Sony has just given us a ton of information about the upcoming Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, and it looks like for many fans, it may be enough of a game to forget about the "full" version altogether. Prologue will include 60 vehicles, along with 14 additionally tuned cars, racing across six tracks, each with two layouts. The game will also feature split-screen racing in addition to the 16-player online races. The game will be released on April 17 for $39.99 on Blu-ray disc or via a direct download on the PlayStation Store.
The tracks will include Suzuka Speedway, Eiger Nordwand, Fuji Speedway, London City Track, Daytona International Speedway, and High Speed Ring. The list of features is likewise intense:
- Drift Mode—The player's drifting technique is measured based on drift angles, racing lines, and speeds within evaluation zones located at various turns on the course.
- In Depth Car Tuning—Players have the ability to adjust the vehicle's performance, including power, weight, tires and suspension.
- Two-player Split Screen Racing—Allows players to race head-to-head against friends and foes offline.
- New Race Events—New racing events and time trials are available for players to race both offline and online. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue supports up to 16 players racing online simultaneously.
"A new in-cockpit view features real-time gauges and human animations that accurately represent the true performance and handling of each vehicle," Sony goes on. "More dynamic and adjustable Artificial Intelligence, a user homepage called My Page and a new physics engine round out some of the other features players can expect in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. To extend the realistic driving experience, Prologue is also compatible with the new DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller, which has vibration functionality."
In other words, this "limited" version of Gran Turismo 5 is friggin' packed to the gills. This is more fleshed out than some other $60 racing games, and I have a feeling it will sell a good amount of PlayStation 3 systems. The Blu-ray version will also include a video called "Beyond the Apex," which won't be available via download.
Hopefully purchase of Prologue will give you some sort of discount when Gran Turismo 5 proper comes out, but even that unanswered question may not be enough to dissuade eager car fans from picking this up for $40. Don't forget to check out our coverage of the official Gran Turismo 5 wheel being released by Logitech as well.
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