Gran Turismo 5 Review

To get racing fans ready for Gran Turismo 5's release later this year, Polyphony Digital gives gamers a taste of what's in store with Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. This "sample" is a robust package of cars, tracks and new features guaranteed to make the wait for Gran Turismo 5 just that much more difficult. The Prologue is available both on disk and as a download from the PlayStation network; making it easier than ever to get that racing fix without even having to leave the house.

The most notable new feature is that GT5 Prologue finally supports both online and offline racing-a first for this long-running franchise. Worldwide leaderboards track racing results, and gamers who want even more can check out the new "My Garage" feature. GT5 Prologue allows players to set up a personalized home page within the game, here players can choose to post race results, set up a friends list and chat with other car fanatics.

Not skimpy in content, the "Prologue" is a decent-sized racing game with the ability to drive 30 different high-performance vehicles from makers like Nissan, Ferrari, Lotus, Subaru, Lexus and Mitsubishi. There are five tracks to race including Eiger Nordwand and Suzuka; each track features reverse tracks and alternate routes. This upgrade includes a new physics engine for amazingly realistic handling, the ability to tune vehicles and the newly added in cockpit view for a brand-new viewpoint and are just a few more features to look forward to. The Gran Turismo series has led the way for dynamic graphics and GT5 Prologue is no exception, with it's stunning visuals that, for the first time, make it really difficult to tell the difference between the game and a high-def racing video. For the ultimate in racing Sims, there is none other than the legendary Gran Turismo series. The Gran Turismo 5 Prologue should hold gamers over until Gran Turismo 5 is finally released.