Turismo 5 is a very complex project from the current perspective. It was originally presented in the Prologue version, but it didn’t finally arrive six years after the GT4. Fortunately, the company took care of a shorter period of time to mark the next release. An identical technology was used, so the production cycle seemed quicker to handle. Gran Turismo 6 debuted in December 2013, when we already had a PS3 successor on the market. The game is a better title than its predecessor, but has often been compared to Forza Motorsport. In this case, there are two simulations. The Yamauchi cycle has its own Japanese charm, even when actively switching between functions. One of the most common objections to the trademark is the almost zero damage model. Yamauchi is as used to explaining technical shortcomings as the former star of our industry, Cliff Blizinski.

CliffyB stated that the Gears of War series is “not a wall-breaking game” in response to the lack of interaction with the environment due to Unreal Engine technology. The head of Polyphony Digital noted the same approach. We’re supposed to buy Gran Turismo for the fun of virtual driving and understanding the history of cars. For fans, this is a mine of knowledge that cannot be found anywhere else. With the launch of Gran Turismo Sport (2017), the studio begins its technical ascent to new heights. Even experts referred to the game as a beacon in terms of HDR. I know of the autopsy. Now, we are already anticipating the seventh numerical game. The premiere has already been pushed back to 2022, so that tradition is being followed. Are you waiting?