The Gran Turismo PSP reviews thread

[The_Paladin]

I thought PD made it clear (since E3) that this isn't a conventional GT. KY said that it was "pick-up-and-play" right? Weren't you following the game?

That doesnt mean is a good idea, obviously itsnt, according to every review the game is not rewarding a rewarding experience. I been following this game since they announce it this E3 and already knew there wont be career mode or upgrades, i know why they did it this way but it was a bad design choice, a flawed idea.

 

[Frederik82]

As I´ve never played a GT game before, is the feeling of reward from the career mode really that essential to the series? Usually in most other racing game I´ve played I just unlocked everything at once via codes or something and started messing around as I pleased. I actually hated the career mode in Toca2 for the PSP, and had much more fun testing all the cars on different tracks, learning the physics and setting personal records at my own pace. Not that I will try to cheat my way out of the unlocking in GTPSP, I think steadly earning credits to unlock cars one by one has a nice grindy RPG longevity to it.

I mean, if the AI isn´t that great to begin with, are the career races really that essential? Don´t get me wrong, I understand this feeling of slow progression through a game, especially in a series that is known for having tons of cars, but some people make it sound like the game is essentially worthless without this mode.

Then again, I´m a total time trial junkie, I even played stuff like Mario Kart mostly on time trial (aside from the usual beer-fueled gamenights with friends, that is), so that´s also why I don´t mind only having 4 cars on the tracks. I even thought the World Tour mode in Ridge Racer was a total drag and that the game only really shines in time trial. I thought the lack of online racing would bother people a lot more.

I ask this not to be dick, I really want to know.

 

[Tornado]

Why do they keep insisting on a carreer mode? This is effing PSP!

This is a Gran Turismo game. The entire point of the series is the Gran Turismo mode, and has been since day 1 back in 1997. Yet this game lacks the mode completely. The fact that this is a portable game does not excuse the fact that a major facet of the series is simply not in this game. You can not buy a car and modify it to your liking. You can not take part in a successively-harder single player mode using said car until you make enough money to replace it/upgrade it. You can't even buy all of the cars' from all of the manufacturers in the game whenever you have the money to do so.
I also find it rather funny that you think the game is better off for lacking a major feature the has defined the series over the past 12 years. And quite frankly, if I wanted a pick-up and play game, I would not get a GT game anyways. The series itself at its basest of levels is at odds with the idea, and if Kaz thought "who cares, they won't notice" than I think he has missed the point entirely.

And by the way, it is completely normal for PSP racing games to have career modes. I own 3 games for the system that have such, not counting the PSX games I have on it that are also perfectly playable.

You don't have the time to play the Sunday Cup when you are going in the bus to school!

The PSP has a sleep mode, you know.

You may say "Yeah, but I have time to play it in my home, and when I'm there I want to race in the GT Cup" and to that I answer "BUY A FRIGGIN' PS2 AND GT4! IT'S ONLY 99 BUCKS NOW AND THE GAME SHOULD BE 20 BUCKS!".

So, what you are saying is, GT Mobile is crap, but that's okay because you can always spend more money and buy the superior PS2 game.

This is supposed to be played ON THE GO! So the whole point IGN and CVG use is flawed!

The game, if the reviews are to be believed, tries to make the single player like an ultra-shallow Pokemon but with cars; with multiplayer being ad-hoc only at that so there isn't anything to do anyways. I don't get how you see that is okay, because:

Its Pokemon' but with cars. its cool idea i guess.

That doesn't strike you as a problem considering the game is not on the DS, meaning you will never find another person with a PSP and a copy of the game? The game's main apparent reason for existence is to chase after a niche (people sitting down and swapping cars/racing via ad-hoc) that will never exist.

Without playing the game, i still find it hard to believe this game could be soooo bad especially when ridge racer was given a 9.1 by ign on the psp.

Ridge Racer was also a launch game.

I thought PD made it clear (since E3) that this isn't a conventional GT. KY said that it was "pick-up-and-play" right? Weren't you following the game?

He also said that the game would offer the true Gran Turismo experience. The fact that we knew they were changing something in regards to single player well in advance does not mask that they didn't bother to include anything as a replacement for those that actually want depth.

I don´t really know why you want to know this, please spare me with "You only like it because it gave the game 9/10" if this is what you planned.

