Gran Turismo 7, PlayStation’s Flagship Racing Game, Is Just Beyond The Horizon
For long term Gran Turismo fans it is with bated breath that we await the 4th of March 2022, the projected release date for GT7. It’s not until we hear the news that the game has gone gold, though, that we fans will be able to relax. If history has taught us anything, it’s that if ever a game can be expected to have delays, sometimes by years, then this is it.
Reassuringly, as the release date draws nearer more GT7 game trailers are dropping, which is an encouraging sign that this game is still… “on track“. Great pun, eh? (Get out – Ed)
Three new trailers arrived within one week, all detailing aspects about GT7 in a sit-down interview with the legendary head of Polyphony Digital, Kazunori Yamauchi. During the three trailers he discusses, amongst other things, car culture, in-game audio and the haptic feedback in the game.
Some details that can be seen and picked apart during these trailers are such gems as the return of fan favourite tracks High-Speed Ring, Trial Mountain, and Apricot Hill. These will be added to an outstanding and hugely varied track list, including classic real-world circuits like Monza, Bathurst, Interlagos and the Nurburgring, but also less common circuits such as Goodwood in the UK and Autopolis in Japan. There will also be a large selection of fictional circuits, with many likely designed to showcase the graphical horsepower of the new console. Because of the step-up to 4k, and the fact that several of the circuits have undergone changes in the last few years, many of these circuits have been completely rebuilt for Gran Turismo 7.
The returning tracks made fleeting appearances, alongside a new world-hub that will launch various features of the game and the removal of the class system in career mode for a return to the in-game PP system. We can also expect full customization of the cars, including suspension, drivetrain and engine upgrades, body mods, and an improved livery editor. There’s nothing like modding a stock car to the extreme and trouncing hypercars with it!
We have also seen indication that fully dynamic weather and day/night cycles will be implemented, with surface moisture levels seemingly being variable which hints at tracks gradually becoming slippier or drying out incrementally over the course of a race. Whether the PS4 will get all of these features remains to be seen, but early indications suggest parity across both old and new gen consoles.
It’s a return to roots approach for GT7, with used car dealerships, performance upgrades, a more traditional career mode and much more. Significantly, however, rather than abandon the class-based racing introduced with GT Sport or developing it as a separate franchise, they are retaining the mode and its highly competitive online racing, amalgamating it all into one epic behemoth.
It sounds amazing so far, but that is before we even look at the advantages that can be gained from the power of the PS5: 4K 60fps gameplay, real-time ray tracing, decreased loading times, spatial audio that utilises Sony’s Tempest Audio system, and the haptic feedback of the Dual Sense controller should all combine to make this the ultimate driving game. It’s no wonder that the Gran Turismo community is getting hot under the collar.
Gran Turismo 7 Releases on the 4th of March 2022 exclusively for the PS4 and PS5. Stay tuned here at Total Gaming Addicts for more news in the lead up to the launch date.
