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The most eagerly awaited PlayStation 2 game of 2001 is fina ... Read more

The most eagerly awaited PlayStation 2 game of 2001 is finally here. It's about motor racing, it's called Gran Turismo 3: A Spec, and it's utterly superb. Much has been made of the appearance of Sony's flagship title on the PS2. Detractors have complained it has fewer cars than GT2, it only has a couple of extra tracks and it's really no more than an update. But then it's easy to knock it before you've tried it. To be fair the detractors have a point and for the seriously hardcore driving fan "only" 183 possible vehicles might be a bit of an issue, but to the vast majority of racing gamers GT3 will be a fabulous gaming experience and will really prove what the PlayStation 2 is capable of. In essence, GT3 is a series of sub-games combined by a motoring theme. There are driving licences to gain which open access to racing events, which in turn provide cash to buy bigger and better motors. There's a full arcade section in which it's possible to choose from a pre-determined selection of cars and tracks on time trials, first-past-the-post and free-run races and there's a huge section of game time devoted to tuning and maintaining your garage of racing machines. Graphically, this is the best-looking PS2 title yet. It's crisp, smooth, frighteningly quick and there's no invisible scenery in evidence. Lighting effects are truly awesome--wait 'til you see the setting sun of Laguna Seca--and the engine sounds are ear-burstingly impressive. Control is smooth and precise; the DualShock controller is used to good effect but playing with a suitable steering wheel adds a whole new dimension to things. A number of top-name bands have their musical wares shoehorned into the soundtrack so expect the company of Ash, Feeder and others to keep you company during the long hours of gawping at the TV. Playing GT3, you get the feeling that the PS2 is finally starting to show its worth. This is professional games software of the highest quality. Buy it now. You know you want to. --Chris Russell Minimize