Gran Turismo 4 (PlayStation 2)
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: 97328
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Description:
- With authentic cars, courses, and car physics, Gran Turismo 4 adds an even more realistic racing simulation to the series. The characteristics of each car take into account weight, speed, friction, and more to deliver realistic handling. Test-drive new vehicles in courses located in various sites, such as Nurburgring Nordschleife, New York City, the Grand Canyon, and Tsukuba Circuit. Along ... Read more
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Gamespot editors' review
Gran Turismo 4 (PlayStation 2) price range: $4.25 - $23.48
- Reviewed by: Brian Ekberg
- Reviewed on: 02/22/2005
- Updated on:02/23/2005
- Released on: 02/22/2005
Not many game series can be referred to as genre-defining, but in the world of console racing games, Gran Turismo fits the bill. Since 1998, the GT series has aimed to bring the vivid world of auto enthusiasm to your PlayStation and PlayStation 2 through a combination of realistic driving physics, massive car rosters aimed at pleasing the obsessive collectors in all of us, and courses from around the world, all topped off with state-of-the-art graphics and sound presentation that's redefined the technical capabilities of the console each title has appeared on. With the fourth installment in the series, the aptly named Gran Turismo 4, we find the franchise at the peak of its quantitative powers in a game that makes superlatives such as "big" and "sprawling" seem somehow inadequate. Yet beneath all the considerable content, Gran Turismo 4 remains remarkably similar to previous iterations in the series, which, depending on your point of view, may or may not be a good thing.
If you can't find your car here, chances are it's because your car sucks.
Gran Turismo 4 features more than 700 cars from more than 80 manufacturers. As you might expect, the lineup leans heavily toward American, Japanese, British, and German makes, though you'll also have access to cars from Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Korea, among other countries. This variety is not simply limited to country of origin, however. The cars found in GT 4 range not only in their power and prestige, but also in their ages. The game features cars from every major era of auto manufacturing: from 1960s muscle cars, to powerful Japanese turbo machines of the mid '90s, to one-off concept cars that won't see city asphalt for 10 years or more, to examples from the very dawn of the auto era (such as the Ford Model T and the Daimler Motor Carriage from 1886).
While the game's roster is impressive both in its size and scope, it must be said that a good portion of the cars, such as the aforementioned Daimler, won't be of much use to you in terms of progressing in the game. Indeed, as you move through the career mode, known as Gran Turismo mode, you'll quickly find your garage piling up with cars from race and series wins; their only value to you will be as resells. On the plus side, a dramatically improved garage interface will let you quickly and easily sort through your car collection, no matter how large that collection becomes. Sorting through criteria such as country of origin, drivetrain, manufacturer, or power-to-weight ratio is a huge improvement from scrolling down an ever-elongating list while hoping to spot your car of choice based on model alone, as was the case in previous GTs.
The available cars, of course, are only part of the attraction of GT4. The game also features more than 50 courses to drive, including a tantalizing mix of real-life racetracks such as Fuji Speedway, Suzuka, and Laguna Seca; a cosmopolitan array of city courses from metropolises such as Hong Kong, Seoul, and the Big Apple; rally courses on dirt and (new for this installment) snow and ice; and old fictional friends such as Grand Valley Speedway, Deep Forest Raceway, and Trial Mountain. Two particularly notable additions to the GT4 track roster are El Capitan, a three-mile behemoth designed around the imposing granite centerpiece of Yosemite National Park, and the N£rburgring Nordschliefe, which, at nearly 13 miles long, is imposing in its own right. The Circuit de la Sarthe, the annual site of the 24 Hour of LeMans race, makes an appearance in two flavors: the current track and the old configuration, which is thankfully free of the chicanes that currently mar the four-mile back straight.
Detailed car models, gorgeous lighting, and an intense sense of speed... GT4 is the new PS2 standard-bearer for graphics.
Beyond these impressive stats, the first thing any casual fan of the GT series notices are the graphics. The earlier GT games defined the technical reach of the PlayStation across two consoles, and this reach extends here. Car models look fantastic, and though only six cars are on-track at any time, the game suffers zero slowdown, even when things pile up in the corners or during drastic elevation changes. Lighting effects that were impressive in Gran Turismo 3 are stunning in GT4, both in terms of technical achievement (such as in the real-time reflections on car doors) and artistic aesthetic (the luminous George Paris street track or the neon-drenched section of the Hong Kong city course). The game only features three points of view when driving--and there is no cockpit view--but a tangible sense of speed is conveyed by all three angles.
