The great GT5 debate: how many cars is too many cars?

This glass is one-fifth full! This glass is four-fifths empty!

By Edwin Evans-Thirlwell, December 1, 2010



If there’s one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb among the dozens of digits jerked accusingly in Gran Turismo 5‘s direction, it’s the quibble about standard versus premium cars. I have yet to play Polyphony Digital’s latest and, given the abrupt implosion of my PS3′s optical drive, probably won’t be playing it for a while, but when a game attracts censure (and I here respectfully beg to differ with VGD’s Rupert Higham) for offering a “mere” 200 mind-bendingly handsome roadsters alongside 800 passable re-renderings of GT4 motors, you can’t help but wonder if brains have come loose from their moorings.


Sure, GT5′s been hyped and held, hyped and held for so long that many of the models that once dominated its promotional materials probably qualify as antiques, and scratches in the polish are rather less forgivable as a consequence. But you know what? Take a teaspoon of old-fashioned, wholesome proportion. Purge your memory of all the despairing “are we nearly there yet” comments threads you’ve patronised over the past five years, and allow yourself, just for a moment or two, to appreciate the fact that 200 new cars is an awful lot of new cars.


200. Two hundred. Twenty times ten. Forty times five. Say it. That’s a large number. Too large, even, in the eyes of Slightly Mad’s Andy Tudor (whom we recently interviewed).


It’s not like you’ll burn through those rides like so many bags of peanuts, either. These are serious bloody automobiles, with suspension and afterburners and leather seatbacks and stuff. You’ll want to get to know ‘em. You’ll want to learn to love ‘em. You’ll want to tune, tuck and tweak ‘em till they can take no more. If you don’t, you’re playing the wrong game. Right?


Maybe I’m wrong. Perhaps you’ve already digested GT5′s cutting-edge suite, and are now staring at last generation’s makeovers with an ashy taste in your mouth and the unmistakeable subterranean ache of a closet Forza Motorsports fan. I’m more of a Mario Kart/WipEout kinda guy, after all – as far as I’m concerned 30+ vehicles is a little gratuitous.


Let me (and the world) know below.


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5 Responses to “The great GT5 debate: how many cars is too many cars?”

  1. Nathan Six says:

    It’s quite pathetic really, how many 360 fanbabies are crying simply because their family is too poor to afford a PS3. Anybody who’s actually played GT 5 would not have a bad word to say about it so it’s obvious the only complaints are coming from Microsoft’s no – life internet cheerleading squad.

    The only reason those half – wait morons have so much time to waste is because the 360 hasn’t had a single exclusive game in the past 2 years to keep them entertained. Gran Turismo 5 is on course to sell more in 2 weeks than Flopza 3 did in a whole year! LAFF!!!

    That just proves that 360 exclusives are low – quality piles of instantly forgettable, throwaway garbage that are not worth playing and sales prove that.

    • Nevellin says:

      Actually you really said anything about this article.
      Try harder next time.

      Well, Im not this kind of auto whore, but I have friends that got every vehicle in GT4 (and GT2) in less than 2 months, so… I believe Sony knows that some of their fans are crazy guys with too much time to spend and they WILL spend playing GT5 and because of this they throw every good car model in their archive in this game.

  2. Axe99 says:

    I’m playing through GT5 now and all 1000 cars are very much worth having in the game. Sure, not every fan will like all 1000, but it almost guarantees everyone will have one of their favourite motors in the game.

    On the by, the standard cars are no slouches either. They drive _exactly_ the same as the premiums. And given the game is all about driving, it makes the standards pretty useful. Sure, they’re not as good for photo mode (although still fine from most angles and from a distance, although there are some fairly average bits as well – don’t try looking too closely at the back of a Hommel Berlinetti ;) ), but most of the time you can barely tell the difference in-race whether you’re racing against standard or premium cars.

    Indeed, the amount of negativity about GT5 you find on the net is mind-boggling. I have no doubt that most of it is from people who either haven’t played the game, or who played the game expecting something other than a sim-style racer (Shift fans, for instance, who were duped into think that game was a sim, when it’s much close to Burnout with realistic physics). For anyone who knows anything about sim-style racing games, GT5 is the best yet released. Any review that suggests otherwise is simply misinformed.

  3. Matt says:

    Nathan, you go on to say that only 360 fanboys will insult PS3 games but then you go on to insult 360 games? Really? I’ve known 5th graders with more class than you. For as much as you hate the so-called “Microsoft’s no – life internet cheerleading squad” you are obviously in PS3′s no – life internet cheerleading squad. To say that a game has absolutely no faults is ludicrous and the fact that you are wasting your time to post derogatory remarks about you game you probably never played because it’s comparable to a game that you should be playing instead of writing this hypocritical piece of idiocy proves that you would prefer to trashtalk than play it. And if any one decides to say that my post proves I have no life as well, I’ll accept it for the mere fact that video games is my passion and for any to disrespect that passion such as Nathan has deserves my attention.

  4. Ben says:

    Hey Matt, well put! I’ve played both games, both have faults…i’m lucky enough to afford both. And btw if anyone wants to add f1 to the list of cars and tracks to trest out F1 2010 is ALSO a great racing game…it has just as many cars as tracks…but it’s AMAZING… check them ALL out ….love them ALL!

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