Gran Turismo 7 is an absolutely gorgeous game. From its opening moments, the power of the PlayStation 5 console is showcased as the iconic GT series opens up its greatest accomplishment to-date. Every automobile included in this car racing sim has a certain level of polish, delivering the most immersive experience this genre has ever seen. It's the ultimate success and, for the most-part, the gameplay also succeeds all expectations.
Whether you're a relative newbie to the series, or a seasoned veteran grasping for straws of nostalgia from one of the world's most recognisable driving titles, you'll find exactly what you're looking for here. There's not exactly a tutorial present, but there is the Gran Turismo Café, where players can pick up a myriad of different tasks - or 'menu books' - that introduce drivers slowly, but surely, to everything that GT7 has to offer. You don't have to approach the game via this hub of sorts, but there are all sorts of exciting rewards in the way of additional cars for your vehicle roster that make it worthwhile.
It's that collection of motors that will keep you coming back for more, time and again. Your first few days on the game won't be packed full of new additions, as the modest payouts to push you towards the microtransactions screen are in full force, but if you put some commitment into the grind, then you'll eventually be healthily rewarded.
Those who like cars will be happy to hear that over 400 vehicles are available in-game, but for the most staunch, hardcore fans, there may be a little bit of disappointment with the lack of more modern vehicles from 2018 onwards. It makes sense, with the game having been in development since 2019 and perhaps even earlier, but it's still sad when you try and find a specific model just to discover it's not present.
What most people will be excited to hear though, is that the car handling is off the charts. All cars feel slightly unique when you go from one to the next, with asphalt terrain providing an extremely realistic feel. Combining this with the PS5 controller's haptic feedback, Sony have done a fantastic job of making immersion a priority.
Between the two modes - performance and ray tracing - I'd actually opt for the former. Whilst pretty, I did experience a few stuttering frames with the RT mode, whereas performance just delivers a crisp and smooth experience with no lag. Plus, the game looks absolutely gorgeous even without ray tracing turned on. The environments and tracks are extremely detailed, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a racing sim that even touches the sides in comparison; even the brilliant Forza Horizon 5.
Sadly, microtransactions leave an extremely sour taste in the mouth of players. Since its launch, Sony has introduced a scheme in which gamers can purchase batches of credits, which can then be exchanged for automobiles. So, instead of being given a set price for individual cars, you'll be shelling out for pre-set amounts of virtual currency, meaning you can't make an exact purchase for the specific amount of credits you need.
When comparing this to previous series instalment GT Sport for example, there's a massive increase in the real-life cash you're going to have to shell out, despite the cars being the same and, the vehicles already being available in-game; they're not even exclusive DLC.
It's a shame, because this system really leaves a whopping great stain on what could've been an all-round, as close to perfect experience as a GT title could be.
Fortunately, Polyphony have announced they will be making a series of updates from April 2022 onwards, to ensure progression in-game is fairer. Giving just $15 worth of credits to those who had bought the game before March 25th, however, doesn't seem like much in the way of compensation.
Gran Turismo 7 is available now, exclusive to PlayStation 5 consoles.
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