If you’re on the PS4 or PS5 wanting to buy a racing game, then you definitely heard of Gran Turismo. The series has been around for nearly three decades and has been a vital part of every PlayStation and racing fan’s memory. The latest installment, Gran Turismo Sport has received mixed reviews when it was launched in 2017 but how is it in 2021? Well, we're here today to answer that question. As gamers ourselves, we feel like Gran Turismo Sport deserves a second chance. While it did have a shaky launch, there have been several updates to make the game more enjoyable. In this review, I'll talk about how I personally feel about the game after playing it for more than 200 hours over the past year and judge its graphics, gameplay and other important features. So let's get started!

About 

Gran Turismo Sport is the latest installment in the long-running Gran Turismo franchise by Polyphony Digital. It was released worldwide on October 18th, 2017, exclusive to the PlayStation 4 and also backward compatible with the PlayStation 5. The game features a focus on online modes and accessibility to all players without requiring mechanical skill or knowledge of circuit driving techniques, catering more towards casual gamers than hardcore racing simulation fans that the series has traditionally been geared towards. Gran Turismo Sport features a wide variety of vehicle types and race modes, as well as support for wheel-based controllers. It has sold about close to 10 million copies till 2021 and reached a peak of being the seventh highest-selling game on PSN. Currently, it has amassed around 9 million players to date including professional racing drivers and sim enthusiasts.

Gameplay:

The Gameplay in GT Sport is very smooth and easy to get used to compared to other racing games in the market

Like every racing simulator, you can choose different camera angles like the chase view, cockpit view, bonnet view, and many more. Beginner-wise, this game is really easy to get into and you'll understand how to drive most cars in a short span of time. The driving school section makes it much easier for beginners to understand different driving tactics through various scenarios.So I recommend paying attention to that in order to truly master the game. You can buy cars with Credits which you get by completing races and challenges and also Milestones which you can get by driving certain distances. Milestones are used to upgrade the car’s weight and power and also different cosmetic items. What makes GT Sport stand out from other flagship racing titles is how well it utilizes the PS4 controller. The UI is really engaging but laggy at certain moments due to the constant internet connection required for it. Yes, you heard it right, you need a constant internet connection. This caused massive outrage among the fans, including myself, but they still haven’t fixed it. Past GT titles didn’t require you to be constantly online and also, you can’t even buy any car without being online which is very frustrating. There is also a dynamic day/night cycle featured in previous titles. You can set the time and weather in the race menu. The pit stop animations are well done and the fuel and tire usage seem to be well. Other than that, there isn’t much wrong with the gameplay as it is really defined and precise. 

Single Player Mode:

Currently, there are a few modes serving single players including setting up your own race with custom settings, time trials, and drift trials. You can tweak different aspects of the race including the AI difficulty, length of the race which can be extended up to 24 hours if you’re really feeling it, fuel and tire usage, and penalties. Realistically speaking, the AI does not put much of a challenge even in the hardest difficulty. If you’re using a car with stock parts it will take about a few minutes to catch up to the AI, but after that, it is really easy honestly. It becomes much easier when everything is fully upgraded and optimized to your liking. There is also the option of 2 player split-screen if you want. What’s disappointing is there isn’t any custom championship mode in the game like Project Cars 2 where you set the rules. The only way you can get close to that is through the already made championships in the game. In addition to the base game, you can also purchase the Lewis Hamilton time trial DLC where you beat Hamilton’s time in various tracks to earning huge amounts, so credits, and it’ll also give you the sense of satisfaction of beating a World Champion.

Campaign Mode:

The campaign mode offers various championships where players can put their skills to the test and earn credits

Polyphony Digital didn’t focus on the campaign mode during launch as their focus was more on the online multiplayer mode, but due to player feedback, they have included many other improvements to it. As mentioned before, there are different driving school challenges, and believe me they are not easy. It took me a couple of months to get gold in all the 48 challenges there. There are also circuit experiences where you can get acquainted with all the circuits in the game and their different sectors and corners. This is really useful if you want to get good and efficient lap times there. There are also different leagues and championships to participate in based on different car classes where you could have a go. Honestly speaking, I spend most of my time there as the AI is much better and gives some challenges. 

