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Finally, something overtakes GT

By WILLIAM BARKER

Gran Turismo was one of the defining driving games to hit any console over the past five years and it saw a whole plethora of clones where the player could tweak and tinker. Because that's what it's all about - customisation, the ability to tinker and tweak then see the difference it has made. Contenders to the GT throne of driving perfection? None, until now that is.

Enter Sega GT.

Sega has brought together a game that not only challenges Digital Polyphony's epochal effort, but goes on to humiliate it. The strange thing is, at first it seemed too shallow and overly sensitive. How wrong can you be? Anyone even remotely familiar with the PSX copy of Gran Turismo will instantly tune in to SGT. You can choose to race in a two-player duel, a single race, time trials and lastly championship.

You start out with just enough cash to buy one of half-a-dozen cars, all of which are rather feeble, but they run. You can fiddle with your car, from the ride height, down force and cambers, to the tyre tread, gear ratios and super-charger output. To call the list of variables comprehensive would be insulting. You can buy new and used cars, and get this, you can even build your own car! That's right, punters; this new option is the first of its kind in the console-racing genre.

Other options include racing in a huge variety of events, from sponsored races to championships and drag races. All up there is a smidge over 150 cars to choose from and all can be modified to the max. Let's not forget the custom car option either, which makes the car count go up to about, um, a million. Different engines, different engine displacements, different drive systems, different chassis, the list goes on.

Time to get down and dirty because all the options in the world aren't going to save a poorly constructed game engine. The good news is that SGT plays like a dream, consequently all the extra options and tweaking add tenfold to the longevity and enjoyment of the title. Initially I thought the controls to be a tad rigid, but after playing the game for a long time the conclusion is that this game rocks. After driving around in the very low-rent Cappuccino with decidedly lame under-steer, soon after moving up to a shiny new Celica you begin to realise how intricate and varied this game is. Racing is not simply a case of putting the pedal to the metal and turning the wheel.

Taking corners is both a skill and a joy that involves braking well in advance of the corner, turning the car and accelerating through the apex. Most realistic racers work in this manner, but SGT manages to do it with enough class that it never becomes a chore. Gearing up and down through your car's transmission is also a lot more complex than one would be led to believe. This is shown in acute detail when you race the two different drag strips, as every thousandth of a second counts.

The visuals are grouse. After playing Crazy Taxi like a manic fisherman for weeks, I thought the DC had reached its first-gen pinnacle. But no, SGT comes out with some of the smoothest, most scintillating and detailed visuals I've ever seen. If this were an arcade machine you'd see spectators jostling for a better spot in the arcade parlour. The textures present are so highly detailed I think my GeForce would run off shrieking like a banshee in terror. This game is one of the hottest looking around.

Sega GT is a colossal game worthy of anyone's library and is not only a great challenger to Gran Turismo, it beats it, both in gameplay and visuals. It could be seen as a rip-off from Gran Turismo - and in many respects it is - however, there are enough new knobs and levels to bring it out on top.

ORIGINALITY 75%
SOUND/GRAPHICS 95%
PLAYABILITY 95%
ADDICTION 90%
ENJOYMENT 95%