Hands-on: Gran Turismo PSP

by Andrew Yoon { Jun 3rd 2009 at 5:30PM }

It's been a long time coming, but Gran Turismo PSP is finally coming out. Finally re-revealed at the Sony press conference, Gran Turismo is shaping up to be a thoroughly comprehensive experience worthy of the franchise moniker. Our first hands-on with Gran Turismo (on a PSP go) left us impressed, a good thing considering its official release is not too far away: October 1st.

Obviously, the most immediately striking aspect of the game must be its visuals. During the conference, we stated the game looked just as good as GT4 on PS2. Upon closer look on the PSP go, it's clear that the visuals are downgraded a bit. But really, just a bit. Anyone that looks at GT running on the PSP will be impressed that handheld technology has gone so far to create such detailed visuals at 60 fps.

The Gran Turismo series attempts to recreate the most realistic driving sim on the marketplace, but it's clear the PSP game won't be able to match the fidelity of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue on PS3. The PSP controls hinder the experience a bit -- and no, we're not crying for a second analog stick. The lack of analog buttons make a difference in the way series vets may play the game.

Gallery: Gran Turismo PSP

The handheld experience offers a bit more of a streamlined GT experience that should appeal to the casual racing fan. Before each race, players can quickly choose difficulty modes. On Easy, we found that the AI drivers offered some challenge, and found turns to be much easier to handle. With the on-track indicators directing us when to break and turn, it took very little time to really get back into the groove of GT. For better or for worse, the series' interpretation of crashing makes a full return. As expected, there's no damage model, and players will be able to bounce off of other cars with relative ease.

The breadth of content being offered for the PSP Gran Turismo game is overwhelming, with over 800 licensed vehicles from Ferrari, Nissan and more. There are over 30 tracks recreating some of the environments used in previous GT games which should fill the void left by Gran Turismo 5 Prologue's spartan offerings.

Gran Turismo is quite an achievement on the PSP, and we're confident series fans will appreciate the large amount of content featured in the game. It may not be the best GT game ever, but it is undoubtedly a real Gran Turismo game recreated fully on a handheld. We were unable to test one of the other new features of the handheld version: the ability to trade vehicles via Ad-Hoc wi-fi. With over 800 cars to collect, it seems players will need to work together to complete their collections. Gotta catch 'em all, right?

Tags: e3-2009, gran-turismo, gran-turismo-psp

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Dafrety @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:35PM

*dusts off PSP 1000*
Now I remember what I wanted to do with this!

Bloo @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:09PM

Yep. I remember buying my PSP-1000 for myself on my birthday March 24, 2005 with the promise of playing a full blown console-level version of Gran Turismo on the go. Unfortunately, with this game taking over 4 years to come out, now it feels like were getting a watered down racer compared to games like GT5P.

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread - XBL: SoCoolCurt) @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:43PM

me too GT Mobile was the reason i bought a PSP at launch. i was so disappointed when they kept delaying it. finally i can get my hands on it.

matthewmrussell @ Jun 3rd 2009 7:56PM

Seriously! My PSP has been collecting dust for a while and I was actually going to sell it. But now... well, the dust will be cleared in October!

Todd @ Jun 4th 2009 5:34AM

Hah guess I wasn't the only one then. I bought my PSP 1000 launch day just for Gran Turismo (I don't even remember why I thought it would come out soon). Then GT never came. I had only bought one game (Wipeout) which didn't last long. My PSP has spent most of its life as a paperweight. I did end up doing the firmware trickery to get GT2 on it at one point. Now that it's finally coming I don't know if I care anymore. Maybe if they do a PSPGo / GT bundle. Hrumph.

OnetimeBlueboy @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:35PM

Man, this'll be so cool....

five years ago. Foll me once, shame on me - fool me quarterly every year since before the release of the system it's claimed to be intended for, really shame on me. If it was released yesterday, packaged in fifty-dollar bank notes, and delivered to my door by a liquor-store owning nymphomaniac supermodel, I would still refuse it. No trust, no customer, capiche?

