Gran Turismo Sport preview

Just like uncovering a hidden burger joint that also peddles buffalo wings and Dr Pepper, the all-new Gran Turismo Sport is probably not good for your health… But gee whiz it tastes good.

After more than 64 million sales and six iterations, the Gran Turismo franchise is back, all-new and it's irresistibly good.

Indeed, our recent peek inside the hallowed Polyphony Digital studios in Japan suggests once Gran Turismo Sport launches in Australia on October 18 (2017) it will, quite simply, ensnare your life.

With more game modes, more car customisability than ever before and virtual reality compatibility, Gran Turismo Sport is addictive. That it also includes the world's first FIA-sanctioned online e-championship (broadcast live with commentary, of course) is almost a bonus. The eSports side of the game is expected to be massive, with two professional cups and prizes too.

So how addictive is it? I almost missed my late arvo appointment to collect a McLaren 570S in Tokyo due to just "one more go". True story!

motoring.com.au was invited to Japan to play an almost-finished version of the game, and yes, of course we raced Mount Panorama against a bunch of European colleagues in a multiplayer show-down… And lost! But that's not the point. It was still hugely entertaining, realistic and most of all satisfying. To have this feeling even after a shellacking, well, bravo Digital Polyphony… Bravo!

The stark reality is that productivity in workplaces across the globe is going to nose dive when this game drops in October.

Share markets will slump as well-adjusted adults turn into couch-bound zombies. Parents will neglect their kids and infrastructure will grind to a halt as sleep-deprived traffic workers watch fender-benders with glazed-over expressions, wondering if they can truly perfect The Karussell.

Even supermarket workers will… Um, actually they’ll probably perform at their normal capacity…

Graphic detail
The attention to detail on the cars – and tracks – is ludicrous. My eyes wept tears of joy until I realised they were obscuring my vision and I was perilously sliding towards ruin.

From the tiniest details, like the aspect ratio markings on tyres, to reflections that bounce off the dash onto windscreen in direct sunlight, revealing unseen areas of the car, this game is a visual masterpiece.

It's difficult to describe the level of detail on the cars, let alone the trackside beauty… The volumetric lighting; particle effects such as smoke and rain... You really don't need to watch replays anymore because the in-game stuff looks photorealistic.

Polyphony Digital, the Japanese game development company behind the Gran Turismo titles has clearly outdone itself in the eye-candy department. Forza Motorsport and Project Cars watch out!

Company founder Kazunori Yamauchi says, "There's no magic to the graphics, just the dedication of the team. It takes up to six months to create and finish a single car."

Consider there will be around 170 cars in the final product – possibly expanding to 500 via downloads – and you can understand why GT Sport's release has been delayed by almost a year. During a tour of the studio, it's fair to say the 3D modelling is insane-clown scary.

"The level of quality we've achieved is over spec for PS4 and PS4 Pro," explains Yamauchi-san.

"[This is] so we essentially target future versions of hardware when we model them today."

Laser scanning has been used for most 3D models, along with photography to check the details. Even the tracks are approached with surgical meticulousness.

"When more precision is needed we mount laser scanners on cars on the track, to get road surfaces right," clarifies Yamauchi-san.

It's great to see that Porsche has finally been included in a Gran Turismo game, replacing the Ruf vehicles previously involved. Blasting around the Nurburgring in Porsche 911 GT3 is quite a treat. In the game too…

TV and VR goggles
If you've got a kick-arse TV, this is great way to show it off. Gran Turismo Sport been coded to support 4K TVs (that means very high-resolution) plus it works with HDR or high-dynamic range and wide colour gamut. In layman’s terms, the colours are vivid, the graphics brighter and it all runs at a creamy smooth 60 frames per second, which adds to the sense of speed when you're honking along.

This game will probably single-handedly help sell millions of PS4 Pro consoles too, which supports native 4K. You can still play GT Sport on a regular PS4, it just won't look quite as crisp.

Flogging the pants off a 2017 Honda NSX racer reveals a beautifully believable exterior interpretation of the vehicle. And all the interiors of the cars have been modelled in 3D as well, so when you play from the inside viewpoint, it adds to the involvement.

There's a photography mode that renders the cars in even more detail than in-game, right down to the metallic paint flecks, and you can plonk them in various real-world settings. I found this mode pointless but it's exceedingly pretty and I'm sure many gamers will dig it.

At the other end of the scale you can go black-ops with the immersion factor via the PSVR goggles which generate a virtual reality of sorts. It's a bit like substance abuse – it'll either make you crook in the guts or wryly amused. Thankfully the latter for this bloke... It's pretty cool playing in 3D and being able to turn your head to look out the side windows or through the apex of a corner.

There are two problems to the virtual reality setup, however. The processing power of the PSVR goggles is best-described as "weak-sauce" at the moment. The resolution is low. It looks rough and I preferred playing on a 4K TV to be honest.

VR mode is only a two-car affair at the moment. Thus it feels kind of soulless, and is likely to remain single-player, one of the game developers told us.

