Gran Turismo first appeared in the world in 1997, created by Polys Entertainment which is now renamed Polyphony Digital. In its day, Gran Turismo had a charming graphic display.
The game mode is unlike other racing games, because Gran Turismo adheres to the simulation genre. Where players can change cars and modify them at will. Players must also have a special SIM according to the race that is being followed.
Now, Polyphony Digital is commemorating the 25th anniversary of Gran Turismo with the release of Gran Turismo 7. This "celebration" is the right time, because Sony also has a (relatively) new console, the PS5.
For me, playing Gran Turismo 7 is like a nostalgia. I still remember very well how enjoyable it was to drive the Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak to complete various races, or how difficult it was to complete the driver's license exam at the first Gran Turismo.
Although there is no Escudo Pikes Peak in Gran Turismo 7, there are still many other choices of other cars that are just as enjoyable for racing. Plus the driving license exam at Gran Turismo 7 is still as difficult as I remember it.
Of course Gran Turismo 7 is not just those two things. There's still a lot of other fun that can be enjoyed from this game, but with the same values as the first version of Gran Turismo.
So, even if you've never played Gran Turismo, this game will still be fun. It might even be a very friendly Gran Turismo game for new gamers.
One of the fun things about Gran Turismo 7 is the 'Gran Turismo Cafe', which makes this game like an RPG game. In this menu, players will be invited to complete various "tasks", the majority of which are races on various circuits. Although there are also tasks where you are asked to modify certain cars.
There are a total of 39 tasks to complete, and each time you complete the task you will get a reward. It could be a car, or the opening of a new circuit. But that's not what's interesting to me. In certain tasks, you will be invited to learn the history of certain car brands.
But clearly, after completing all the tasks in the Cafe, you should understand this game better. Whether it's a good and correct way of racing, or recognizing the vehicle's characters. Like the character of RR (rear engine rear wheel drive) vehicles such as some Porsche series, which will be very difficult to drive on wet track conditions.
This cafe seems to be intended as a guide or tutorial for new players. Everything is made easy, except racing in some tasks of course. An example of convenience here is that all menus are marked with their own icons to make them easier to find.
Oh yes, if you feel that you are already good at it and don't need to finish the Cafe, that's fine. But unfortunately, many menus will not open if you do not complete the task at the Cafe.
Like the multiplayer menu so that you can compete with other gamers around the world, you can only open it after completing Menu Book number 9.
But in my opinion, there's nothing to lose, really, to complete all missions at The Cafe. What's more you can collect gift "vouchers" where you can get interesting prizes, if you are lucky enough. Because this voucher is like a gacha, where the prizes you get are according to the draw. Can change money to exotic cars.
Then for those of you who are not really good at racing, there are many features to make the game easier. Don't worry, there's no need to be shy, because there's also no penalty for activating options such as the racing line guide, or the braking area, and even brake assist which will automatically brake if you forget to brake in a predetermined area.
Beyond that, Gran Turismo 7 is a complex game. Not just choosing a car to use for racing, you can also modify and adjust various things. The height of the suspension, the distribution of power to the rear and front tires (only 4WD), to the simplest such as choosing the right tires, are just a few of the many car settings that can be done.
The effects of these settings can really be felt in the game. Interestingly, not only how the ability of the car on the track is affected, but you can immediately feel the effect in your hand. All thanks to DualSense.
DualSense is in my opinion the backbone of the user experience on the Gran Turismo 7. The adaptive triggers in the R2 and L2 are used for gas and brakes, and the feel is completely different in each car. The sensation of squeezing the gas pedal in a 12-cylinder car like the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, or a muscle car like the Mustang really makes a difference.
Then there's Haptic Feedback, which doesn't just make the stick vibrate. You can clearly feel the condition of the track through the vibrations. For example, run over puddles, road dividers, or when the car loses control and enters the gravel. Everything feels different. Also the sensation of driving a Fiat 500 which only has 16HP, and to reach 100km/hour is very difficult.
This Haptic Feedback will also give a different vibration sensation for different cars, or even in the same car but has been modified. The electric engine vibration (which is almost imperceptible) from the Tesla Model S will certainly be different from the Ferrari 458 which has a 4.5L V8 engine.
Although the sensation of Adaptive Trigger and Haptic Feedback may be lost if you use the steering wheel while driving a car. It's hard to beat the pleasure of turning the steering wheel to turn compared to using an analog stick.
Then in the graphics sector, it seems that Polyphony Digital is very focused on giving a very realistic look to the inside of the car. The precise detail of every car in Gran Turismo 7 is amazing.
This does not mean that the graphic display outside the car, such as circuits, scenery, and so on, is not attractive. Because it seems impossible for Gran Turismo 7 not to take full advantage of the PS5's capabilities to produce a track display that spoils the eye.
The audio sector also doesn't forget to be boosted to attract gamers to Gran Turismo 7. The effects of DualSense are felt in the hand, the graphic display is captivating to the eye, and finally the 3D Audio effect to the ear.
Besides being able to enjoy various circuits around the world, starting from the energy-consuming Nurburgring Nordschleife, Imola, Spa, and so on, you can also "take" your flagship car to various exotic spots around the world in Scapes mode.
Scapes is not a mode for racing. This is a mode for a photo session of your flagship car that may have been modified in such a way to make it look attractive. You can choose a location for the photo session. For example, Japan, which has many interesting locations, even Indonesia. Not only Jakarta, but many locations in several other cities in Indonesia, including Yogyakarta.
Conclusion
In short, Gran Turismo 7 is a very interesting game for car enthusiasts. Yes, not just for racing game enthusiasts. Because many aspects of this game will be very interesting for car enthusiasts.
Why can I draw such a conclusion? Because, to be honest, I'm not a big fan of racing games. Apart from my poor playing skills, I get bored quickly when playing games that only rely on racing.
But in Gran Turismo 7, I can spend hours "tinkering" with the car. Especially when I found some dream cars that might not make sense at all to own right now.
But of course this game is not suitable for those of you who like arcade racing games, ala Need for Speed and the like. No, this is not the game for you.
That's not to say that racing at Gran Turismo 7 isn't interesting. As I wrote before, the combination of stunning graphics, DualSense, and 3D Audio, allows gamers to really feel the sensation of a very immersive racing, and take full advantage of the capabilities of the PS5.
What are the negatives of Gran Turismo 7? Yes, perhaps, is the difficulty of collecting money in the game. This money is needed to buy a car and buy components to modify the car. Especially if you want to have a legendary car that is not sold all the time and the price is very fantastic.
There are two options to collect money, the first is grinding. Win race after race for prize money until bored. Or the second option, buy it through microtransactions, like online games in general.