Gran Turismo 2 (Sony PlayStation 1, 1999)

A by-the-numbers look at this pure driving simulation shows how much depth this game offers. First off, the game comes on two CDs. The first CD offers arcade-mode racing, which features one-player races and two-player split-screen competition. When a player places first on a track, a hidden car is unlocked. The second CD is the more valuable of the two; it offers the Gran Turismo simulation mode. In this ultra-realistic, one-player-only mode, you earn credits by winning races - credits that you can then use to buy additional cars and upgrades. To unlock more races, you must pass a series of driving tests (at least 50 to start) to obtain licenses. These licenses can then be transferred (via memory card) to unlock new tracks in the arcade mode; in addition, the cars created in the Gran Turismo mode can be raced head-to-head in the arcade mode as well. For those who've played the original, all this will be familiar territory. For those new to the series, it'll be an overwhelming experience to wade through.

Back to the numbers: The game features more than 400 car models from various years, covering everything from lowly compacts such as the Volkswagen Golf to muscle cars like the Chevrolet Corvette. There are also special off-road rally cars and high-performance super sports cars (for the wealthy). These are not mere graphical swaps either, as each car has its own unique performance and handling specifications. The attention to and depth of detail imprinted on each car gives this game virtually enough credibility to stand as an interactive encyclopedia on performance racing cars. In addition, you have almost 50 real-life car manufacturers to choose from (including all the big car names known worldwide), and each manufacturer has cars, car parts, and special racing events specific to its brand. In terms of car parts, you get an extensive modification list that ranges from the engine to the muffler - even hubcaps can be altered. Imagine earning enough money to buy every type of car from every manufacturer - that's the mind-boggling quest that Gran Turismo 2 lets you undertake.

More numbers: The game's ads boast more than 40 tracks, although the real number floats just under 30 - the ads count the 20 or so courses that can be driven in reverse as separate tracks. Still, 30 is a grand total most gamers will be satisfied with, given the wide variety of the tracks: everything from the streets of Rome and Seattle to the legendary Laguna Seca. A few tracks are identical to those in the original Gran Turismo, which might not pose a challenge to veterans of the first game.

So there I was... it's round about 2 pm at the office, it's the holiday season, I'm bored as hell, irritated as hell and I can't wait to get home to finish killing Fallout 3. No stress though, since I'm in the best place for a gamer right? LOL. So I'm reading a mates blog here on gamespot when I check to see that he rated Grand Turismo 2 sometime back.

So I have this flashback... and it's not so difficult to actually compile this review, since the experience with this game is as clear as Darth Vader telling Anakin Skywalker that he is his father (LOL). And so I stop and marvel at this game as I remember how spectecular it was (and still is in some departments).

First thing I got to say is that for a game that was released in 1999 to have graphics that still look so great 9 years later the visuals team for this game were just pure visionary. So one would ask, "if I'm so impressed with the visuals 9 years later, how impressed was I when I got this game?" Well I guess a smart individual can see that that's one of the reasons I played the game for 100 or more hours.

Asides from the environments and the visuals of an endless rooster of cars, I was hooked on the playability. I think this game was one of the first few games that started to give players the ability to modify their car's perfomence in detail. I remember tuning my cars damper, camber, gear ratio, spring/coil absorbability, def slip ratio and stuff I wasn't even familiar with when I was a kid. I think to a certain extent it's one of the main reason I wanted to become an engineer just to understand what all of that stuff meant. Games like these are rare and are only abundant to the GT series. Not only does a player enjoy games like these... but they experience things that not everyone can, and might become influenced to do great things.

The realism didn't end there though. Not only could players tune their cars like real engineers... but you could also race like a true racer. I remember my parents starting to take interest as to why I would engage in 1 hour long and sometimes 2 hour long races (LOL). One could enjoy different kinds of races, from Rally to the typical course races, with some races involving cars with certain class, vehicle type, tuned/untuned and even power. I heard from another mate of mine that the racing locations are also all real. The most difficult track for me of cause being The Laguna Seca.

One could also choose from an endless number of car manufacturers from around the globe. I learned of so many car manufacturer names, that I was like an encyclopedia of car manufacturers in my group of young car enthusiasts at that time. From the known names like Mercedes-Benz to the more unknown names like RUF, Tommy-Kaira and other alternative names of manufacturers, like how sometimes the car brand Opel is also referred to as Vauxhal. From ordinary vehicles already known to the mass to more unfamiliar concept cars, a player can choose from an endless array of vehicles to buy, mod and compete in. Too bad some cars, which most people wanted to possess in the game, could only be acquired by winning special races.

One of the offsets the game has is that it doesn't have any car damage and the player often felt like racing in a sterile environment but eirther than that, the game is worth a spin for anyone who enjoys circuit racing or just wants a 'ride down memory lane' .