Small graphical touches this time around include 3D crowd models, which are most noticeable during the rally stages. Spectators will run out on the course to take pictures of your oncoming vehicle. Then they'll scurry out of the way at the last moment. Meanwhile, throngs of spectators will back up en masse as you speed by them on the dirt tracks. Though you can't hit these pedestrians, their collective presence on the courses adds a nice feeling of danger and claustrophobia to the rally stages. On the downside, an invisible barrier pervades the perimeter of many of the courses, which detracts from an overall feeling of immersion. As a result, it's impossible to careen off a cliff at the Grand Canyon, for example. In the absence of a damage model, GT4 now incorporates a blur effect when smacking into opponents or stationary objects. It's similar to the effect found in Colin McRae Rally 2005, but it doesn't last as long. Also, while the game supports both 480p and even 1080i resolution, its implementation does not prevent a few jaggies or blurring effects from appearing during replays.
User reviews
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Best Game Ever
Pros: Wow...thought I would jump on the bandwagon of people judging games from a screenshot instead of actually playing them. It's much better than it would have been a year & a half ago when it was supposed to have been released. Have they given any insi
Cons: 1 1/2 yr. delayed release. Do your R & D and try to anticipate a better release date, instead of pumping customers up for the release & then taking you time to "redesign" a few quirks.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great game for its time, but now we have something to compare it with.
by OracleITpro on May 19, 2005
Pros: Quality driving simulator, great panoramic shots.
Cons: Lacks on-line community, stoic backgrounds (think neo-geo), predictable AI, long licensing paths, and not much car mods available.
Summary: At release easily the best game ever, but now we can compare Forza and GT4. I think that for the graphics they could have stepped it up a bit 3-dimensionally ...
Summary: At release easily the best game ever, but now we can compare Forza and GT4. I think that for the graphics they could have stepped it up a bit 3-dimensionally speaking, not to knock it because the graphics are definatly on the high-end of next gen platforms. Older games the mid-ground to fore-ground movement is stiff and that happens in GT4 especially on WRC tracks with flying sand and small shrubbery. GT to compensate for a little less detail on the off-road driving environment they stiffened the car and made the grass almost like pavement so your car just slowed down, but Forza made the grass slippery and the car less stiff, like when you spin your wheels in grass, more realistic. Car dynamics are great and you should buy this game for sure, but you should also buy Forza. Sony's stiff approach to a car is good for the intermediate, but once you've got it down Forza takes the handling to the next level and introduces a little less control.
I'd recommend GT1-4 to anybody. Sony's got to realize a car just doesn't stay level all the time, and grass/tire combination among other physics quandry's are details to be sorted out for GT5 on PS3. I'm waiting......1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great realistic driving game
by flamberge on September 19, 2006
Pros: realistic, good graphics, lots of cars
Cons: a little too realistic
Summary: I loved the thrid game and this one is better, especially sinc eI brought my data (licenses and money) up from GT3 there is a new thing called B-Spec mode ...
Summary: I loved the thrid game and this one is better, especially sinc eI brought my data (licenses and money) up from GT3 there is a new thing called B-Spec mode hat lets you allow the car to drive itself. needless to say, fast enough car? easy wins
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Gran Turismo 4 is till a great game in the series. It's just that its predecessor did it better.
by MegaXtreme on September 18, 2006
Pros: Tons of cars and tracks, great graphics, deep Gran Turismo Mode, classic cars added, start with $100,000 and A and B Licenses from GT3 with save
Cons: Downshift indicator takes a dive, graphics aren't miles past GT3, bulk of GT Mode too short, no damage modeling, classic cars implemented poorly, can't do endurance races right from the start
Summary: To this day, everyone can agree the Gran Turismo is arguably the greatest racing franchise ever on consoles. With Gran Turismo 3, the series hit an all-time high, reaching near ...
Summary: To this day, everyone can agree the Gran Turismo is arguably the greatest racing franchise ever on consoles. With Gran Turismo 3, the series hit an all-time high, reaching near perfection. Now with GT4 out, many will want to believe that it's the new standard. Not true. At all.
