You can only play the Gran Turismo HD tech demo so many times before realizing you need something more substantial from Polyphony Digital. Fortunately, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is set for a release on the PlayStation 3 in mid-April. Recently, Sony offered us an opportunity to check out a near-final build of the game, and it's bound to get your motor running.

Several options are available right from the beginning, although you're somewhat limited at first with car selection. You start out with a meager 35,000 credits, keeping your purchases to a minimum. You can't go after the sporty Honda or Dodge models right away, instead having to make do with a Mini Cooper or a standard car. As you work your way through each race, however, the credits begin to stack up, which means you'll soon stockpile your custom garages with these beauties.

Now that's hot.

And what beauties they are. The cars are superbly modeled and react just like the real thing. It's not often in a racing game that you actually spot a slight shift in vehicle performance when you change gears, but the cars in Prologue do it wonderfully. The physics are spot-on for each vehicle, right down to cornering and handling. They still don't take any noticeable damage following a collision, but Polyphony still put a lot of work into this engine. You can also switch between 720p and 1080i on the fly, watching the action at a gorgeous sixty frames per second. (The replays run at thirty frames per second, but still look stunning.)

The tracks offer plenty of diversity as well. Some of the more complicated tracks make it difficult to get the first place win, while other straightforward offerings, such as the circular Daytona track, will help you get a feel for your vehicle. The London City Track is worth noting, if only because Polyphony faithfully recreated the city in a digital manner. The addition of a new on-track racing guide stripe is helpful for newbies as well, notifying you where you need to reduce your speed in order to make a turn. Of course, there are so many options to mess around with on your vehicle that it's literally impossible to get in a dead stop unless you intentionally cause it.

Another thing worth mentioning is the artificial intelligence. These drivers react just like real opponents would, right down to "boxing" you in as you try to slip past them into first place. If you prefer human competition, the game also supports two-player off-line racing, as well as online competition through the PlayStation Network. Unfortunately, the online mode wasn't available with this preview build. With 16-player support, though, it's worth looking forward to.

Even for a Prologue title, there's a lot to do. Various vehicle classes and types are available, over 40 in all. You can also take advantage of Gran Turismo TV, a dedicated channel that shows off your replays along with various bits of racing programming, such as the TV show Top Gear. You can also purchase new vehicles online once they become available, as well as customizing your garage. Here, you can monitor your friends list, chat with others and keep track of your personal records and replays. You can also fine-tune your stock of vehicles, in case you feel any aspect of their performance is slipping.

Waiting for the actual Gran Turismo 5 release is going to be a pain (it's not slated until at least 2009), but Prologue should make it easier to endure. We'll be back with the review once the game arrives next month. Rev those engines, racing junkies.

Related Links

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Game Guide

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