Gran Turismo 2 is fundamentally based on the racing game genre. The player must maneuver an automobile to compete against artificially intelligent drivers on various race tracks. The game uses two different modes: arcade and simulation. In the arcade mode, the player can freely choose the courses and vehicles they wish to use. However, the simulation mode requires the player to earn driver's licenses, pay for vehicles, and earn trophies in order to unlock new courses. Gran Turismo 2 features nearly 650 automobiles and 27 racing tracks.

Unlike its predecessor, the player can race events separately, instead of a tournament with multiple races. The player is no longer able to "qualify" for each race entered.
[edit] Development

After the unexpected success of Gran Turismo, lead developer Kazunori Yamauchi planned to make Gran Turismo 2 "an even better product".[3] SCEA's marketing director (Ami Blaire) had high hopes, stating "the overwhelming and continuing popularity of Gran Turismo clearly positions Gran Turismo 2 to be one of the hottest titles available for the holidays and beyond".[4] Jack Tretton (sales vice president of SCEA) had similar enthusiasm, expecting Gran Turismo 2 to "fly off the shelves faster than the original, continuing the momentum of this incredible franchise".[5]

Upon the game's release, players shortly found various errors and glitches. SCEA did not ignore the outcry, and offered a replacement if any problems occurred.[6] One of them was when a player finishes the game and got everything they could, their percentage says 98.8%. The other glitch was that no matter what, even if a player saves the game, cars can disappear from their garage.

Well, what can we say about GT2 for the playstation that hasn’t already been said? Well I can make it very simple. Great game with few things changed from the original but with a few more ingredients to make the whole dish a little bit more tasty. This is typical of the GranTurismo series, but the question posed now is.. for how long will this factor be appreciated? Or indeed, would too much change make this an entirely different game?. Lets look at GT2. Firstly what do we notice? Well it comes on two discs. This is the first feature that puts a smile on our faces as we realize we are in for a treat. The first CD is more for arcade style racing while CD two is the simulation mode where the series racing takes place and we try and crack the 100% barrier. Again we race cars, gain credits, upgrade our cars, race even more cars, then buy new cars and upgrade them and so on. This is the way of the GT series and be prepared to give up a few months of your time if you are to complete this game. Be warned, it will not happen overnight and will require the patience of a patron saint. This said, I think that the challenge and difficulty of the game is the most rewarding part, and we wade through the game knowing that after months of hard driving we will have mastered and tamed a great racing sim. So 2 CDs and this game has Longevity, what else?
Well, there are more cars to choose from. Always a welcome feature. Over four hundred car models to ponder. There are over twenty tracks also for us to commit to memory. The cars are super realistic and each and everyone drive true to their manufacturers specs. Realism in this area was obviously paramount and really makes this game. There are license test to unlock more tracks and this adds to the feeling of suspense as we want to progress faster however some awkward license test always hold us back. Graphically the graphics don’t differ too much from the first GT but it does make you relish what might come up graphically in GT3. The AI was a bit of a let down again. You are able to bump and bounce of other cars and nudge by into first place and occasional damage might make this game extremely intriguing. So what do we think all in all?
A great game that offers lots of enjoyment to the user and will keep you hooked for months. There will never be a dull moment with this game and you will find it hard to pry your eyes away. Graphically you will want more and you will await every new GT game with baited breath. A true winner in every sense with very few faults.

Well, I am a dedicated gamer, especially to racing games and rpg's. I have owned all the Gran Turismo's, and I must say, GT2 is my all-time favorite in the Gran Turismo arena. Of course, the game being made in the late '90s, the graphics cannot hold up to competitors like Need for Speed Underground 2, but the realism of this game is out of control! The amount of cars to choose from is outrageous compared to some of the racing games of the time, like Need For Speed: High Stakes, which came out the same year, but has less than 3% of the choice of fine racing machines to choose from that is offered in GT2. Over 500 cars are available to choose from in GT2, ranging from some of the most exotic cars (i.e.Alfa Romeo, Ashton Martin, Citroen, Lotus, Peugot, Shelby, etc.) to some of the everyday cars, like the Mitsubishi Lancer. The soundtrack on GT2 is hip and totally appropriate, and I personally love it. The game comes with two discs, the simulation mode disc, and the arcade disc. The arcade disc is for those of us who can't wait to race. The simulation mode is deep, and Sony really went out of its way to make sure that you were getting a high quality item when your purchased GT2. An entire reference manual comes with the game, and gives you the low-down on how to optimize your racing skills. Did I mention that this game is compatible with analog control? Thats right, no more having to kill your thumbs trying to turn that corner-you can use the analog control! This feature is one of my favorite, as is the vibration function that lets you feel the road! I don't mean to go on and on, but this game is the one to buy, no matter if your just looking for a quality racing game, or looking to go oldschool from your current PS2, PS3, XBox, or XBox 360 racing games. Oh, did I mention that if your considering buying this game, do it! You won't regret it!