Velsar @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:36PM

Racing games always confuse me...

How much "VROOM VROOM VROOM" can one take, and does one truly want?

el serpiente @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:57PM

Thanks, that was really insightful.

el serpiente @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:01PM

Wow, that was even more insightful than the first one!

Maverick Saturn @ Jun 3rd 2009 7:17PM

Says the guy who also said adventure games were repetitive but wants more and more FPS titles ¬.¬

Velsar @ Jun 3rd 2009 7:45PM

Maverick, you never read my responses.

I simply wanted a variety, not all of one thing, or focus on only one thing.

And actually I wanted more rpg's and story-based games, such as FPS's and other such things... not just FPS's...

Please read EVERYTHING that someone replies with, instead of just bits and pieces.

Maverick Saturn @ Jun 3rd 2009 8:09PM

Well don't type in bits and peices and I won't read in bits and peices, you can't say you want more FPS' without being specific as to what you exactly want and when I mention MAG you go 'oh no, thats not an FPS' then when I tell you it is, you reply 'yes it is, but it's an MMO and MMOs are not FPS I like because they don't have plots'.

Lol, I'm sorry, but its true, you type fragmented, so I'll reply fragmented, now you're moaning about racing games, you truly are strange. How do you expect me to read fully if you don't type what you mean fully without sounding like a fanboy in the process.

David Black @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:36PM

Yes, but will it be up to date enough to provide the new '10 Bureaucrat models from GM? If so I'm looking forward to starting a race by peeling out and watching taxpayers' money spew from my tires like burning rubber.

Pat @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:03PM

LOL, Dead on comment. My hat's off to you. ;)

j.howlett @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:37PM

i'm not big into racing sims, because i'm no good at them, but i was amazed that they have 800 cars on the hand held

Ezio Auditore de Firenze [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:26PM

and over 30 tracks, and running at 60FPS. that's ridiculous.

Lekko @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:39PM

I just don't know about driving with the nub though.

Demo, please!

joeybeast @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:41PM

You mean prolougue

Dafrety @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:44PM

You don't pay for a real demo. Demo, not Prologue, please!

el serpiente @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:00PM

Yeah, the idea of a GT portable interests me, but I feel like the GT series belongs on the big screen with a racing wheel and pedals to work with. Racers like wipeout work decently enough on the psp, but I can't see the "real simulation" angle working on a form factor like the psp.

phinnvr6 @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:39PM

I don't own any handhelds but wow 800 cars is extremely impressive if the game is good. And I'm sure it will be the Gran Turismo series is legendary at this point. Now if only they will ever release Gran Turismo 5.

joeybeast @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:39PM

If they can just make the career mode less tedious. I'm sold.

Cosmo @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:39PM

Has Sony stated why the game took so fucking long to come out? This game was announced back in 2004 before the PSP was released.

Ezio Auditore de Firenze [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:28PM

polyphony has said it's because they've been focusing more on gran turismo 5.

Kenny Powers Fastball (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:40PM

I'm glad this game is finally coming out and I'll be sure to pick it up one day one maybe with a PSP Go.

Ezio Auditore de Firenze [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:29PM

my dad is buying me a psp go because we can't go anywhere this summer, so it's compensation. with that comes a nice, shiny copy of GT portable. the funny thing is that they're coming out on his birthday.

gamabunta @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:41PM

I'll believe it when I have a copy in my hands. Still vaporware as far as I'm concerned.

VoiceofHarold @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:46PM

The footage they showed at e3 didn't look nearly as blocky. Still looks good though.

required @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:51PM

I think the image at the top of this post only looks a bit blocky because it's only one of the sixty that is shown every second.

Ezio Auditore de Firenze [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:30PM

yeah, this is one of those games that looks bad in screens but will probably look good in motion.

Nook @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:50PM

wow, i thought this was vaporware in favour of GT5. great news.

being this launches with go, this should be a download and umd???

i have been waiting for this for years, years i tell you.

