Gran Turismo 5: Prologue

Let the rush begin: one of the United Kingdom’s largest online retailers, Play.com, has posted the following notice on their site:

As we learned earlier today, GT5 Prologue takes the series’ physics to a new level by allowing the player to completely disable the anti-lock braking system.  Now, only a few hours later, we’ve got the first video of the “skidding” in action from our own Numer0bis –  grab the video here.  As you can see in this screen grab, the brakes (with more bias correctly in the front) first lock up the two front wheels.  A few seconds later as the vehicle’s speed decreases, the rear wheels stop spinning as well.  It’s a very accurate recreation – thanks for the quick work, Numer0bis!

With a less than one day to go before the official launch of GT5 Prologue in Europe, Sony hits us with another new surprise in the form of a last-minute update to the game’s software.  Going by the official name of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue: Spec II, it’s made a few significant changes to the features we were already anticipating in the PAL and North American releases.  Many thanks, once again, to amar212 for bringing us all up to speed on all the changes!  Here’s a quick summary:

Sony has just updated the PlayStation blog with two new videos featuring the most anticipated songs from the official soundtrack.  Even if you don’t like the music, don’t miss the videos!  They are of excellent quality and provide the first high resolution look at some of the new vehicles in the game.

GTPlanet member Numer0bis got his hands on an early copy of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, and has begun posting some of the first footage we’ve seen of the “tuned” cars in the game.  The two clips below show replay and in-car footage of the Amuse/Opera Performance Gran Turismo 350Z RS and the blacked-out Ford GT-LM.  Head on over to our Gran Turismo 5 Prologue forum and be sure to thank Numer0bis for sharing these with us!

Sony has just announced the complete soundtrack for the North American edition of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.  It’s an interesting (if not typical for the series) mix of indie dance rock, classic rock, and electronica from artists like Weezer, Mars Volta, and DJ Shadow.  The most important track is an exclusive remix of Weezer’s “Automatic”, which headlines the mix.  See the full list after the jump – we’ll be sure to let you know when this goes on sale!

Take a look as Gran Turismo series creator Kazunori Yamauchi sits down to demonstrate some of the new features in GT5 Prologue!  He begins in the PowerHouse Amuse S2000 on High Speed Ring, then takes us through several options in Quick Tune Screen and uses the real time adjustment feature on the new Logitech wheel.  Finally, we get a quick look at the new Drift Mode in a Ferrari F430.  Despite some odd background music, it’s a great video – see the video after the jump!

Getting the first look at the intro sequence is always something special that comes along with every new Gran Turismo series release.  Since we first got reports of the updated GT5 Prologue PAL intro move sequence, there were no doubts it would be improved over the one featured in the Japanese copy of the game.  Today, we got to see it for ourselves!  I don’t know who originally posted this (it’s been up and down off YouTube, the one below is permanent), but always like to give credit where credit is due.  So, if you know the original poster, please add a comment or shoot me an email.

IGN has just posted the very first video of the new High Speed Ring in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.  Despite some terrible driving (typically associated with IGN editors), it still provides a great look at the track, along with the first sign of a previously unmentioned new feature.  Watch closely as a “recommended” speed is placed directly over the apex of the corner ahead.

The “Press Packs” for Gran Turismo 5 Prologue are being delivered as we speak.  According to our very own Amar212, it includes a few “postcards” highlighting features of the game, a letter from Kazunori Yamauchi, and a second promotional disc with various press assets and screenshots.  In other words, a great addition to any GT fan’s collection – we’ll be sure to let you know when they start showing up on eBay!

Yesterday, when amar212 brought us the first exclusive footage of the Ferrari F2007, we thought it couldn’t get any better.  Today, he proved us wrong with the first video of the Ferrari F40 in action!  It came today as part of his sixth update to his hands-on overview of GT5 Prologue.  Be sure to stop in and say thanks, and visit his growing Croatian GT community at GTSurgeons.com.

More than two years ago, GTPlanet and amar212 brought you the very first complete lap of the Nurburgring in Gran Turismo 4.  Now, Amar has done it again, with the very first footage of the Ferrari F2007 in action!  Read amar212’s detailed hands-on overview of the new PAL edition of the game right here in our GT5 Prologue forum.

From an excellent tip by GTPlanet user PalmerW, SCEA game producer Taku Imasaki has quietly confirmed that private online races and in-game chat will be coming to Gran Turismo 5: Prologue. From his response to a comment on the official PlayStation Blog:

A German gaming website has posted some great new screenshots of the Ferrari F40 along with some views of the new “menu locations”.  The best of the bunch have been added to our Gran Turismo 5 Prologue gallery.  Enjoy!

Since GTPlanet’s own Amar212 blew the lid off the F2007 in GT5 Prologue, Sony was finally forced to acknowledged the car’s presence in the game. They have followed up by releasing some extremely high resolution screenshots of the car in action. We’ve added all 21 of the HD screenshots to our GT5 Prologue Gallery, including a few images and renders of the car which were not “officially” posted by Sony. When viewing the files in our gallery, be sure to click on the large images to see them in their full resolution!

When EuroGamer was allowed to download an evaluation copy of Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, they got the first glimpse at just how big of a file this game is actually going to be (1.9 GB).  Sony was able to confirm that this is the same file that will be offered for download via PSN when the file is released to the general public.  Of course, it could be much bigger: the download version of the game will not contain video content.  Instead, you must choose to download each movie individually from the GT-TV feature of the game.  Aside from the fact that the Blu-Ray edition has already passed one million pre-orders, it may actually end up being the most popular option.  Pre-order your own copy now!

As GTPlanet user amar212 has had more time to explore his early PAL copy of Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, he has continued updating his very informative post with new information and more impressions about the game. He’s even included a simple guide, carefully detailing the best “path” through the game so you can get your hands on superstars such as the F40, Ford GT-LM, and of course the F2007 as quickly as possible. In his latest update, however, a thoughtful Amar emphasizes two key points which I believe will set this particular game apart from others in the series: earning money and car tuning. With lower prize values in a limited selection of race events, higher powered vehicles are harder to come by, and the “Quick Tune Screen” will play an important role for advanced players. To quote Amar:

Amar212, who got his hands on a copy of a PAL edition of Gran Turismo 5: Prologue yesterday, has brought us even more updates! A beta tester is already driving the Ferrari F2007, and Amar was able to grab a quick snapshot of the cockpit view from the online replay feature (good thinking!). The online functionality for the PAL game was enabled today, and he describes the online connectivity as “smoother” than what we have previously experienced with Japanese copies. We’ve also learned the “Quick Tune Setup” feature only becomes available after you complete the C, B, and A events, and it brings a return of car setup control that we are used to in the previous games. Go straight to his post here for all the details in our GT5 Prologue Forum – once again, thanks for the updates, Amar!

GTPlanet’s own amar212 just got his hands on a PAL (European) copy of GT5: Prologue! This has led us to some awesome new discoveries that have previously been kept under wraps. A few of the highlights are below – read his full post here for all the details and latest updates, and join all the other fans here in our GT5 Prologue Forum.