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Gran Turismo 7 is the latest installment of the 25-year-old series which has made an appearance with a new title on all five main iterations of the PlayStation. As a result of this, in celebration, for better or for worse, GT7 has gone back to the 90s in its approach to gameplay.
In returning to its roots, however, the game does seem very different in the world of the modern motorsport simulator - where everyone is used to things being completely open to customize and play with right from the start.
So here's a guide as to where to get started with Gran Turismo 7:
You Need To Unlock Most Tracks And Game Features
Grant Turismo 7 is, in some ways, the greatest hits of the different features from Gran Turismo games of old: the map from the original Gran Turismo mode makes a return, as do some of the more quirky series features - such as the car wash and the iconic original fictional tracks such as Trial Mountain and Deep Forest.
However, there is one crucial element of classic Gran Turismo gameplay that features in Gran Turismo 7, and it is the fact that you must progress through the game to unlock more features and tracks. In modern sports games this sort of thing is practically unheard of, so might come as a shock to any Gran Turismo series newcomers. Brand Central, Tuning, and even the Car Wash are all locked out until you progress through the Menu Tasks assigned from the cafe.
At the start of a new game, you are able only able to buy three very-much-not-racing cars and can only access the Cafe. You must then complete different activities and level up to unlock the game's features. These activities are known as Menu Books within GT7 - and range in objectives from simply completing a race, to collecting a specific set of cars for your garage.
There's Now Dynamic Weather And You Need To Pick The Right Tires For It
While there were weather settings towards the end of Gran Turismo Sport's life, proper dynamic weather appears in Gran Turismo 7 - with realistic changing track and atmospheric conditions offering an extra dynamic to racing.
As you are not always driving out-and-out racing cars in GT7, driving in the rain is fairly simple - as the car will have standard road tires that will provide enough grip to do that. However, once you unlock the Sports and Racing tires in the Turning Shop, note that the game will not automatically switch you back to weather-appropriate tires, and it is easy to start a race and then just slide off the track at the first corner if you forget.
Just as in real life, rain can fall in different parts of a circuit where others are bone dry. This means that you will face a conundrum that real-life racing drivers and engineers face: do you risk staying on faster race tires only to spin-off? Or do you switch to slower rain tires that provide you with more grip?
To make this even more difficult (unless you set the weather yourself in the custom race mode) there's no icon or indicator for you to see what the weather is before the race. You must use your eyes at first, though there is a weather radar once you are in the race - you access it by pressing Right or Left on the D-pad to cycle through the in-race menu.
If you are a beginner and/or new to racing games, then it is always best to take the safest option on tires if you are unsure of weather conditions - which means always picking the one with the most tread, whether that be a road tire or the racing wets.
You Can't Buy New Cars Straight Away
The Brand Central system of buying new cars returns from Gran Turismo Sport, however, it is not possible to start buying brand new cars right away. This might confuse some people, especially if you have ground your way to make a lot of credits at the start of the game, only to find you can't buy yourself your dream Ferrari just yet.
Just as other gameplay features, it must be unlocked by progressing through the Menu Book and Collector Level System. But don't panic, it won't be too long until you can start exploring all the marquees GT6 has to offer.
Don't Forget The Other Races Outside Of The Menu Books
Aside from the races that the menu books encourage you to take part in, there are additional races (all with some great retro names such as European Sunday Cup 500), available at each circuit as you progress. These can be a great way of bolstering your credit balance without too much hassle, and also a great way of quickly obtaining cars for any Menu Book collections without having to race for them as prizes.
Your Own Custom Races Will Also Reward You Credits
The custom race system in Gran Turismo 7 is virtually identical to the one in Gran Turismo Sport. And just as in GT Sport, you are rewarded with credits for custom races based on a sliding scale as to how easy the race is to win. Here are some tips on obtaining easy credits this way:
- The longer the race, the more credits you will receive. However, racing for hours on one circuit is quite 'grindy' and, frankly, boring. So instead race lots of short races at different circuits to vary things up. It will also help you learn lots of different tracks
- Turn the Boost option off, increase the Number of Cars to 20, and place yourself at the back of the starting grid. All of these options affect prize credits.
- If you are starting from the back of the grid, changing the Start Type to a grid start makes things far easier without reducing your prize credits
- Slipstream Strength doesn't change the prize credits. This makes races much easier when starting from the back, even if it is unrealistic. Turning off mechanical damage, fuel consumption, damage, and lowing off-track grip reduction also makes races easier but does not cost any credits.
- Change the Opponent's Difficulty to Professional but keep the Opponent Selection as random. The difficulty only changes the AI's skill - not the car that they drive. While one-make makes for a more challenging experience, racing against random cars is far easier.
Complete The Daily Workouts
The Daily Workout is an easy way of obtaining a daily Roulette Ticket - GT7's random prize system that can reward you with new cars, credits, or parts. To complete it, you simply need to drive the length of a marathon within 24 hours (that's 42.195km or 25 miles 385 yards, for the non-runners out there). You can do this in any mode, car, or circuit - and includes races that you quit early from.
If you have access to some sticky tape, you can try an old Gran Turismo trick that's as old as the series itself: tape down the R2 on your controller while racing at the Northern Isle Speedway. When your car is against the barrier, it will follow the path around the track without any input needed from you. You can then go off and do something else to complete the daily workout.