What is the term for Gran Turismo? It is an Italian term for cars engineered for “Grand Touring,” for long comfort drives. Gran Turismo is a series of simulator/simcades (Arcady but has the feel of simulation physics) games made by the Japanese game developer Polyphony Digital, a Sony Playstation first-party developer exclusive to the PlayStation consoles. The appeal of Gran Turismo is the feel of a simulator that can be enjoyed on a physical wheel and paddles but still be enjoyable with a controller, which isn’t standard on other simulator like games in the market as most players do not want to pay for a wheel setup which could cost up to $500. The handling is one of many appeals of the game there are. There are many factors that the series is known for, such as its breathtaking graphics and hyper-detail car models, which would take the developers nearly 300 days to scan the cars to be sure they get every little detail but also drive the actual car to have it feel the same in the game. The game’s progression starts slow and simple with economy boxes such as a Toyota Prius. It progresses with its many events and challenges that encourage using unique cars, that otherwise you would have never touched until you can reach the latest and greatest supercars, racing machines, and the lounge/museum atmosphere with spectacular music and sound effects.
With its latest title, Gran Turismo 7, you can choose what to focus on. Maybe you’re into competitive racing, so there are weekly race events with race cars that encourage sportsmanship and punish dirty players with penalties and a poor score. Maybe you love to customize, in which, you’re in luck with the car customization being substantial in the market of racing games. The majority of the over 500+ cars have adjustable skirts, spoilers/wings, and widebody kits. Still, there is also a refined livery editor to recreate accurate liveries or make your car more personal. Perhaps you love how the game looks and would like to take photos, which this game also encourages with a built-in depth photo mode that you can fiddle to make it better. Whether it is the classics such as 3 and 4 or the recent like 7, the series is a must-try if you like racing games or have a car hobby.