Not at all. My point was, ignoring the score, that review slams the game far more than the IGN review does. The score is the thing that idiots flock to Metacritic to see. The meat of the review is what matters.

 

[Speedy Samurai]

I think the 'true Gran Turismo' experience that Kaz originally envisioned was to allow people to drive as many cool cars as possible. Of course, putting out a game with hundreds of cars available from the onset with no direction would be a bit much for some people, so why not allow them to start slowly by introducing a GT Mode.

If the game is about driving the cars, what's the problem with the way GT Mobile is set up?

I don't need supplied context to enjoy driving the cars. I whipped through simulation mode in all the GT games very quickly and didn't bother much with it after that. I spent most of my time tuning and testing and comparing using time trials.

 

[CaptCalvin]

The purpose of GT is to be "the real driving simulator." As far as I'm concerned, that purpose has been met after all in this PSP game.

 

[LaBounti]

I agree with the last two posts. GT Mobile should not be GT4 in your pocket. I just like grabing a car and jumping into a race(like the single player GT5P). I'll still get it I also want to see those extra 200 cars!

 

[J-PaP]

Didn't I read somewhere that the cars we collect in gt psp are transferable to gt5? I see that as a fairly important reason to play gt psp.

Anyhow I am glad for the format of gt psp. it worked well in ridge racer and if anything it sounds like gt has even more freedom in choosing what kind of race you want and a much larger scope in car and track selection.

 

[Devedander]

I ask this not to be dick, I really want to know.

I would say GT without career mode would be like Arcade mode only

Career mode is to GT what leveling is to WoW.

Career mode is to GT what tournaments are to pokemon.

Career mode is to GT what "season mode" is to any sports game.

Career mode, when done right, can make a game that you would think is total crap at first, be a totally addicting experience - in this case I am talking Tokyo Extreme Racer, but the same applies to GT in a much lesser extent.

Basically, I think career mode is the meat and potatoes of the game.

 

[J-PaP]

Do those complaining about no career mode realise that half the point and challenge of GT mode were the endurance races? The psp would probably not even last half the races/championships let alone the hand and eyestrain of racing for 4-5 hours straight.

 

[Devedander]

No I think we all realize that and I think we also realize that obviously changes have to be made to adapt to a portable environment.... like Toca did... and quite well...

So far every argument I have heard defending the "no career mode" method is based around:

I personally don't care about it - that's great... for you.

Career mode involves things that won't work on the portable - which just like graphics and controls must be adjusted appropriately as is done on a regular basis for games that make the jump from console to portable.

Just being free to play with any car on any track is more fun - it's called arcade mode, which can exist right alongside career mode... btw this game doesn't really have arcade mode, you still have to get a lot of the cars.

Why wouldn't you want to be able to just pick up an play a quick race sometimes? - You would! In Arcade mode... when you aren't playing career mode!

The more I think about it, the more this game reminds me of what Sega did with the VMU on dreamcast... get a game, a little mini game goes on the VMU for portable play when you are on the road, earn stuff on the VMU and get it in the full game.

GTPSP almost feels like a marketing gimmick or accessory for GT5... not a real game on it's own.

 

[dididude]

http://www.gamereactor.de/Kritiken/289/Gran+Turismo/

Among the first german reviews!

 

[JToipa]

This is a Gran Turismo game. The entire point of the series is the Gran Turismo mode, and has been since day 1 back in 1997. Yet this game lacks the mode completely. The fact that this is a portable game does not excuse the fact that a major facet of the series is simply not in this game. You can not buy a car and modify it to your liking. You can not take part in a successively-harder single player mode using said car until you make enough money to replace it/upgrade it. You can't even buy all of the cars' from all of the manufacturers in the game whenever you have the money to do so.
I also find it rather funny that you think the game is better off for lacking a major feature the has defined the series over the past 12 years. And quite frankly, if I wanted a pick-up and play game, I would not get a GT game anyways. The series itself at its basest of levels is at odds with the idea, and if Kaz thought "who cares, they won't notice" than I think he has missed the point entirely.

And by the way, it is completely normal for PSP racing games to have career modes. I own 3 games for the system that have such, not counting the PSX games I have on it that are also perfectly playable.