Traditionally the sound effects in Gran Turismo games has been sketchy as well, with cars that sound more like household food processors than tarmac warriors. Not anymore. The engine sounds have improved significantly, and one my first ports of call was testing out the Ford Mustang GT4's 5.2-litre V8 war cry.

In drift mode. Yeeehaaa!

What's impressive is that the V8 engine sounds meaty now but there's also some cool transmission noises to back it up. The race cars take things further with clanks, creaks and pings perceived when frapping around flat-knacker. If you've got a mega sound-system or sweet-sauce headphones, you'll want to turn up the volume.

Just mute it in the menus, unless you love wailing J-rock guitar riffs and schmaltzy ballads. Turns out the Polyphony Digital's music composition room doubles as a smoking room. It's possible they were inhaling some pretty powerful fumes in there.

Gameplay
There are loads more things to do in Gran Turismo Sport, including three ways to play, campaign, arcade and sport modes. Within these are way more options, such as the driving school (with 145 tests, complete with tutorial videos), mission challenges, drift mode, time trials, online and so on.

You can play one or two players locally or up to 24 players online, which will be an absolute blast. We had a couple of five-player LAN races and it was hugely entertaining. There's 17 tracks with 28 different layouts, including Nurburgring, Mount Panorama, Brands Hatch and so on, with bitumen and gravel surfaces.

But how does it play? Like a Tommy Morello guitar solo at a sold-out Rage Against the Machine gig in Mexico City. In other words -- incomparably good.

Okay, so this preview code isn't 100 per cent complete, but it's very close and the physics engine has been updated to make the game more accurate, by way of an astounding degree of data capture. I played the game with the regular controller and a force-feedback steering wheel setup with three pedals, and while the steering wheel is awesome, it's still fun with the gamepad.

Mid-engined, rear-drive exotics behave as expected, turning sharply, while big fat bruisers like the Nissan GT-R road car are challenging to master at full tilt on the Nurburgring. The way the cars pitch under longitudinal forces is pretty cool, rear end's getting light under brakes. Likewise the way cars roll under lateral g-forces feels spot on.

The game can be played by veterans and beginners alike; the latter will appreciate the driving aids that assist with braking and even steering. Playing the game with all driving aids switched off is a thrill -- challenging at first, but oh so satisfying when you nail it.

Grip levels are everything and being smooth with inputs is the key. Gently off the brakes, delicately on the throttle. Hey, just like real life! Fancy that.

The drift mode is pretty cool. Again, tough to master (especially using a clutch pedal) but mega-rewarding when you master it...

As Yamauchi later explained, start with a low power rear drive car, choose some low grip tyres and away you go.

Despite the improvements in the way the cars behave in the digital world, the more realistic physics make Gran Turismo Sport more approachable now and those who enjoy an "enthusiastic" drive in the real-world will be at home here.

Gran Turismo boss Yamauchi-san knows a thing or two about driving, having competed (and won his class ) on two occasions at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring race. Much of the Polyphony Digital team are car nuts, and it shows.

Indeed, the added realism of the new game engine contributes to the experience rather than takes away from it, and did I mention the visual brilliance? Stock market. Anomalies. You read it here first.

I do have one minor beef though.

I'm still not convinced the collision detection is as good as it could be, especially when you run up an opponents' arse. It feels as if there's an extra layer of car with soft foam in it. Maybe I'm nit-picking here, but it didn't feel as tight as the rest of the digital physics.

Just play it!
With more custom elements, including personalised car liveries, race suits, helmets (even your garage) and all the visual, aural and game engine improvements, Gran Turismo Sport is a worthy successor to the six influential generations that preceded it.

Car enthusiasts will go troppo for this game, and justifiably so.

It's offers a deep driving experience but it's all the little details that elevate it to greatness, from the encyclopaedic car trivia in the menus complete with extensive history of all the car brands, to the visual niceties, like the tiny cross-drilled holes on the brake calipers or the panoply of playable GT Vision concept cars.

Statistics junkies will have plenty to rejoice about too, as almost every parameter of every car is detailed and there's loads of figures on your own progress, such as how many kilometres or miles you've driven, how fast you are and even a sportsmanship rating.

Yeah, that last one should be a lark among mates!

Don't even get me started on the compelling multiplayer side of the game either. The new Sport mode with its FIA-sanctioned online racing championship will provide more scope for the "gamer to racer" GT Academy, which has launched the professional racing careers of 21 individuals.

Meet the right criteria and you'll be eligible for an FIA Digital Licence.

There's so much substance that Gran Turismo Sport's shelf-life will be measured in years, not weeks or months like some games, and let's not forget about downloadable content either.

It's not surprising that Polyphony digital has in the past worked with Red Bull Racing to create a concept car, or that's it been awarded a BAFTA for interactive entertainment.

Hipster burgers, buffalo wings and Dr Pepper are delicious, don't get me wrong, but car enthusiasts will find the taste of Gran Turismo Sport irresistible – and probably a bit less fatty.