Gran Turismo 6 is almost ready to pull out of the garage for PlayStation 3 owners, set to debut this Friday as both a retail release and PlayStation Network download. It’s more than a simple coat of paint. Polyphony Digital threw in a variety of classic and new features worth getting excited about. Some won’t be available day one, but the total package will make Gran Turismo 6 a fierce competitor on the virtual race track.
That said, we came up with a list of the 10 biggest features you’ll want to take advantage of, in an easy-to-read Q & A style format.
10.) What online features are available through mobile devices in Gran Turismo 6?
When you’re away from your PS3 console, you’ll be able to access stats and club features through a separate app that will be released for both iOS and Android. Although it won’t be available day one, we expect it before the end of the year/early 2014.
9.) What improvements have been made to online racing in Gran Turismo 6?
You have a number of options available when it comes to online racing. Quick Match foregoes having to wait on friends and immediately puts you on the road against random competitors, while a new Open Lobby mode lets you create the racing game of your dreams, with room for up to 16 players in a private or public setting. You can even set up your own custom racing events to see who’s king – or queen – of the road.
8.) What is Vision Gran Turismo?
Vision Gran Turismo is a new mode introduced specifically to celebrate the series’ 15th anniversary. A number of car makers, including SRT, Volkswagen, Zarato, Mazda, Bertone and others have created vehicles made just for Gran Turismo. This festival mode will introduce them all in a timely manner, giving racers the opportunity to give these vehicles a test drive. There’s no word yet on how these vehicles will be distributed, but Special Events and online tournaments seem like a safe bet.
7.) How does the Red Bull X Challenge work in Gran Turismo 6?
Polyphony Digital collaborated with Red Bull to create a new racing car called the X2014, which comes in three different models that players can test out – Junior, Standard and Fan Car, depending on what style of play people prefer. Through the Red Bull X Challenge, players can earn the opportunity to go hands-on with these cars and other vehicles while getting racing guidance from the tournament’s main champion, Sebastian Vettel. If you’re serious about competitive racing, this mode is definitely worth checking out.
6.) How do special and online events work in Gran Turismo 6?
Polyphony Digital cares quite a bit about its community, and will offer events for several months following the game’s release. Some will be unlocked over the course of the Career Mode, including the Apollo 15 expedition run and the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed, while others will be offered for a limited time directly from the developer. Those haven’t been revealed yet, but racing fans will certainly be in for a surprise once they appear.
5.) What modifications have improved in Gran Turismo 6?
Like other games in the series, Gran Turismo 6 allows you to modify several parts on your vehicles to improve their overall performance. If the tires (or, as Polyphony puts it, “tyres”) don’t offer much traction, you can always save up in-game currency and buy a new set. You can also change tuning and custom parts however you see fit, with hundreds of variations available. In addition, you can change up your paint job, perform pit service to make sure everything’s up to par (even oil changes) and modify your racing gear so that it fits more to your driving style. Customization has never been better in the series.
4.) How has the online community improved in Gran Turismo 6?
The developer clearly understands how vital community is to its racing games, and Gran Turismo 6 is no exception. You’ll be able to put together friends lists with ease and take part in the online events we mentioned beforehand. An upcoming update to the game will also bring clubs into the fold, allowing you to create your own private or public clubs that friends or others can join with the simple press of a button. Just be warned – some will require you to prove your driving worth, so make sure you get enough practice.
3.) How have the driving mechanics improved in Gran Turismo 6?
As fans are well aware, the feel of a driving game can be everything – and there can be subtle differences between models provided by Audi and Porsche. Polyphony Digital – headed by director and racing enthusiast Kazunori Yamauchi – went to great lengths working with its technical experts to assure the feel of each vehicle was just right, behind aerodynamics and direct vehicle analysis. Driving won’t feel any more real than this – unless Gran Turismo 7 has something to say about it.
2.) What replay and photo options are available in Gran Turismo 6?
A lot. A new Replay mode allows you to play back races you just completed, changing camera options however you wish and even rewinding and fast-forwarding to pivotal points in the event. You can also capture sector times for each individual car, and save certain moments however you please in the game’s Race Photo mode.
In addition, you can also take advantage of Photo Travel, using a realistic SLR camera to capture ideal moments on each track, whether it’s the Ronda, the Valencia City of Arts and Sciences or the Gemasolar in Spain. You can also place two cars in each location to photograph, instead of just the one.
1.) What changes have been made to the Course Maker in Gran Turismo 6?
The Course Maker has returned and is better than ever. Available through an upcoming update, this will allow you to make your own custom tracks, which you can share with others through the PlayStation Network. In addition, a new GPS-supported system through the mobile app will recreate some of your favorite real road designs for the game, which you can also share with others. Using a Controller Area Network (or CAN for short), you can use this coordinated data to make the tracks over again in digital form. It’s a quick and painless process that you can challenge fellow drivers with – even if it’s a winding road leading to the grocery store.
Gran Turismo 6 will arrive this Friday for PlayStation 3.
