GT5 - Things That Hold It Back
By Gaetano Prestia
Gran Turismo 5 is a pretty good game. I don’t think many people doubt that. From the large range of cars on offer to the customization elements and racing structure, GT5 is definitely a welcomed addition to the franchise. However, it’s held back by a number of baffling design choices that seem to stand out more the longer you play it. This is a game that sometimes feels like a chore to play, as actual gameplay is buried beneath a hoard of confusing menus and long “installing” times. It’s that kind of game you can’t help but feel a little disappointed about, like a parent seeing their child being brought home in a police van; it’s not anger, just sheer disappointment.
The good thing is that for every one thing GT5 got wrong, it got about five things right. But that shouldn’t forgive particular elements that compromise the experience. This is a game that gamers had waited long and hard for, enduring delay after delay, before finally being submitted to a product that is far from perfect, albeit solid.
Are we spoiled as gamers? Do we raise the bar to unreachable expectations? We are most definitely spoiled, but our behavior as consumers is only fueled by the hype and promotion executed by publishers and developers. Gran Turismo 5 is a perfect example of that. While Japanese development and promotion differs quite significantly from Western standards, PS3 gamers anticipated a game that was going to be particularly outstanding in certain areas. While the game offers an enjoyable experience in bunches, it’s the very things Sony bragged about that ultimately hold the title back. Was it a case of the developer raising the bar too high itself, wanting to jam-pack too much into one title? Below are five things I think hold GT5 back.
Horrendous Shadows
The shadows in Gran Turismo 5 aren’t just poor; they’re absolutely hideous. I’m not sure anyone would have noticed if they weren’t there, but the very fact that the developer included them in the final product, despite the sheer ugliness, is quite bewildering. While it doesn’t hinder the experience physically, it’s a massive turn-off that distances you from the environment and visuals. The shadows in GT5 are the complete opposite to what so many of us expected. Not living up to expectations is one thing, but to go beyond fail and implement something so horrendous is just unforgivable. A terrible design flaw that should have been taken out of the final game.
Can this be rectified?
A fix is being worked on to patch the shadows and make them look better. But development problems alongside the PS3 are no secret, and it’s doubtful they’ll be made as smooth as they appear in pre-release trailers and screenshots. The discouraging thing is that something so sinisterly poor from a development standpoint wasn’t going to be rectified until after release and backlash.
How shadows look when still (NOTE: Shadows do not look as good when in motion)Moronic AI
Thanks to a lack of a damage model, close races can quickly turn from an all-out speed-fest to a bumper-car marathon. AI-controlled cars take little consideration of other vehicles on the circuit, and bumping into one normally sets off a chain reaction of bumps and frustrating crashes. They also stick to the racing lines like glue, meaning it can be difficult to over-take on a turn or follow the line yourself without breaking past them (and that often results in a few bumps along the way).
Can this be rectified?
You’d hope so. One would think that car AI isn’t as complex as, say, an army of soldiers on a virtual battlefield that dictate realistic human tendencies. The AI is hardly a deal breaker, but it can ruin a race, especially if you get the bump off early on around the first bend and you fall behind.
No Pre-Race Car Selection
Navigating through Gran Turismo 5 can be a chore in itself, but some menu design elements are just terribly frustrating, none more so than the inability to change vehicles before a race that dictates a particular type of vehicle. This is compounded by the fact that each individual race section isn’t detailed until you click into it and THEN select “requirements”, which is particularly draining considering the time needed to load screens and move through menus. The logical thing to include (although I’m not sure the term “logical” appears in the Japanese game development handbook) would be for the game to automatically detect which cars you have in your garage, and allow you to change cars without having to go back through the garage. I have never been more mentally drained from navigating menus in a game, and sometimes I just don’t have the energy to shift through menus time and time again to change my car so as to enter a specific event.
Can this be rectified?
Probably not, because it would incorporate the implementation of more menus, and I’m not sure I could handle anymore. My worthless little brain is just not worthy of Gran Turismo 5’s elaborate menu structure. Maybe the Japanese love menus? For a nation so focused on efficiency, it’s uncanny to see a Japanese-developed game be so inefficient.
A real-life reenactment of a GT5 raceOnline is just dull
No matchmaking, customization, XP or credits? Really? We get it – the Japanese are not online gamers. But they just need to hurry up and get their act together. Gran Turismo 5 could thrive online, but it just doesn’t. There’s nothing there that brings me back, or anything that entices me like the Hot Pursuit online mode in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Furthermore, a human match is going to be considerably different to a match between one human and a number of AI-controlled cars, so why not include black flags to punish those that use opponents as breaks during corners? There’s limited consequence for your racing techniques, which distances the experience from the so-called “real racing simulator” perception.
Can this be rectified?
Most certainly. We’ve seen DLC in the form of new modes for countless games this generation. But it’s unlikely. Can anyone really see any major DLC coming for a PS3-exclusive over PSN? AND from a Japanese developer?
800 standard (worthless) cars
The barrier between the 800 or so Standard cars and the 200 “Premium” cars is just far too significant. There’s a lot of worthless pieces of junk included in Gran Turismo 5, and while it’s great we got so many different vehicles to play around with, the Standard cars look crap, have no cockpit view and just don’t seem at all worthy considering the quality and level of detail incorporated into the Premium cars. I am yet to purchase a used car and I probably never will, even if that brings me to a roadblock in the game where I can’t progress any further (which is inevitable).
Can this be rectified?
Obviously not, but my word of advice when playing GT5 is to stick to the Premium cars for as long as you possibly can. They offer the better, more realistic and more exciting driving experience.
What are you enjoying in particular about Gran Turismo 5? What frustrates you about the game?