Just a few weeks ago at the 2004 Tokyo Game Show, the gaming world was shocked as Sony revealed that Gran Turismo 4 would cut online play to make a 2004 release date. However, a new GT game will be released sometime in 2005 with online play. Despite that disappointing announcement, the latest edition of the popular franchise is poised to continue the legacy of racing authenticity that has made the series world-renowned and hugely successful, with over 36 million units sold worldwide.

Gran Turismo has always been about the human passion for cars. Two brand new modes have been created for Gran Turismo 4 to further give gamers a chance to enjoy the car culture beyond simply racing. GT Director Mode / B-Spec plants you into the role of a race team manager where you give directions to an A.I. racer in competitive races. You'll be able to tune cars prior to races, order the A.I. when to overtake the competition, and when to come in for a pit stop. Pit stops will be critical as you can tweak a variety of car settings on the fly, such as tires and volume for fuel or refueling.

The other mode is Photo Mode, which allows players to take in-game photos and print them out using a USB printer. Two formats are presented in this mode: Photo Drive and Photo Travel. Photo Drive basically lets you take snapshots of your car at any point during a race so that you can take advantage of neat effects like depth of field and motion blur. Photo Travel provides the equivalent of glamour shots, as you bring your favorite car to any of 15 exotic, picturesque locations around the world and position the car from a variety of angles for striking poses.

But of course, gamers can also look forward to Gran Turismo's acclaimed racing modes to indulge their love for driving. GT Arcade Mode is where you can enjoy the fruits of your hard work as you race your friends or the A.I. with the cars and tracks you have unlocked by playing GT Career Simulation. The GT Career Simulation Mode is the heart of the game and starts you off at the bottom, challenging you to display your racing prowess as you progress up the ladder. You'll have to win races to buy new cars and upgrade parts as you make your way through over 200 championship races.

A couple of new features have been added to this mode. A new race style involves completing specific missions throughout the duration of the race to win. The new "high score" system has also been incorporated, which grades the racer on how well he drives and how he puts his skills to the test by comparing elements of his car (such as car type and horsepower) against the rest of the field.

Over 650 cars spanning the entire history of the automobile industry from more than 80 manufacturers are playable in Gran Turismo 4. With so many cars to choose from, it can be hard to find a favorite! All of these cars are fully customizable from racing gears to gear ratio, not to mention superchargers and NOS that reflect the latest craze in car culture. Accompanying this abundance of vehicles are approximately 100 tracks, divided into closed circuit, city, and rally courses with a variety of settings. Have you ever wished to drive along the Grand Canyon or to tackle the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife track in Germany? You can now fulfill your daydreams.

Ever in pursuit of the ultimate driving simulation, Polyphony Digital has upgraded Gran Turismo 4 with brand new physics engines and enhanced A.I. Every car handles differently, taking into account various factors such as weight, speed, friction, and wind. Graphical quality has also been improved; each vehicle now sports more than 5,000 polygons, and replay mode has been refined for a broadcast-quality look.

Even without online play, Gran Turismo 4 should be highly anticipated by anybody who loves cars. For the next level of racing authenticity, look no farther. Gran Turismo 4 is scheduled for a release on December 14, 2004. We'll have more on GT4 in the near future.