Review: 'Gran Turismo 3' wins checkered flag

By Brandon Firfer
CNN

(CNN) -- If you were one of those people who couldn't decide whether to shell out your hard-earned dollars on the PlayStation 2 when it was first made available, Polyphony Digital has now made a strong argument for buying the system.

The highly anticipated release of the latest in the "Gran Turismo" series has had many PlayStation 2 owners cutting back on daily luxuries. Now that the newest version has arrived, it doesn't disappoint.

Following in the previous two titles' tracks, "Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec" outdoes itself with the amount of features added. There are two new tracks and 30 new-model cars, making 19 total tracks and more than 150 cars from which to choose. And the type of cars available range from the affordable Honda Civic series to the rare Opel Speedster.

The game features two fully involved modes of play. Arcade play involves straightforward intense racing competition. But for those who want to see what life might be like as the head of an up-and-coming racing team, there is the extensive simulation mode. The simulation mode allows users to buy and sell vehicles, which are then fully customizable. Players can then tune up the car and run a machine test on it. When satisfied with the car's performance, licenses can be earned that open up certain races and competitions. Doing well in a competition means prizes, which will help in the run to becoming the world's best driving team.

While the first two games in the "Gran Turismo" line brought racing simulation to a new level, it still felt somewhat limited by the first generation technology of the original PlayStation. With 4,000 polygons per vehicle and no frame rate problem, video game technology has finally caught up to the highly sophisticated "Turismo." The photo-realistic graphics are nothing short of phenomenal -- meticulous attention to detail is visible in each car's creation.

Just like being there

The environmental effects are astounding. Heat can be seen rising off the pavement, the sun's glare bounces off other cars and mist floats up from puddles. When the graphics are combined with the extensive amount of natural sounds coming from the racetrack, you could almost close your eyes and feel that you were there.

But of course, if you did, you would miss out on probably the most amazing part of the game: the game play. Car racing games have come a long way since "Pole Position" first appeared in video arcades. Each vehicle has its own "real life" physics, taking into account such variables as weight, speed, friction and wind. Whether you are playing in head-to-head arcade mode against a friend or buying cars in simulation mode, it helps to pay attention to each car's specs.

As if the blow-you-away graphics and sound, realistic physics and sheer number of cars and tracks to choose from weren't enough, "Gran Turismo 3" also contains an impressive soundtrack featuring songs from Lenny Kravitz, Goldfinger, Papa Roach, Motley Crue, Snoop Dogg, The Cult and Jimi Hendrix, to name a few. "Gran Turismo 3" also takes advantage of the PlayStation 2's I-link cable, which allows as many as six people to race against one another.

"Gran Turismo 3" pushes the PlayStation 2 to its limit, and deservedly will win a ton of awards. What makes this game so wonderful is that its appeal reaches both auto enthusiasts who subscribe to Car and Driver magazine and beginner drivers who don't know a monkey wrench from a banana. Expect many long nights having to finish just one more race. "Gran Turismo 3" is a must-have for the PlayStation 2.