Yes, it's a Gran Turismo game, but PD wanted this to be a different Gran Turismo game, a game suited to this portable console, if you ask me I think they could have fit in a career mode, I agree, other games have it and this should have too, but I also accept what PD has done to the game, they made it a different game, a different Gran Turismo experience that you can pick up when you want and just race with it. They warned us it would be a different experience and they warned there would be no GT mode, so I don't get the whole comotion around this.

So, what you are saying is, GT Mobile is crap, but that's okay because you can always spend more money and buy the superior PS2 game.

No, I am saying GT for the PSP is a different game, what you are asking for is Gran Turismo 4 for the PSP, and if you want Gran Turismo 4, buy Gran Turismo 4, but if you want GT for the PSP, here you go, this is your GT PSP!

The game, if the reviews are to be believed, tries to make the single player like an ultra-shallow Pokemon but with cars; with multiplayer being ad-hoc only at that so there isn't anything to do anyways. I don't get how you see that is okay, because:


That doesn't strike you as a problem considering the game is not on the DS, meaning you will never find another person with a PSP and a copy of the game? The game's main apparent reason for existence is to chase after a niche (people sitting down and swapping cars/racing via ad-hoc) that will never exist.

I agree with you here, the lack of online makes me utterly pissed off!

He also said that the game would offer the true Gran Turismo experience. The fact that we knew they were changing something in regards to single player well in advance does not mask that they didn't bother to include anything as a replacement for those that actually want depth.

But he also said there would be no GT mode, so why are you whining? We knew there would be no career since the beggining, why are you so upset now and not then?

Not at all. My point was, ignoring the score, that review slams the game far more than the IGN review does. The score is the thing that idiots flock to Metacritic to see. The meat of the review is what matters.

I agree with you too in this point, the score means nothing, when you complain about the review complain about what's inside and not the 2 numbers.

 

[Devedander]

Yes, it's a Gran Turismo game, but PD wanted this to be a different Gran Turismo game, a game suited to this portable console, if you ask me I think they could have fit in a career mode, I agree, other games have it and this should have too, but I also accept what PD has done to the game, they made it a different game, a different Gran Turismo experience that you can pick up when you want and just race with it. They warned us it would be a different experience and they warned there would be no GT mode, so I don't get the whole comotion around this.

I totally agree that this wasn't an oversite, this was a decision by PD/KY, but I think it was a bad decision. As I and many others have already said, there was no reason you couldn't pick up and race with a career mode (consider PSP has sleep and GT saves between every race anyway) and just throw in arcade mode too and everyones happy.

No, I am saying GT for the PSP is a different game, what you are asking for is Gran Turismo 4 for the PSP, and if you want Gran Turismo 4, buy Gran Turismo 4, but if you want GT for the PSP, here you go, this is your GT PSP!

No, what he is asking for and what I think most of us want is GTPSP to continue the experience we have had in GT for years, but do it on the PSP. If Madden 2010 came on on PSP and had no season mode, would you say "If you want season mode you should buy console versions! This is PSP!"? I don't think so... it's an integral part of the game, expected, and has no reason to be taken out. I mean I could totally understand taking out enduros in GTPSP, that makes sense although some people love enduros. But taking out career moded? That's just cutting too much and there is no reason to other than to force GTPSP to be relagated to being an accessory to get cars faster in GT5. It feels like GTPSP is kind of a "flash pass" (in terms of theme parks) for GT5 now more than a solid game of it's own.

But he also said there would be no GT mode, so why are you whining? We knew there would be no career since the beggining, why are you so upset now and not then?

I don't think remember when it was confirmed there would be no career mode, maybe it was a while back but I thought it wasn't that long ago... but just because it was announced, doesn't make it any less of an issue.

 

[blue night]

To be completely honest here I wasn't sold on buying GTPSP and thought to myself why buy this and go through so much trouble when I own a wheel and GT5P on PS3 with GT5 coming soon.

Then I read IGNs review and thought to myself "Hey you know what I'm buying this game!" No, not out of spite but because they unintentionally made the game seem much better and accessible, which is what I wanted.

Blame the casual fans someone said and I guess you can if you want but when I want to game for hours on hours I play my PS3 but if I game during commercials breaks or when my gf has control over my tv or when I'm stuck over my mother's house for a dinner then I hit up my PSP. Now do you think for the first entire year of my gaming experience I want to be stuck in a broke as civic???? NO!

