Gran Turismo has always sought to blur the lines between the virtual and real life – but GT Sport goes one stage further.
Here’s why you should take Polyphony Digital’s latest racing masterpiece for a test drive.
Buckle up.
You can become a qualified real-life racer
Yes, you read that correctly.
Polyphony Digital has an integration with the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
This means you can earn a FIA-recognised driving license in the game that you can use to drive race cars in real life.
There’s also an FIA-endorsed online championship for those who fancy their luck against the best of the best.
The photo mode is incredible
You may not own a Ferrari, but GT Sport wants to at least make it feel like you do.
This comes courtesy of the game’s brilliant photo mode, which ‘super-imposes’ your cars on to real life backgrounds.
Locations range from the bustling streets of London and cobbled streets of Lisbon, to Tokyo at night or the highlands of Scotland.
The level of detail is astonishing – you’re able to adjust headlight intensity, add or remove a driver, you name it.
There’s even an ‘Instagram’ inspired effects and editing system, so you can change colour, hue and brightness at a touch of a button.
Incredible stuff.
Killer looks
This is where GT Sport races ahead of the pack.
It may not feature a dynamic day-night cycle, like Forza 7 or Project Cars, but Polyphony Digital has arguably the most impressively-detailed vehicles.
Lighting is almost photo realistic as it bounces off the paint, while interiors have been recreated with pin-point precision.
All cars handle and sound as they should – despite the game running on a modified physics engine from Grand Turismo 6.
There’s a distinct audio change between the cockpit view and the outside – again, helping you feel as though you’re driving the real thing.
You need a PS Plus subscription to play online, but for solo / offline players – you can try out the impressive selection of cars in split screen, single-player races and time trials.
For those after the most authentic experience, GT Sport is compatible with PSVR – although the resolution takes a hit.
Away from the track and a detailed liveries editor lets you customise your cars and design logos – allowing for a truly personal experience.
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Handling’s like a dream
Both Project Cars 2 and Forza 7 offer sublime racing experiences – but GT Sport blends the best of both.
The result is an incredibly user-friendly experience that can be customised to suit your ability.
If simulation is not your thing, nearly every aspect of the car can be changed – while simple braking and steering assists can be switched on to help keep you on the track.
For more hardcore racers, switching off the likes of traction control – or riding the kerb – can bring with it great reward – although GT Sport will punish you heavily if you’re even slightly off the mark.
Thanks to a silky smooth 60FPS, you feel completely connected to each car – making pulling off daring moves incredibly satisfying.
You’ll have a lot of vehicles to test drive, too – 162 of them in fact, with more likely to follow.
For the first time in the game, Porsche – previously called Ruf, make an appearance. Not a game changer, but welcome nonetheless.
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The king of racers is well and truly back in pole position.
GT Sport is out now on PS4
