It occurred to us, as we navigated through Gran Turismo 5 Prologue's version of London, that this is the perfect visual companion to PlayStation 3. Here's a console-sleek, expensive, fully loaded- that begs for attention. Gamers don't buy this machine to play Xbox 360 ports. They crave its sex appeal, that "look at me" attitude that has them gushing over Blu-ray movies gloriously displayed in high-definition. GT5 falls in line with this philosophy, delivering a gorgeous looking, damn near photo-realistic experience that begs to be gawked at. It also helps that it's entertaining, a solid playing racer that serves as the appetizer to GT5.

With that said, Prologue isn't the most feature packed game in the decade old series. You'll get to drive 70 real world cars from 30 manufacturers, including the Ferrari F40, Nissan GT-R, Aston Martin DB9 and the Audi R8. In addition, the game has only six tracks, such as Daytona and the aforementioned London. Sure, each one has new parts to unlock and there's the option of racing in reverse, but that's a paltry number compared to other racers, especially when it comes to earning cash to unlock new vehicles. With some cars costing in the millions, having to visit the same tracks multiple times gets boring, especially when the payout is sometimes 5,000 credits.

On the positive side, not all racing games have 150 cars, and the more we thought about Polyphony Digital's selection, the more we realized it trimmed the fat by eliminating some of the lame rides no one should want to drive. Second, despite the low track count, we appreciate the developer's attention to detail. GT5 Prologue is, without question, one of the most gorgeous video games in existence. This isn't just some standard issue racer with a pretty exterior. This is a labor of love, Polyphony's gift to the masses. Once you see the water, the cloud dotted blue sky and the sunlight reflecting off the tracks, not to mention the beautiful cars, you'll obsessively watch replays to admire the craftsmanship.

Besides, even with just six tracks, there's a wealth of things to do. On the single player front, you can compete in C, B, A and S class races in the hopes of winning bronze, silver and gold trophies. In addition, Prologue's Arcade Mode lets you hop behind the driver's seat and enjoy a quick race, drift or time trials. In addition, the game comes with online play, letting you enjoy silky smooth 16 person races and the option of posting your best lap times on the leader boards.

And if you obsess over cars, then you'll enjoy tweaking your vehicle, adjusting its suspension, weight, tires and overall power. We don't find this option as deep as the customization in Microsoft's Forza Motorsport 2, but it suffices.

There's also no debate about how excellent this game plays. Every car feels different, from the weight behind the wheel to how it handles. Mastering each one bumps up the replay value significantly, as does scraping credits together to buy that last Ferrari. Furthermore, the game's cockpit view puts you, literally, behind the wheel of each vehicle, and you'll marvel at the attention to detail.

Visuals, of course, are the Gran Turismo series bread and butter, and Prologue never disappoints. Reflections off cars, heat shimmers, snowcapped mountains, realistic looking water and asphalt; Gran Turismo 5 blows away every racing game on the market, even the much beloved Project Gotham Racing franchise. Prepare to drool over replays, admiring Polyphony's work from all possible angles, in addition to marveling at each car's signature engine noise. Brilliant stuff.

In fact, the company isn't done, as it plans to not only release downloadable content (in the form of realistic car damage) but also the game's successor, the much-anticipated Gran Turismo 5. But for now, Prologue is a great racing experience that, at just $39.99 via Blu-ray disc or download, justifies dropping the cash on a PlayStation 3. Step onto the track and get behind the wheel of this muscle machine. We left the keys in the ignition.

Related Links

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Game Guide