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Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec review

Game: Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec
Platform: PlayStation 2
Genre: Racing
Developer: Polyphony Digital

Reader review by ratking

November 15, 2002

There have been many crappy racing games throughout time. The majority of them, quite frankly, aren't worth the space they take up on the end table. However for every five or so crappy racing game, one that stands on top is released. Gran Turismo 3 makes up for those 5 crappy games, and much more of the racing industry. If you could only buy one racing game at this moment, then this would be the obvious choice for purchase. In a genre littered with mistakes, one great game stands at the top.

GRAPHICS (13/15): The cars all look dazzling, no matter what colors you put with them, or what model you buy, they all look nice from the back, and front if you switch your view to the one looking towards the back. The courses, while not usually dazzling, look just like an actual road course would look like. The realism of the graphics make you feel that you are actually there racing.

SOUND (8/10): The music in this game is actually rock songs, as most car racing games are becoming. It fits the job nicely, although some of the music may get annoying. The cars all sound realistic, but really did you expect anything less in such a realistic game?

GAMEPLAY (44/45): I love the idea of racing to earn money to upgrade your car that you just raced with. You can do this alot until you have a totally piped up car reeling in the dough. Too bad that sooner or later you will be forced to go out and buy a more expensive, and more sweet set of wheels to go out and cruise around with. The cars are all fairly different in control and skills, however you can use your favorite type of car and upgrade it until it is a powerful beast.

The courses are fairly typical runs, some depend on alot of turns and braking and moving. That requires skill, but if you need to pick up some cash just cruise around the circular tracks until you are loaded. That is how to play this game most effectively. At times the circular paths lead to some minor boredom, but the game will quickly pick up once you go out and purchase some nice new set of wheels.

Of course what is a racing game, without the fun of the actually racing part of the game. It is immensely fun as you break and accelerate through one of the 80 courses. You can almost feel the wind flowing down the back of your spine. The realism of this game is a strength, as discluding the fact your car will not get total (which is a good thing) every thing else has a sense of strategy and skill involved. Definitely a fun game to just start playing.

CONTROLS (10/10): This can easily ruin a great game. Controls are what makes a game fun, and able to play. The controls on Gran Turismo 3 are perfect. Depending on how hard you hit the buttons, will control how fast your car accellerates or breaks. This is definitely useful, as you can cruise around corners, without completely breaking, or breaking at all. The turn controls are easy, with the analog stick or D-Pad, depending on your preference. Definitely the controls fit this game well.

MULTIPLAYER (2/5): A racing game must also be a good game to play with your friends. There are some weaknesses with this is GT3. First of all the positives. You can play with near on every car, on near on every track. This leaves you with gameplay very similiar to the actual game itself. However, GT3 has only a two-player option, so only one of your friends can play at a time with you. You can only play multi in the arcade mode, even though it really isn't arcade. They could have strengthened multiplayer, but it also could've been much worse.

REPLAYABILITY (12/10): This game is basically 100% replayability. This game practically has no end to it, cause there is always one more course to race, one more trophy to win, and one more car to purchase. You just keep cruising around the same tracks over and over, just trying to pick up some more cash to have some more fun buying and upgrading another car. I've been playing this game for months now, and I am only 12% done, because this game is that big. There is truly no end to GT3, as it is just one moment of bliss to the next for eternity.

DIFFICULTY (4/5): At first the game is very difficult to get sufficient money. You will be forced to drive through the same courses over and over to get enough money to make your car strong enough to move on. Later on in the game, the courses will take another large jump in difficulty, and you will be forecd to depend on the circular courses to gain alot of money. Definitely a very tricky game to gain sufficient money, but it is not that difficult, but not easy either.

OVERALL (93/100): This game has so many strengths, and is above average in every possible category but multiplayer. It is not a graphical masterpiece nor a joke either. However Gameplay and Replayability is what makes GT3 the best racing game ever, as you will never be able to quit playing once you start. There is always something else to get, or something over the horizon that you must retrieve. That is the game. A never ending moment of bliss.

Rating: 9.3/10

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