I reiterate NO!!!!!! I can see myself laying on my couch reaching for my PSP and popping in GT just to run a lap or two on a course to try to break my record or improve my skills. Put it down and go get something to eat, nice!

I honest to god wasn't going to get the game but now the review that gave it the worse score persuaded me to get it, it's funny really.

 

[FoolKiller]

In fact, I'm beginning to wonder if the game was even aimed at people like me, I can't play it on the way to University since I drive in. I can't play it at Uni since I'm doing work. I can't play it after Uni since I'm in the pub with friends (drinking coke). I can't play it on the way back since I'm driving again. And when I get home.. I have a PS3 to play. If I could play through a career mode (albeit very slowly) I might put in a bit extra effort, but only playing it for 5 minutes on a random race? I can do that when I get home.

GT:Mobile made perfect sense to me when I bought my PSP 5 years ago to play it on the way to college on the bus, play it during my free periods. Now... Not so much.

In uni, going to the pub every night, full access to the PS3...you sir, are not married. I know you are saying, "What does that have to do with it?" Plenty. If my wife wants to watch a movie then my PS3 and big TV are taken. Or if my wife wants me to spend time with her while she does something wife-like, say watching reality TV, I have to sit there bored. Or, I can sit with my wife and let her have the TV to watch whatever stupid crap Simon Cowell or some family with a bazillion kids is doing that week, but have my favorite gaming series in my hand, or remote played into my PS3.

You are currently in a bit of an odd period where your social life takes up so much time that hobbies are an oddity and gaming is mainly done with friends. In five to ten years you will realize that the PSP has an important place while still in the home.

My suggestion to you right now: Sell your PSP because you will likely find very little use for it even now that better games are coming out for it. In fact, your comment seemed like less of a critique of GT and more of the PSP (or any portable system) itself right now.

I'm not trying to argue with you or dispute what you are saying. I have been in that stage of my life and know that unless it is gaming with friends there is little time for gaming. Your only other option is to end your social life, and not even GT is worth that. Well, maybe, but that is up to you.




As for all this career mode dispute:

No, the reviews are not wrong or judging the game based on false pretenses. I am sure they saw the Yamauchi interviews as well as we did. I hope so, it is their job. Remember that reviews are purely the subjective opinion of one man, or small group of people. If they feel that a lack of career mode makes the game less enjoyable then that is their opinion on it. They aren't wrong, and often I have heard console GT's be knocked points for no story or specifically outlined career.

Now, if you as an individual feel the idea is a game breaker then do not buy it. That simple. If you were looking forward to the game and somehow missed that it was not going to have a traditional career mode you weren't paying much attention. Multiple threads on this site, including our own members playing hands-on at GamesCom, have pointed this out. It is not news. Don't be surprised if someone points out that your attitude may be a bit off base or late at this point. If you were saying this since E3 then have at it, but suddenly reacting now seems...odd. It's like getting angry when you find out Dante's Inferno is a lot like God of War. It is old news. And if you weren't that interested but are acting negatively toward the game now, why do you suddenly care now? If you were interested enough to have an emotional reaction now why weren't paying attention before now?

To sum up:

• Reviewers knocking off points due to a lack of career mode is fine. They are reviewing the game as an overall experience. For that one person, or group, it may make the game less enjoyable.
  
• Gran Turismo fans having emotional reactions (anger, indignation, etc) are a bit late to the game. It is old news and your reaction now seems late. It was made public knowledge before pre-orders were available.
  
• And finally: Why don't we all draw our own conclusion after actually playing the game? If no career mode worries you then rent it first or borrow a friend's or get the opinion of people you typically agree with here.

Note: I did not state a personal preference in regard to career mode's exclusion in this post. Don't assume you know, unless you saw my statement in another thread, of course.

 

[Devedander]

Blame the casual fans someone said and I guess you can if you want but when I want to game for hours on hours I play my PS3 but if I game during commercials breaks or when my gf has control over my tv or when I'm stuck over my mother's house for a dinner then I hit up my PSP. Now do you think for the first entire year of my gaming experience I want to be stuck in a broke as civic???? NO!

