Gran Turismo 2: Simulation.
It's a phrase that smacks of class and challenge in the same breath, a race car driving adventure
where it's all about your collection and the prestige that follows it.
It's not hard to see why the PlayStation had so much success with this game, as it was
released in an age where 3D graphics took center stage.
Showcasing the beautiful machines from the United States, Europe, and Japan in Gran Turismo
2 and making them look good was just as much of a challenge as making the driving controls
themselves as accurate as possible.
But Polyphony Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment did their job in making their acclaimed racing
series as close to a test drive or a car commercial as possible while at the same time providing
the exhilarating feel of the gorgeous and zippy automobiles that the world has come
to know and love.
In Gran Turismo 2's Simulation Mode, it's up to you to challenge world-class races,
earn enough scratch to collect all the cars in the game from Aston Martin to Volkswagen,
and make sure your driving skills are up to snuff with other racers that are trying to
do the same.
To get into any race in this game, you must first earn your license of choice, starting
with B-class and working all the way up to International A. With six license tests along
with the Super License, it's gonna take more practice than driving your mom's Buick through
the supermarket parking lot.
Just like when I was 16, this was no easy task.
Certain challenges must be met before tackling a race such as acceleration and braking at
a specific point, or looping around a corner as smoothly as possible while following the
yellow lines.
Complete each challenge with at least bronze level and you'll eventually receive the license,
giving you carte blanche to choose any race that corresponds to it.
It's in the races that you'll find out just how much work you have to do in order to earn
a car that doesn't handle like an oil tanker.
The main menu reminds me of the layout of the Final fight or Fatal Fury stage maps.
Apart from your home base there's four cities that all represent the cardinal directions,
each of them consisting of dealerships that will sell everything from Dodges and Chryslers
to Daihatsus and Renaults.
It will probably take a few months to amass a respectable if not huge collection of just
B-class cars.
There are hundreds to choose from, some of them so gorgeous and so sleek that to say
it will break your piggy bank is being kind.
The most fundamental challenge in GT2 is learning how to drive like you're racing.
The aforementioned license tests aren't there just for novelty, they are there for you to
earn gold status.
Your first race may very well be met with frustration and a last place finish, since
the game's handling is extremely sensitive to say the least.
Looking for openings and being opportunistic as well as having fundamentally sound driving
skills is imperative to your success.
Do not discount the track design, as each one is well crafted to test your skills and
your vehicle's performance, with sharp curves, tricky angles, and usually just one straightaway
that leads to the finish line.
To say that Gran Turismo 2 Simulation Mode is the best racing experience of its time
is merely scratching the surface of the game's significance.
Even today the game is so profoundly entertaining that I would suggest it to be one of the greatest
games in Playstation history.
Play arcade mode with your buddies and simulation mode for a more personal challenge.
Either way, you’re looking at one of the all-time most accurate and fun to play racing
simulators.