Ezio Auditore de Firenze [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:34PM

yeah, it'll be both download and disc.

Manly Mcbeefington (Mr. ESC) @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:51PM

I just hope they have a good music selection like Burnout Legends.

I would say I don't like racing games the same way I don't like Halo but at the end I buy all related Racing and Halo games.I guess they are a bit addictive so count me in.

Duke @ Jun 3rd 2009 5:56PM

By the looks of it this game may have been worth the long wait.

Pat @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:04PM

Why such an issue with the lack of analog buttons? I get we have more precision in GT3,4, and Prologue with them and thus a more realistic driving experience, but the lack of analog buttons here is like playing the old GT 1 and 2 on the PSX. And those games are what made the franchise the success that it is nowadays.

Besides, it is friggin' awesome to see this game on PSP looking closer to the PS2 version than the PSX one. An amazing achievement.

Ezio Auditore de Firenze [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:31PM

no one is complaining about analog buttons. they're complaining about the analog nub that we have to use to steer with. it's starts to be a pain after a good amount of play.

Mr Clickerson @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:28PM

I'm kind of disappointed... I mean, I know graphics aren't everything, but one of the huge factors of why GT was popular was how realistic everything not only felt, but looked. Given their graphical expertise, I would have expected this to look a bit more like a PS2 GT, like 3 or 4, not like GT1 or 2.

If I still had my PSP, this would be an instant purchase, but I can't get over how poor the game looks like.

Ezio Auditore de Firenze [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:34PM

that's not what the game looks like IN MOTION. it runs at 60 frames per second, that's only one of those frames. with all those frames at that speed, it would look nice and smooth. watch the trailer for a decent idea. screenshots don't show how a racing game looks like in motion. not at all.

calvin @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:47PM

Please tell me you didn't actually believe the trailer they showed off at E3 wasn't CG

Ezio Auditore de Firenze [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 3rd 2009 7:41PM

"watch the trailer for a decent idea"

that's what i'm saying. i know it won't be anywhere near the trailer, but it certainly looks better in motion than those screenshots.

calvin @ Jun 3rd 2009 6:53PM

Please tell me i have more to choose from than just a black bar at the bottom of the screen for a HUD

neal @ Jun 3rd 2009 7:09PM

i hope its still packing the groovy jazz music!

Maverick Saturn @ Jun 3rd 2009 7:20PM

I can't wait :D

Although, I would prefer if they added a car factory online through the PSN shop, to add cars to your PSP and PS3 versions, excluding the cars already available, that ensures that your listings of cars never get old, custom ones included.

Kenny Powers Fastball (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jun 3rd 2009 8:39PM

Mav,

great idea.

I wish this PSP version had Nascar like the PS3 version that will hopefully come out sooner rather than later. I'm kind of amazed that they didn't show a playable demo of GT 5. However, Prologue is an awesome game but there isn't enough depth when it comes to the customization and tuning I am accustomed to in a GT title. It looks like we are going to see two iterations of Forza before the full GT experience is released. I know Polyphony are artist and they perfectionist but I want to get some kind of an idea when this title will release.

Do you think it will be next E3 before we see a live demo or do you have a hunch it will release before then maybe around the Spring of 2010? I kind of have a feeling it will be released before next years E3 and we will see it at game shows like TGS or some other event like a Sony gamer day.

I can't complain to much because Prologue is a nice title and the announcement of a release date for the PSP version will tide me over for a while. If they added trophies to Prologue it would probably bring some people and excitement back to the title but I understand not wanting to put resources into that type of thing at this point.

The only thing that worries me about this long development cycle for GT:5 on the PS3 is that some of the visuals could be slightly outdated or would have to be redone. You know what I mean?

Mazrael @ Jun 3rd 2009 7:49PM

I have been waiting fot GT-PSP for an age, jeez, & it might finally happen.. It'll be just what I need around Forza 3.. It will be 'normal' cars too won't it & not just race spec/bodied cars?? - If it's as good as the feel I had from GT1/2 I'll be happy