I reiterate NO!!!!!! I can see myself laying on my couch reaching for my PSP and popping in GT just to run a lap or two on a course to try to break my record or improve my skills. Put it down and go get something to eat, nice!

I honest to god wasn't going to get the game but now the review that gave it the worse score persuaded me to get it, it's funny really.

Would you have been equally impressed if the game came with arcade and career mode like all the other GTs so you wouldn't have to be stuck with a broke civic from the get?

BTW to everyone saying you should have known earlier, I would just like to point out that (not necessarily this case but woudln't suprise me) that around here, people are regularly told to withold (especially negative) judgement until the game is actually released. Well I know it's not really actually released yet, but still, you get the point.

 

[blue night]

Would you have been equally impressed if the game came with arcade and career mode like all the other GTs so you wouldn't have to be stuck with a broke civic from the get?

BTW to everyone saying you should have known earlier, I would just like to point out that (not necessarily this case but woudln't suprise me) that around here, people are regularly told to withold (especially negative) judgement until the game is actually released. Well I know it's not really actually released yet, but still, you get the point.

I don't understand what you are saying. Isn't the purpose of Career mode to work your way up from slower cars to more money to buy faster cars? The previous GT Career modes is basically just a series of races to earn money and trials to earn licenses. I'm saying for people..for me who actually use their PSP for casual gaming devices because they have home consoles for hardcore gaming , it would be more convenient to have access to a good selection of cars and tracks so that if from the get go you want to work on your time trial on the 'ring with the GTR you could do that at will instead of being able to do that several weeks from launch.

 

[Tornado]

it would be more convenient to have access to a good selection of cars and tracks so that if from the get go you want to work on your time trial on the 'ring with the GTR you could do that at will instead of being able to do that several weeks from launch.

That has never been a problem with the series in the past.

 

[Frederik82]

http://www.gamereactor.de/Kritiken/289/Gran+Turismo/
Among the first german reviews!

I was going to sum it up for the non-german speakers but the Google translation does a pretty acceptable job.

He lists "motion blur effect" as a negative point. I haven´t seen any motion blur in the game footage so far. Maybe he plays it on the PSP2000? I have one and the ghosting on the display is pretty bad (but not bad enough to make me sell the system for the 3000 model).

 

[Devedander]

I don't understand what you are saying. Isn't the purpose of Career mode to work your way up from slower cars to more money to buy faster cars? The previous GT Career modes is basically just a series of races to earn money and trials to earn licenses. I'm saying for people..for me who actually use their PSP for casual gaming devices because they have home consoles for hardcore gaming , it would be more convenient to have access to a good selection of cars and tracks so that if from the get go you want to work on your time trial on the 'ring with the GTR you could do that at will instead of being able to do that several weeks from launch.

My point was that I agree, for users like you, a quick and easy access to all cars and tracks is great.

But two things:

1: This isn't even that. You get SOME cars and have to buy more cars so you are still limited as to what cars you can access off the bat and might actually be stuck with a crap civic for quite a while, especially considering apparently you can't just buy any car at any time, you have to wait for it to be available.

2: Those who aren't like you and WANT career mode, were served perfectly fine with how GT has always done it (GT mode and Arcade mode), are screwed since they changed so drastically how they did thigns, ironically to a way that doesn't even do what you want done (access to all cars and tracks right off).

So basically it lookse like GTPSP toes the line of not being what either group would want.

 

[JToipa]

These are the two things that really piss me off in GT PSP:

-Lack of online

-Not getting anything by golding all challenges

 

[FoolKiller]

-Lack of online

Ad-Hoc Party is coming, look it up and realize the one detail that the reviewers have missed. In fact, Jordan even covered it in the News section to explain how you can play online. I thought we would have it by launch, but with it being trademarked and patented by Sony in the US, and beta tested in Japan I have to assume it is close.


I agree about the lack of prize being disappointing. But without seeing the cash pay out on the last event I can't be completely sure that it is a total flop. So far that is the only real disappointing thing to me.

 

[Devedander]

Ad-Hoc Party is coming, look it up and realize the one detail that the reviewers have missed. In fact, Jordan even covered it in the News section to explain how you can play online. I thought we would have it by launch, but with it being trademarked and patented by Sony in the US, and beta tested in Japan I have to assume it is close.


