Gran Turismo 7 review – ode to fans, not perfect

Gran Turismo 7 is here and we grabbed the racing game on the PlayStation 5 for a review. Conclusion? Mixed feelings.

25 years Gran Turismo. Hoera! As far as I’m concerned, the best game franchise there is when it comes to racing. If you have (had) a PlayStation and are a fan of racing, then Gran Turismo could not be missing in your game collection. Yours truly grew up with the series and can dream all the parts. As a little boy in the late 1990s with the first part on the PlayStation, until the most recent Gran Turismo Sport on the PlayStation 4 in 2017.

Polyphony Digital has taken a long time to release Gran Turismo 7. Anyway, the announcement of the game came quite late. The previous part, Gran Turismo 6, appeared in 2013. So we had to wait almost ten years for a new GT. But all that waiting has now come to an end. Gran Turismo 7 is here on the PlayStation 4 and 5 we’ll tackle the game in this review.

Back to basic

Gran Turismo 7 goes back to the roots that made the franchise great. It has already been made clear in trailers and interviews that this part is really for the fans. The return of an expanded single player, the ability to tune your car and the menu structure that is so familiar. Real enthusiasts see enough winks to the past. The possibility to wash your car, a real classic from the first part. Or the ability to install nitrous oxide on your car, which was also in Gran Turismo 4. This and more makes Gran Turismo 7 like a hot bath for anyone who has played one or more parts from the past. Frustratingly want to throw your controller through the living room because you can’t get gold with the licenses? Gran Turismo 7 does it.

Innovations

However, that does not mean that innovations have not taken place. Gran Turismo 7 has a number of innovations. First, the AI system has been addressed (more on that later). In addition, Drag Race has been added as new racing modes. And impressive is the new weather system, so you really have to learn to drive again. In addition to fuel consumption and tire wear, you suddenly have to keep a close eye on the weather. This is done by means of a weather map at the bottom right of the screen. If you are too late, you can just be the loser during a race. A sudden downpour combined with slicks is saying goodbye to your position. And in some cases you really have to start over because you won’t make it to the pits properly. In short, a bit more realism. Anyone who hoped for an extensive damage model will be disappointed. Just like previous parts, there is cosmetic damage, but really breaking your car during a race is not possible. It is true that your engine will deteriorate over time. After driving a lot of races with a certain car, it pays to change the oil or to carry out an overhaul. That is awesome.

graphics

Gran Turismo 7 looks slick. But I don’t think the game is as beautiful as other Playstation 5 games. And that’s a shame, given the long development of the game. The audience is still a series of pixels on a grandstand. The trees are also static things along a track; the leaves don’t move nicely. All in all, I expected a lot more from this on a powerhouse like the PS5. Especially when you see what other games have shown so far. Think of leaves blowing across the track, or sand drifts. Unfortunately, none of this is included. Considerable time has been invested in the rain model.

When it rains on the track, just like in real life, an ideal line is created for the cars to drive on. If you deviate from that line, you will have to deal with puddles. These puddles really slow you down. In addition, the cerbstones are life-threatening when it rains. These can be deceptively slippery and make your car spin. The implementation of a day and night cycle is also nice. The stars in the sky are beautiful and the sun rises or sets beautifully.

You notice that the graphical splendor of the PS5 comes into its own when you can play with light. That is no different with GT7. The game is at its best at dusk or dawn. During the day it is crystal clear with the sun high in the sky and then there is little difference compared to earlier parts.

Gran Turismo 7 features Ray Tracing, but unfortunately not during the racing itself. The technology is reflected in, among other things, the GT Café, the garage and in replays. The game comes into its own on a 4K HDR screen. You are free to choose between a frame rate mode or a ray tracing mode. Something we do know from other PS5 games.

