DESCRIPTION

Sony's signature racing simulation marks its first retail release on the PlayStation 3 in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. A series known for its stunning graphics and extreme attention to detail, as well as the notorious perfectionism of creator Kazunori Yamauchi, GT5 Prologue offers gamers a bit of all three. Races feature a 16 car field, with each vehicle captured in full 1080p high-definition video at 60 frames-per-second. Racing enthusiasts can speed around six courses, including familiar tracks like Suzuka Circuit, Fuji Speedway, and the High Speed Ring, as well as the famous Daytona International Speedway. More than 60 high-performance automobiles greet gamers, including beasts like the Ferrari 599, the Nissan GT-R, and the Mercedes Benz SL 55 AMG. And, for the first time in the Gran Turismo series, each car features a fully modeled interior dash view, complete with driver animations and gauges that function in real-time.

Developer Polyphony Digital has revamped the game hub with a feature dubbed My Page, which lets players set their wallpaper, view a calendar of racing events, join races, store photos, check the weather, and even watch TV. The "GT TV" feature lets players view replays, watch real-life car footage from manufacturers, see replays of popular TV shows like Top Gear, and watch highlights from real races of all types. GT5 Prologue features a standard racing mode, more in keeping with the series' previous games, and the all new drift mode, which awards points based on drift angles, racing lines, and speed. As always, upgrading and tuning before races is extremely important, but now gamers can also make adjustments on the fly during races. Two drivers can square off in local split-screen action, and gamers can head online to race against friends or participate is a series of schedules races and time trials. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide