Are Sony PS3 owners paying to beta test GT5 (Gran Turismo 5 Prologue)?

Gran Turismo has become more popular than many people would have thought it would become, as it is now more than just a racing game. When the first Gran Turismo game was being made game developer Polyphony Digital had to approach many car manufactures so that they could include their vehicles on the game. How the tables have turned as it now seems as if the car makers want to see what the developers are going to do next.

With the new Gran Turismo 5 Prologue already released this is giving a taste of what we can expect once the full game is released some time next year. However; you have to ask the question “are we paying to beta test some new features.”
In the past Gran Turismo games feature a huge amount of events for us as the driver to compete in, from time trials, endurance racing and some rally racing thrown in to the mix. However; do not expect anything like that on Gran Turismo 5 prologue as it is just a glorified demo of the full game. In the demo game we have three tiers, each has a handful of races and challenges for you to compete, and if you manage to finish in the podium on each you will then move on to the next tier. Once you complete the first three you will unlock a secret group of challenges for you to compete in.

The greatest thing about the new game is that it is the first one from the Gran Turismo series to be playable online, with over 16 people being able to race each other on the internet. There is one problem with this though as the setup is a little backwards, it does not have a friends list and you do not get the choice to choose your track or settings, but as this is a new feature we should be thankful that we have this function.

The new demo allows you to download videos; this showcases new cars and events that will be coming in the future. Sony has said that they plan to expand on the cars and tracks through downloadable updates, but what sticks in my mind is how you are having to pay money for this game with less that half the content than you would expect.

If you liked GT2 and GT3 then you will feel right at home with GT5 prologue as it mixes the driving simulator with fun. If you want to get the best from the game, then I advise you to get a racing steering wheel to connect to your PS3, if not then at least get a new dual shock three controllers. This will allow you to drive better as you can get a feel when you are pushing the car to much.

So we know that as a racing simulator GT5 is great, but there is one big downside and that is the online gameplay. Online play is up and down, the setup options are poor and the lack of voice chat makes this part of the game below par. That is not all, there is always connection issues as well as sometimes being able to bump and grind with someone, and then sometimes you can’t. The problem is the main part of the game is so polished and this only makes the online troubles stand out even more, but I am certain that a future patch will fix these problems in due course.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is indeed a superb game but there is no getting away from the fact that it is only a stop gap until the real game hits us. One thing that gamers will moan about is how high the price is for what you are getting.

So the question I ask is Are Sony PS3 owners paying to beta test GT5?

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