The disappointing aspects

Okay, then we’ve talked about the theoretical part. But I also have quite a few criticisms of this game. First up is the single player. It is, by Gran Turismo standards, short. If you’re hoping for 4-hour, 12-hour or 24-hour races like in the past, you’re out of luck. The longest race in single player takes about an hour. The single player itself is also easy to navigate. I finished GT7 within a week. I really couldn’t manage that with previous parts.

AI

Then the AI. Frankly, I don’t notice much of Polyphony Digital’s promises about the improved AI. The opponents are still riding in a train and pretend you don’t exist. That is extremely frustrating racing. If you arrive at a higher speed on the ideal line to dive into the corner, the opponent will pretend that you are not there. It also dives into the bend and you then collapse onto the rear of the vehicle in front. Braking at crazy points can also cause you to suddenly hit the vehicle in front. This is frustrating because you get bonus prize money if you complete a race correctly. But that sometimes feels impossible on tight tracks where overtaking is difficult. The AI still has a lot to learn from the blue flag principle.

cars

Then the cars in the game. Gran Turismo 5 had over 1,000 cars. Gran Turismo 7 has 400. That’s crazy you think. A crucial difference is that all 400 cars in GT7 have an interior and are loaded at 4k. That was not the case in GT5, only 200 cars in that game had a premium interior.

The big but is in the offer. Gran Turismo is known for its ridiculously large numbers of Japanese cars. Although there are a number of improvements, you still miss a lot of vehicles in this seventh part. The Gran Turismo Sport collection has been taken along and gradually supplemented with a number of new cars. Also, many cars are not of the last generation. Some examples.

BMW M4 F82 (2014), no M4 G80 (2021)
Porsche 911 GT3 RS 991 (2015), no Porsche 911 GT3 RS 992 (2021)
Ferrari F12berlinetta (2014), no Ferrari 812 Superfast (2020)

And so I can go on and on. It does contain a few new cars, such as the AMG GT R Black Series (2021), but they can be counted on one hand. And that’s a shame if you want to get started with the newest cars. Especially because you could already drive in GT Sport with the 911 GT3 RS and M4 F82. We know them now..

the good stuff

These are two very important things that cast a shadow on an otherwise fantastic game. Still, you sometimes get the feeling that Polyphony Digital is so busy with a few details that they forget the bigger picture. But there are plenty of things to mention that are good about this game. And that makes Gran Turismo 7 a must for your collection on the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5.

The weather system, the impressive day and night cycle. An expanded online racing feature, the addition of drag races. The fact that you can fine-tune the car down to the last detail. The return of the livery editor and the possibility that you can tune cars even more cosmetically. Think of spoilers, a splitter, a diffuser, side skirts or the widening of the car. It’s not on the level Need for Speed: Underground, but it’s fun to get started with this.

It’s also cool that a number of classic circuits return in the game. That makes 25 years of Gran Turismo tangible. Trial Mountain for example, but also Deep Forest. Unfortunately, that’s what it is when it comes to old school circuits. Hopefully there will be more as DLC in a future stage. Complex String? Midfield Raceway? Grand Valley? Come on!

You can play the game with a controller or with a steering wheel. I played the game about 50/50 to explore both aspects. With the steering wheel is definitely the most fun and also the most precise. The power of the DualSense controller comes to the fore in this game. If you’re driving a GT3 or GT4 car, you really feel a knock when shifting. The vibrations are also more noticeable and sounds come from the speakers of the controller.

Conclusion

The focus in GT 7 is on collecting cars and building a collection. They have designed it beautifully, by also paying special attention to iconic cars such as the Toyota Supra, BMW M3 or the Nissan Skyline. You have to discover for yourself how it all works. Gran Turismo is an experience and I’m not going to spoil it for you. Despite the negatives, Gran Turismo 7 is a hot bath for the car enthusiast and an absolute must.

Pros

A real Gran Turismo with single player
Extensive multiplayer
Split screen! Playing with your friends on the couch
Graphically impressive in scapes and under different weather and day/night conditions, but..