There are many flight simulator games on the market, so why aren't there driving simulator games? Well, Gran Turismo is the first one. But is it really that realistic? The answer to that is a plain "YES." When you have a PlayStation steering wheel, you could practice for your real-life driver's license with this game.

The options include 11 tracks (22 if you include mirror mode tracks), over 100 different cars spread over 10 brands which actually exist in the real-life auto industry. And they're all different in handling, grip, acceleration and top speed; which can all be altered in Gran Turismo mode by buying car parts for your car.

The game contains two different modes: Quick Arcade and Gran Turismo Mode. Quick Arcade Mode is where you can play a brief game with a friend (using a split screen feature) or alone. Choose a difficulty, a car and a track, and start racing. In this mode there's also a Goodies option. This means that when you finish first on any track, difficulty or class (depending on what kind of car you choose), you get a dot in the Goodies screen. When a certain number of tracks is complete, you get a Goody -- a car or a cheat.

Gran Turismo Mode is where the real action is. Buy a car with the starting cash you get, tune it to your own driving style, and go race a GT cup, Spot Race, Special Event or Time Trial. With the money you earn with racing, you can buy car parts or a new car. There's even an option to get your driver's license! To race certain championships, a license is needed to participate. Furthermore, there's an option to test a car on a high-speed course or a straight road, as well as a funny extra option to wash your car, which gets dirty after a few races.

There are enough options but the real important stuff is the gameplay. Driving games are given another dimension with this game. The realism is incredible! The game is not too hard or too easy, however it takes a month or so to finish the game.

Another very important area is the graphics. Gran Turismo features the best graphics seen on the PlayStation in a racing game as of 1998. It features a beautiful FMV intro and sharp, high-resolution graphics with extreme detail on cars and tracks that is displayed with a very smooth frame rate. The only thing that's missing is a dent in the cars after a collision.

The sound of Gran Turismo is also very good. Realistic "roaring" of the cars (which doesn't sound like a bug flying around as in some other racing games), squealing tires and great music. Furthermore, each car sounds uniquely different.

Everyone who has a PlayStation should play this game. Even when you don't particularly like driving games, you will still enjoy playing this. ~ Chris Broesder, All Game Guide

The graphics are hi-res, very detailed, and has a high frame rate. ~ Chris Broesder, All Game Guide

The game features good music and very realistic car sounds. ~ Chris Broesder, All Game Guide

Highly realistic! It's just plain fun to set a sharp record time and win a race. ~ Chris Broesder, All Game Guide

Even when finished, you keep playing the two-player mode, set new records, and buy some more cars for your collection. ~ Chris Broesder, All Game Guide