In GT4, the Simulation Mode has changed to the Gran Turismo Mode. Its substance is the same, just with a new name. You still start with only a meager $12,000 or so to buy a car with, but for veterans who don't want to bother wasting their time with A and B licenses can transfer their GT3 data, giving them $100,000 and the A and B licenses automatically. This paces it along much faster, allowing you to buy a nice car first. You still start in the amateur league, then to intermediate and extreme. However, the game ends after intermediate, with the credits rolling. It doesn't take too long to beat the bulk of the mode, which bites. The extreme and endurance races are optional, along with the One-Make races, Rally races, and Missions. There's still a ton to do, if you want all of the over 700 cars. Yeah, that's a lot. Sadly, some are rehashes, like 4 different types of Nissan Z's, and the classic cars are crap, since they don't nearly go as fast as they should, and adding parts makes them perform even worse. There's still no damage modeling, no aggressive A.I., and the downshift indicator that showed you what gear to slow to before a turn is poorly timed. This is probably due to the multitude of settings for all 700+ cars, but it still bites when you hit a wall after braking when they tell you to. Rally races are harder, as hitting the wall penalizes you, and the graphics of the game are fantastic, but not leaps and bounds over GT3. There's no online play either, so this shows more than a handful of problems for the game. I still recommend it though. Why? Since it's more than solid racing. Sure, the dwonshift indicator is off and there aren't any drastic improvements, but anyone wanting a new go-round will have to pick up GT4, and anyone new to the racing scene. It's better than most you'll find, and at a Greatest Hits price of $20, you can't pass it up. -
One of the best!!!
by zhangziyi on July 4, 2006
Pros: very real and fun to drive
Cons: Same tracks over and over gets boring
Summary: Endless options and cars but this is the best on the PS2!!! Xbox is Forza
Summary: Endless options and cars but this is the best on the PS2!!! Xbox is Forza
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Friday Night Blast
by Irobotbender on March 18, 2006
Pros: Realistic looking cars, excellent & realistic handling, physics & sceanery
Cons: Bouncing off walls & gaurd rails not realistic.
Summary: After spending about 50 hours winning races, I was able to build a fast & powerful car with the ability to customize handling characteristics. Then got some freinds & family ...
Summary: After spending about 50 hours winning races, I was able to build a fast & powerful car with the ability to customize handling characteristics. Then got some freinds & family hooked on a Friday night at the races. Each week we tweak this car a little more by winning a couple more races, then spend hours trying to beat the ghost car of the driver with the best time. Even in ghost mode you continue unlocking hidden tracks. Lots of tracks with good graphics. Unlike most other race games that don't reqire much skill, this game requires skill & has driving characteristics simular to my own track car, except for the ability to bounce off walls & railings without a second thought.
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Best Racing Game on PS2
by thefox84 on March 5, 2006
Pros: Fantastic graphics and sound, over 700 cars, Unbelievable length, Better than Forza(I have both)
Cons: Online is coming so we have to buy another one
Summary: I love this game more than any game this generation. i have a Gamecube, PS2, and Xbox(now a 360) and this is easily my favorite game out of all ...
Summary: I love this game more than any game this generation. i have a Gamecube, PS2, and Xbox(now a 360) and this is easily my favorite game out of all of the platforms and games. Halo 2 and Super Smash brothers Melee come close, but I love cars so much that this is my favorite games. Yes Forza is good, but the graphics and especially the sound need a lot of polish. And GT4 is more free roaming and there are alot more cars to buy. Forza is good, but there is something to be said for the polish Polyphony Digital put into this game. Simply the best racing game ever made.
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Jameson Thottam : Gran Turismo 4 review
by jameson thottam on November 23, 2005
Pros: Classic Racing at its Best - Jameson Thottam
Cons: Predictable AI ... Jameson Thottam
Summary: Jameson Thottam : Gran Turismo 4 review
Since racing games have started coming out, the most popular in the entire world has been Gran Turismo. Any fan of the racing genre ...Summary: Jameson Thottam : Gran Turismo 4 review
Since racing games have started coming out, the most popular in the entire world has been Gran Turismo. Any fan of the racing genre will say they have tried one Gran Turismo or another. It started for the PS1 with Gran Turismo, with unreal graphics that no one had seen before and many cars. Then came Gran Turismo 2 also for the PS1, showing much improvement over Gran Turismo 1. Then, Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec for the PS2 blew everyone away. It truly showed the power of the PS2 and many people bought the PS2 just for that came. Now comes along it's big brother, Gran Turismo 4. This game truly has the best graphics out of any racing game or any game, period, on the Playstation 2. This game could qualify as a PS3 game as it's graphics are just stunning. This game is incredible and should be picked up by any fan of the racing genre.
First of all, this game has over 500 licensed cars, and real-life tracks, new and old! The cars details have all been redone and look exactly like real-life models and the backgrounds have shown improvement over Gran Turismo 3 as well. Playing Gran Turismo 4 after Gran Turismo 3 is like "cleaning off a pair of dirty glasses to see the world as it truly is." Okay, enough with the graphics, but is the game good? The gameplay and physics of the cars feel exactly as they would in real life while we were driving (if we could afford these amazing cars). The physics engine has been improved from the classic games and is now better than ever! The first time I popped the game into my PS2, I spent literally 1 hour just looking at the 250 available cars at the beginning of the game and just drooling, they're models look amazing as they are exact replicas of the real cars down to the last detail!
