From the opening countdown klaxon, Gran Turismo 7 often feels like a revival of the original 1997 game. It instantly takes me back to being 16, upgrading a Mitsubishi GTO and strategizing how to out-race my dad on Trial Mountain, despite being stuck with a subpar controller.
This nostalgic charm is something special that only a long-established video game series can achieve. Gran Turismo 7 captures this essence, combining the addictive car upgrading loop from the series with impressive visuals and excellent handling. However, the game is more than just a trip down memory lane; it also innovates, despite holding onto a few outdated elements.
But you don’t need nostalgia to enjoy Gran Turismo 7. It’s the most accessible game in the series, offering numerous hours of guided races and tasks aimed at introducing new players to the GT world.
Central to this is the Gran Turismo Café, a quirky hub in the game’s world map created by the developers at Polyphony. Here, the café owner gives players 39 “menu books” containing specific races and tasks. These guide new players through GT’s essentials, from obtaining licenses and acquiring cars to customization and racing.
While long-time fans might find some aspects repetitive, the career races and rewards like a variety of cars make it worthwhile.
Gran Turismo 7 indeed stands out as the most welcoming iteration of the series. Players can win many more cars than they could afford to buy during their initial week with GT7.
However, the game doesn’t shy away from realism in economy: payouts aren’t overly generous, and some car upgrades, like expensive tyres or $100,000 nitrous systems, can be surprisingly costly.
Even the broad selection of official manufacturer paint colors in the design booth comes at a price.