Sports Mode/ Multiplayer Mode:

The online modes are where Gran Turismo Sport truly shines. The servers are really well set up as you will find players matching your skill level any time from anywhere literally. In addition to joining and creating your own multiplayer lobbies, you can participate in 3 daily races which are different from each other in track, car and conditions. The daily races change per week. There are two rating systems in the game, the Driver Rating and Sportsmanship rating. Driver ratings (DR) are based on how you handle the car around the track and also your success in online races. Sportsmanship rating (SR) is based on your behavior on the track i.e., if you have a clean race or not, whether you're ramming other drivers or causing multiple penalties. The penalty system up until 2021 was bizarre and unforgiving at first. People would get penalties out of nowhere even if they’ve had server problems or if they are a victim of ramming. Recently the penalty system has been refined somewhat, but now they’ve become more lenient, which gives bad drivers and cheaters an edge. But generally, you will fall in races with the same SR and DR as you, so if you’ve been good, chances are, the other drivers are too. You can also race in the FIA certified online championships against the world’s best drivers and if you are great enough, there is a chance to participate in the National and World Finals.

Cars, Tracks and Customization:

As of now, there are a total of 338 cars from 51 manufacturers with color options to choose from. Sedans, sports cars, GT3 and GT4 cars, and even concept cars have a lot of variety including the Vision Gran Turismo concept cars from different manufacturers. Although it would be much better if they included manufacturers like Bentley and Lotus, who surprisingly were in the beta were removed due to licensing issues. There are also only 3 single-seaters in the game: the 2017 Mercedes F1, the F1500T-A, which is based on the F1 cars of the 80s, and the 2019 Super Formula car. GT’s own single-seater Formula Gran Turismo not being in the game was certainly a shock. You can customize your car and your racing suit and helmet too. New cars are added every 4-5 months. The customization is seriously great in this game as you can add any logo or design from your computer along with the already available designs. You can also download other players’ designs and apply them to your cars. There are a total of 82 track variations in the game with different time and weather settings. Iconic circuits like Spa, Suzuka, and Monza are present along with tracks from the Japanese Super GT series and original Gran Turismo tracks like Circuit de Saint Croix, Alsace and Dragon Trail. I hope they add other iconic tracks like Imola and Silverstone but that seems unlikely as they are properly focusing on Gran Turismo. Fan-favorite original tracks like Trial Mountain are also missing from the game despite it being in the past titles. You can buy cars directly with your own money instead of credits in the game but it’s pretty easy to unlock most of them.

Graphics:

GT Sport set a new standard in video game photography with the introduction of the Scapes Mode

Graphically GT Sport is in a league of its own. The game runs flawlessly at 1080p 60fps without any problems even in the harshest weather conditions. It truly suits the PS4 and even much better on the PS4 Pro and PS5, where it can support 4k resolution. The interior and exterior of every single car is precisely detailed. The tracks and their surfaces are precise, and you can notice the smallest of details from a long distance. Photorealism is the main focus graphically in GT Sport and it is clearly noticeable in the Scapes photo mode where you can take realistic photos of cars in different settings like cities, wilderness, and obviously the tracks. It’s honestly enjoyable to show off your photo skills through this mode and you can share them with the community!

Pricing:

On release, the game was 60 dollars on the PS store. As it is a high-selling game, it is now part of the PlayStation Hits collection and costs a mere 20 dollars while the Digital Deluxe Edition and Spec II edition cost 30 dollars each. Honestly at this price, you get a lot of content. You can also get it for even less in monthly sales so keep a lookout!

Final Verdict:

Even with all the flaws it had on launch day, Gran Turismo Sport is an enjoyable racing game. While it falls short of the previous titles in the series, it still can deliver you a solid experience if you let it. The online mode is the strongest point and performance-wise, it is the best racing title you can play on your PlayStation system. It definitely needs some improvement in the amount of content it has because it just misses the mark of being almost perfect.

I give it an 8/10

Pros:

• Great Graphics
• Refined gameplay and animations
•  Great performance
• Extremely well-done online mode 
• Limitless customization options
• Detailed cars and tracks

Cons:

• Requires constant internet connection
• The penalty system still needs improvement
• Less original tracks than the previous game
• No custom championship mode
• Really bad AI opponents
• No dynamic weather system