Gran Turismo 5 Prologue

Having only played GT4 on a couple of occassions, this was my first real experience of the franchise. It is not a game that will allow you to win instantly or easily if you are new to these type of games and in the sense that it is not simplistic and does not flatter your skills, some might find it no fun. There is no silly storyline, no mission to be accomplished, intro's or mechanics getting all matey talking to you during driving (aka Need For Speed: Shift (PS3)).

There are four levels you unlock in sequence, by finishing in the top three in all events of a given level. Once you get past C, B and A, a new level - S gets unlocked, which allows you to tune the cars you have (or want to buy). And as mentioned by other reviewers, it's essential to engage in tuning of the cars if you want to clear the events, otherwise several of them (at the S level) tend to be neigh on impossible. While the wins at level C give you 10k credits, those at S get up to 47.5k, so you accumulate overall credits very fast, plus with the credit limit being 2 million, you need to buy new cars at a regular basis or not get anything out of the races.

Overall it takes a lot of determination to master the game, especially at the S level, where crashing into other cars, barriers, or taking shortcuts (being a bit aggressive in going over kerbs) will all get you time penalties, which are difficult to catch up. If you are looking for quick thrills, this is probably not the game.

Compared to Gran Turismo 4 (PS2), there are also some changes and limitations (probably because this is not the full version). You are limited to 6 tracks, and while some, like Suzuka, tale time to master, I am sure more experienced players are likely to want more, especially longer ones (Nordschleiffe, Le Mans, etc.). You can no longer play in arcade mode with any car - you need to build up the credits racing first, buy the car you want and then drive it in arcade mode - something people who just want some quick thrills will probably not enjoy. The events no longer include the racing licence ones, where lines, braking, etc. need to be mastered in a 1 car only setting - it's all racing events (not that this is bad). Finally, apart from some of the tuned cars and the Ferrari F1, there are no real race cars available, and the selection of cars, while not tiny, is far from what was available in GT4 or can be expected from the full GT5.

In spite of this not being the full game, I think it is an excellent product in its own right, and well worth the time and money, while waiting for the full Gran Turismo 5 (PS3) to come out.

I bought this for me & my son to play as we loved the old GT2 , GT3 & GT4 , but this porlogue is a waist of money , you cannot buy upgrades so some of the races are impossible to win except by buy sheer luck that a faster car gives you a boost by ramming you, very disapointed, feel ripped of by the manufactures, save you money for the full game which should be great if the old versions are to go by. Just be wait a little longer

The Platinum badging denotes this game's commercial success compared to other PS3 games and otherwise does not differ to any significant degree from the standard GT5P game.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is a fully-fledged game in its own right and should not be mistaken for a make-weight until the real thing comes along later. That's because this is good enough, hard enough and dare I say pure enough to satisfy those who want something different from the arcade-like 'fun' of Burnout etc. I can understand why some say that GT5P isn't fun, but believe me it's very satisfying when you reach the top, when you win at every level.

In two words, it's all about discipline, and tuning. Controlling your emotions (anger, frustration) takes time and practice. For the first three levels - C, B and then A, it doesn't matter much if you hit other cars or take short cuts. But then, when you've cleared level A you suddenly find there's a new level, called S, and it demands a wholly new and different approach if you want to win. Barging other cars out the way won't work, because you will incur time penalties each time you do. Touch, yes - but not too much! After a while you have to learn just how far you can let your aggression go; there's a limit, and while it's not 100% consistent in that some moves are punished while other seemingly more aggressive moves are permitted, the bottom line is you have to show restraint, common sense and self-discipline. And then there's tuning, which takes quite a while to master because if it wasn't complicated enough in its option list, you will need to understand that there are different set-ups for different cars, and for different circuits too. The ultimate test is 'S-10' at Suzuka, a demanding but very enjoyable track once you've mastered it. And for me the best car to use in order to win there is the Ford GT LM Spec II - however in its standard set-up you are unlikely to win so you need to know how to get the most out of it, especially in terms of traction, braking and acceleration.

Anyone who has tried and tried without success at S-10 will benefit from the tuning set-up I use with the Ford GT because it almost transforms the car from a lumbering bus into a hugely pliable, neutral and drift-friendly machine. There are surely hundreds of combinations, but here's one that works - for me, at least.

Power/BHP : Down 20 (at 476)
Weight : Down 90 (at 1048)
Tyres : R1/R1
Aerodynamics : 17/27
Ride Height : -9/-15
Springs : 8/7
Dampers : 8/7
Toe-in/out : -0.09/+0.22
Camber : 1.6/2.0
Brakes : 7/8
Torque Split : n/a
Steering angle: 45
Traction cont : OFF
ABS : 1
1st gear : 2.288
2nd gear : 1.632
3rd gear : 1.218
4th gear : 0.932
5th gear : 0.789
6th gear : 0.686
Final drive : 5.00

The steering angle I have chosen (45) is one of the most sensitive, I believe, to individual preference. I don't like understeer and while some have suggested an ideal of 30 I prefer the sharper cut-in of 45 and the added drift that this can allow. And it's important to switch the traction control off because otherwise it delays throttle response, making life next to impossible if you really want to make progress.

The same car and set-up can be used for the Fuji circuit (S-7) but some might want to tweak the gearing a bit as there is a very long straight which demands a maximum top speed. I've managed to use the same set-up for both circuits successfully, mainly because once you are intimately familiar with every nuance of the car's dynamics it can be unsettling to change even a single aspect of its tuning. Familiarity breeds confidence, and confidence is king.

This isn't a game that will make you laugh. It's not 'fun' in the conventional sense of video gaming. It's a game for purists, for those with a competitive instinct and a desire to win. It's not easy to win, and even when you do it's just as hard to repeat the success, but that isn't the point. It's not designed to flatter you, you have to be nigh-on perfect and you need to make no mistakes. My mantras include 'stay on the track' and 'don't hit anyone'. The temptation is always there to knock another car off the track but you soon learn (at S level, anyway) that this just doesn't work, and the mindset should be one of making sure that you don't make any mistakes. Contain your aggression - you will get another opportunity to overtake in a few moments.

There are dozens of cars to buy with the credits you accumulate from winning, but in my opinion only a handful are a real pleasure to drive. I never thought I would say this after I first drove it (it was a pig) but the Ford GT has to be up there with the best. I love the tuned Corvette, and the Blitz and Mine's Skyline GTRs (of previous years), while I found the current GT-R a bit of a disapppointment. The most annoying car must be the iconic Ferrari F40, you spend a fortune buying it and it feels like an oil-tanker at times in terms of agility and chuckability. Maybe I need to tune mine - as I said, I hated the Ford GT LM at first, but tuning it is a revelation. On lower levels, the tuned Elise was good and true too.

Personally I think GT5P is the cutting-edge PS3 game, full stop, and the flagship for the new Blu-Ray generation. The graphics are just a quantum leap beyond what has gone before, it's almost as if this game is the one to demonstrate what PS3 and 1080p upscaling in high-definition is all about. It's indispensible, a bargain and I can't recommend it highly enough. Roll on the fully-loaded version, later in 2009 I believe.