I agree about the lack of prize being disappointing. But without seeing the cash pay out on the last event I can't be completely sure that it is a total flop. So far that is the only real disappointing thing to me.

I thought ad hoc party required a PS3...

 

[FoolKiller]

I thought ad hoc party required a PS3...

It does. But I would assume that Gran Turismo fans who are die hard enough to buy a portable version, with the central part of the game completely changed, would eventually wind up with one.

Of course, I also assume that people with a PSP have gotten used to many games only having Ad-Hoc mode. It has become a trend lately.

 

[TeggD]

Technically it still has a career mode just not a GT mode. You have challenges to complete. It sounds good because when i play my psp outside of plane journeys its in short bursts.

I am quite happy with that as personally GT5 is my main game so something different is nice.

 

[Devedander]

It does. But I would assume that Gran Turismo fans who are die hard enough to buy a portable version, with the central part of the game completely changed, would eventually wind up with one.

Of course, I also assume that people with a PSP have gotten used to many games only having Ad-Hoc mode. It has become a trend lately.

That's quite the assumption... I would assume die hard GT fans would be so pissed that the central part of the game was missing, they just wouldn't buy it and that the need to tote a PS3 around negates easy multiplayer when you and your friends are all say sitting around an airport or something (or does that work ok? I was never sure on that).

Technically it still has a career mode just not a GT mode. You have challenges to complete. It sounds good because when i play my psp outside of plane journeys its in short bursts.

So why would career mode and arcade mode side by side (like most GTs have had) not suited you just as well in those circumstances?

I mean it's one thing to say "In the ways I would use it, it will be acceptable and I won't miss career mode that often" but I don't see how that's a legitimate reason to justify the abandonment of a workign setup of career/arcade.

 

[racinGTurismo]

Good write up

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2009/09/16/review-gran-turismo-psp/

 

[LaBounti]

I think PD can do whatever they want with their franchise. GTPSP is what it is, which it's goal is to not be GT4. If you already own a PSP I dout Ridge Racer will be choosen over GTPSP. Here is another case of people judging a game not on what it is but what they assume it should be. I don't need a career mode(in GTPSP) and i dont think its the main point of any GT game, driving the cars is. I play GT2 all the time on PSP(sim disc) and its annoying that i dont always have enough time to find a car and finish a race. Race Driver did a near 1:1 psp game which is good but the 30min races are not very portable friendly, GTPSP is what Kaz described back in June, a different kind of GT "experience". No Career mode, I say dont cry about it just let those who enjoy their psp's and racing games have all the fun.

Clearly i see how and why it gets mixed reviews. It seems those who REALLY REALLY love GT are the ones who will be most disappointing. Race driver is always the alternative if you do not own the greatest psp racing game ever

 

[Devedander]

I don't need a career mode(in GTPSP) and i dont think its the main point of any GT game, driving the cars is.

Well that's like saying that fighting is the main point of any RPG... but without a story, just randombly battling whatever monster you feel like with whatever weapons and spells you feel like in whatever area you feel like just isn't as good.

I think that while the action of driving is the main point, putting a purpose and sense of accomplishment and reward behind it is integral to making it work. Sum of the parts and all...

Clearly i see how and why it gets mixed reviews. It seems those who REALLY REALLY love GT are the ones who will be most disappointing. Race driver is always the alternative if you do not own the greatest psp racing game ever

Agree... GTPSP really will dissapoint the die hard GT fans... the ones I really feel bad for are the ones who bought PSPs early on with the promise of GT4 Mobile because they loved GT so much they wanted their fix on the go... and have waited patiently all this time only to be let down.

Race Driver is in deed an awesome racing game... too bad I have played the living crap out of it already though

 

[LaBounti]

RPG's and racing games are not even close when you break it down to the basics. So its not like saying that. Plus what % of gt fans only goal is to see the end credits then put the game away as if it was Sonic the Hedge Hog? Do you think people who play WoW keep playing for the story, or people who play dialbo 2 for the last 8 years keep playing to watch the post boss cinemas . Again its a portable game designed for quick pick up and play.

But what you also described is what GT4 was. Thats not the goal for GTPSP. I wish they added motorcycles to really stir up some madness.....