It's a good thing that I got a Playstation for Christmas in 1997, or I would never have played Gran Turismo. Being a gamer that was raised on Nintendo (NES and SNES), I was reluctant to purchase a system from one of Nintendo's competitors. After seeing some early shots of Gran Turismo, I was beside myself with excitement, and I knew instantly that I had to have a Playstation. I'd never seen a game that was so dedicated to the total driving experience. I picked GT up on its release day in June of 1998, and subsequently played it for what turned into days on end. I was locked into the original GT for a few months, and only one other game besides GT2 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2) has been able to duplicate that feat.
Flash forward a year-and-a-half to December 1999.This was after the PS2 was first announced, and I was right in the middle of playing Gran Turismo 2. I had waited on pins and needles through countless delays for GT2. I played it for quite a while, but not as long as the original GT. It wasn't the fact that the game was any less fun; it was just the fact that there were 500 cars to collect and many races to win, and I gradually moved on to something else. I still consider it to be a marked improvement over the original, and easily the best racer released for any system at the time.
Earlier that year at E3, I was floored by the showing of Gran Turismo 2000 at the PS2's unveiling. Even though it was only touted as "Gran Turismo 2.5", it boasted an amazing improvement over GT2. I knew that, once again, I had to buy a PS2 just so I could play GT2000. In what seemed like eons, Gran Turismo 2000 went through a few changes, including a name change and the fact that it would indeed be a sequel. I was even more ecstatic when I learned that news, so I was the first person at my local Funcoland to reserve a PS2, and the newly named Gran Turismo 3. GT3 was scheduled to be a launch title...
It is now July 13, 2001. Having missed the PS2's launch by 9 months, Gran Turismo 3 is finally here. I made to sure to take vacation from my job for GT3's launch day and the two days afterward, just so I could indulge myself into pure racing nirvana. After some intense GT3 playing sessions, I'm drained. I was home a half-hour after the store opened, set up the PS2 and began playing. Between little sleeping, bathroom breaks, runs for fast food, and visits from my girlfriend, I've done nothing but enjoy this great new game. And even though I return to work bright and early on Monday morning, you can bet that every free moment I have at home will be dedicated to completing GT3. I want every car, gold medals on every license test. I want to be able to say that I mastered the greatest driving game known to man. It's going to take me a while, but I'm going to do it.
In short, Gran Turismo 3 is the best game on the PS2. The gameplay, while borrowed from GT2, is still top notch. The graphics are simply out of this world, and the sound is simply unreal. Even those who normally don't enjoy racing games can jump right in and play with GT3's player-friendly arcade mode.
Hands down, Gran Turismo 3 belongs in every PS2 owner's library. It's the only must-have that is a testament to the power of the PS2.
Gameplay: Gran Turismo has always stood for driving excellence. Sure, the gameplay engine is basically the same as GT2, which in turn was exactly like the original GT. It's the best of the best, so Polyphony Digital took the best and crafted everything around it-even adding a few little extras to make the die-hards happy. Despite GT2's great gameplay engine, it did have a glaring weakness: its absurdly easy A.I. Yeah, it's a bummer that the same A.I. is present in GT3. It's the biggest complaint so far. The A.I. has been the same all along, and no other racing game yet has expanded on it. Racers follow a line, and rarely stray from it. Those who figure that out can exploit that weakness-use A.I. cars as "bumpers" to take sharp turns. It may not be realistic, or even fair-but sometimes this game can beat you badly, so cheating every now and then is acceptable. It's a weakness that I happen to enjoy, so I'm willing to overlook it.
For those of you who are disgusted that GT3's gameplay doesn't differ from GT2, bear in mind that GT3 was never designed as a full-blown sequel. That's what GT4 will be. GT3 was designed to hold us until then. Just be satisfied that you're playing the best racing game available.
Staying with the winning formula of Arcade and Simulation modes, GT3's arcade mode is accessible to nearly all game players, while a deep simulation mode is available to those who want to lose a part of their life trying to finish it.
Those who play the arcade mode will notice that when all races are completed, cars are unlocked in the simulation mode. Therefore, even those who only play the simulation mode will have to finish the arcade mode in order to truly "complete" the game.
The meat of the superb simulation mode involves getting a license (these tests are hard, by the way), purchasing a car, racing to build up money, and upgrading that car to compete in future events. Nothing is more satisfying than building up a car and beating cars that are more powerful. After completing a series of races, prize cars are awarded, which can be sold for money or upgraded to race. The multitude of races that are available are somewhat daunting at first, but after the realization that the same tracks are used multiple times, it's not as bad as it originally seemed. Still, it will take weeks for a seasoned driver to finish all of the races.
The updated physics help add to an already great driving experience. Drivers will notice that weight transfer plays a larger part here; and it's essential to master the technique of letting the car pull itself through the turns. It's frustrating at first, but can be mastered with some practice, which is something that you'll be doing a lot of.
Also included in GT3 is an analyzer, which allows you to break down a race to see where you need improvement. Accelerator and brake usage is tracked, along with speed and handling. It's the best way to improve your driving skills. Many thanks go out to the development team for adding such an awesome feature.
After all of that praise, I do have a minor complaint. Where are the used cars? I spent a good ten minutes looking for them, only to realize that they aren't there. It was nice to be able to get a cheap car and spend the rest of the money on modifications. Oh well, I guess it's something to look forward to.
A quick note on the GT Force wheel-it is absolutely the best steering wheel I have ever used. If you've got the extra $100, pick one up, as you won't be disappointed.
All things considered, GT3 takes everything from GT2 and plays it out perfectly. Top notch in every aspect, it's the game to beat.
Graphics: One thing I've noticed is that no one has knocked GT3's graphics. It's because they are breathtaking. The amount of detail in the car models is simply astounding. Some people may even mistake the replays for an actual race on television. The reflections on the cars are nice, and the tracks themselves are visually pleasing as well. Even the sun's brightness plays a factor, making it difficult to see when it's directly in front of you. Things like this make me glad that I'm a gamer, and I can hardly wait to see what's in store for us in the future.
I've also found the menu system to be one of the best I've seen. Only Ridge Racer V can match the great presentation and easy accessibility of the options. Everything is laid out in a manner that is easy to navigate-all car dealers are in one location, and all of the performance shops are in one spot. Which shop is available is dependent on what car you are currently driving. It's a nice change of pace from all of the menus that plagued GT2, when all you wanted to do was upgrade the suspension on your car.
Sound: GT3 delivers a rich treat to the ears. Audiophiles will notice how distance and wind play a factor in how the engines sound during replays, and how each individual engine has a distinct sound. The best sound on the PS2, bar none.
The soundtrack has always been a strong point in the Gran Turismo series, and GT3 doesn't spoil the excellence. There's a bit of everything here, from Judas Priest to Apollo Four Forty, and even Snoop Dogg has an exclusive track (which is absolutely hilarious). There's even a song selector so you don't have to listen to what you don't like. It's also great for endurance races, so you don't have to listen to the same songs over and over again. The only thing missing is the ability to manipulate sound levels. I'd like to be able to hear the songs without having to mute the engine.
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