In this game, not only do you have the standard career mode and arcade modes, you also get B-Spec Mode and photo mode. B-Spec mode is basically just auto mode and the race goes by itself in 1/3 of the time and is a good way to collect money for other cars and tracks. Photo mode, however required much more effort. You get to look at all the replays of a race and choose from multiple camera angles and take pictures of the car in mid-race. This sounds kind of dumb, but it's much deeper than it sounds, I felt like becoming a photographer after playing around with photo mode for a while.
The bad thing is still the A.I. as they are very predictable and very sloppy. Just hit them into a wall and pass them. Another problem is there is still no online play!
Even with those few problems, this game is definetely worth the $49.99 price and will be in your collection for many months to come and might even last you until the Gran Turismo 5 release, and hey, who knows, maybe it will be released with the new PS3.
Jameson Thottam -
Awesome game that takes the legend of GT3 furthur
by Ed-duh-win on November 12, 2005
Pros: Awesome graphics, great details, selection of cars
Cons: Career mode a bit too hard
Summary: After I bought this game, I was impressed with the graphics. There are ample selection of cars to choose from. There are nice new additions to the already great features ...
Summary: After I bought this game, I was impressed with the graphics. There are ample selection of cars to choose from. There are nice new additions to the already great features that were available on the GT3, like Photo Drive, Used-Car Showroom, and many more racing categories. But one thing that I did not quite appreciate was that the career mode seems a bit too hard. There is barely enough money to even buy a car at the Used-Car showroom, let alone upgrade it at the beginning. As you complete tournaments, you earn prize cars. Well, some of the prize cars aren't drivable in some races; one good example is Mazdaspeed 6. It, according to Car and Driver, is a 4WD vehicle. Well, you cannot enter the 4WD contest using this car. I am clearly confused at these "prize cars" which I can't even use in races. Other than that, this game is awesome, and as I said, makes gaming like a reality with its attention to details (even a fuel tank now!) and its rich graphics.
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Great game, but slowly paced
by K-Lev on July 6, 2005
Pros: The best graphics you will ever see, numerous tracks & cars, so many things to do
Cons: Load times!!, somewhat difficult, long time to get to the best points of the game, lack of online play
Summary: I have been playing Gran Turismo 4 for months on end now, mainly because I enjoy it, but partly because it's going to take a lenghty time to really ...
Summary: I have been playing Gran Turismo 4 for months on end now, mainly because I enjoy it, but partly because it's going to take a lenghty time to really enjoy all this game has to offer. As with the previous games in the Gran Turismo series, there are amazing amounts of courses & cars that can be used. Gran Turismo delivers on its promise of the best graphics. The light shines through the trees, spectators on the dirt tracks stand on the course & snap a photo of your car & dash away in a snap before you kill them, & there are lots of other little features you will really appreciate. There are lots of other small things to do besides race. Like the photo mode, where you can place your yellow Ford GT on a gondola in Venice, Italy & print it out with an USB connected Epson printer & send it to your friends, who will wonder how you bought such a beautiful car & send it there. The graphics are that good.
However, like I mentioned, the load times are killer & watching the grass grow would be more entertaining. It also takes a long time to get to the game's best points.
So, if your looking for a realistic & huge game, get Gran Turismo 4!
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: 97328
- Description: With authentic cars, courses, and car physics, Gran Turismo 4 adds an even more realistic racing simulation to the series. The characteristics of each car take into account weight, speed, friction, and more to deliver realistic handling. Test-drive new vehicles in courses located in various sites, such as Nurburgring Nordschleife, New York City, the Grand Canyon, and Tsukuba Circuit. Along with Career mode, Gran Turismo 4 highlights the new GT Photo mode.
Product Basic Spec
- Platform PlayStation 2
- ESRB rating Everyone - Mild Lyrics
- Genre Driving
- Elements Arcade Racing
- Context Realistic
- Number of players 1-6 Players
- Connectivity Online
- Difficulty Medium
- Learning curve About 1 hour
- Offline modes Competitive
- Sound Dolby Pro Logic II
- Resolution 480p,1080i
Recommended
- DVDROM 0
- Other 1 Memory Block
Game
- Developer Polyphony Digital
- ESRB Everyone
- ESRB descriptors Mild Lyrics
- Max number of players 1
- Release date 2005-02-22
Manufacturer info
- Sony
- Manufacturer profile
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- Website: http://www.sonystyle.com
- Address:
16765 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, CA 92127 - Phone: 1-877-865-SONY
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- Fax: 941-768-7790
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