The game had quite an impressive setup, with it hooked up to a fully functional force feedback peripheral. There's nothing like playing arguably the most attractive looking racing game with a steering wheel and pedals. The demo was actually quite limiting though, with players only able to sample the Tokyo Route 246 track for two laps in a Subaru Impreza WRC 2009. It would have been nice to get a feel for one of the super cars, but that will have to wait a little bit longer.
As expected, the game looks great. The cars have, as expected, an impressive level of detail and the scenery just gets better and better each time the game is seen. Players of previous Gran Turismo titles will instantly feel at home, as not much has changed with regards to the hub, and the menu system is reminiscent of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.
The first surprising aspect of Gran Turismo 5 came with the AI. The opposition drivers are much more aggressive now than in previous games. They will have absolutely no problem taking you out of the race, and then further taking you out when you try to rejoin. It's easier to wait until the pack has passed and try to recuperate what's left. This in itself has made the experience much more challenging, and combined with the much tighter controls it looks like Gran Turismo 5 is going to need some dedication to master. Being aware of your opponent's position will be much more crucial in this game, so using the D-Pad to look around will become quite important, if you wish to remain on the track.
It's much easier to under-steer and over-steer in this version of Gran Turismo, leading to cars spinning when trying to go around a corner. However, once the correct line is nailed down, it's very satisfying to take corners with finesse and ease. There are the typical driving aids to help players out, such as suggested gear, and correct driving line. They can all be turned off, but it's unclear how it will affect rewards. There is a damage model implemented into the game, but it's actually quite difficult to notice. Unless the cars literally take some serious damage, nothing really happens to them. There are no minor dents and scratches, but the doors can sometimes take a bit of a beating.
Based on what we saw, Gran Turismo 5 is shaping up to be an extremely hardcore driving experience. The damage model doesn't really seem to be anything spectacular, which could put some people off, but in terms of a sheer racing simulation, it's hard to find a product with more detail.
Source: Gaming Union