License Grand Touring is used to redefining the standards in terms of racing simulators. And that’s exactly what it’s doing today with its seventh entry that brings realism and modernity to a proven formula. Fans of the genre could not dream of better.
The simple roar of the engines of Grand Touring 7, landed on PlayStation consoles this week, is likely to make fans of the video game saga salivate. We understand them. For his 25e anniversary, it offers itself a new chapter that is more generous and realistic than ever with, among other things, an impressive fleet of 420 vehicles.
Do you want to drive the car of your wildest dreams? Overpriced racing cars? No problem. But be patient all the same. Because, in its realism, this new offering makes us start at the bottom of the scale, with a restricted budget, initially limiting the player to three compact models signed Mazda, Nissan and Honda. It is only through races and challenges that we will obtain the means to afford more flamboyant and, ultimately, more powerful vehicles.
All this takes place in a universe that unfolds like a small town – or an all-inclusive that travelers love so much – where different places allow you to explore different fringes of the game. to admire our collection of racing cars, the race track to stretch, or even the café to obtain challenges to take up and chat with other aficionados, we choose our route as we please, in complete freedom.
For the experts
Those for whom the automobile – from all angles – is more of a hobby than a passion will, however, find certain aspects of this Grand Touring 7 rather talkative.
We are offered, among other things, the opportunity to explore under the hood of these cars, telling us in great detail the different characteristics of each model or the history of the different brands present in the stable offered to the player. It’s easy to get lost, as in the intricacies of vehicle modifications including brake pads, suspension, air filter and other mufflers.
In short, we are very far from the voluntary simplicity (but all the same very effective) of Mario Kart and Company.
Grand Touring is therefore indeed for car lovers, those who are passionate about mechanics and their springs. It’s very commendable, of course, and it will greatly appeal to this target audience. For the others, certain obligatory passages – therefore impossible to bypass with a click – will seem endless.
Behind the wheel
But once on the track, at the wheel of our racing car, many inconveniences are quickly forgotten in front of the deployment of the charms of Grand Touring 7more impressive for PlayStation 5 owners.
The haptic feedback function of the DualSense controller allows you to feel each of the textures and roughness of the race tracks and the vagaries of the weather, in addition to the heart rate of the pilot during particularly tense sequences.
You can also choose to use the joystick like a steering wheel, controlling the trajectory of your vehicle by tilting it from left to right. This gives the impression of being seated in the car, rather than simply controlling it remotely. The immersion couldn’t be more complete.
Ditto for the practically non-existent loading times thanks to the power of the new generation of Sony consoles. This eliminates dead time between races, maintaining a frantic pace that will delight players looking for adrenaline and thrills.
⬤ Grand Touring 7 ★★★★☆
▶ Available on PS4 and PS5