After a long, long wait, it’s finally here. Yesterday was an exiciting day in the US for car and game fanatics and for good reason, it was the release of the new version of the most entertaining driving simulator ever. Unfortunately it did not come as expected, and Sony was forced to scrap the much anticipated online mode, which would have opened new doors for console racers around the world. Instead, we get a new game with slightly updated graphics, physics, some more courses, some different/more cars, a slightly different interface, and a lot more of the same old. I might as well just come out and say it, I’m not impressed. <br/><br/>The AI is still absolutely abysmal and I have been able to win pretty much every race I’ve entered by taking the cheapest eligible vehicle, strapping on a turbo kit (or a bigger one if it already has one), exhaust, a computer chip, and some weight reduction. Not exactly a challenge if you ask me. If I lose a race? I find the cheapest way to add a few more ponies to my car and win with ease the next time around. <br/><br/>The ability to transfer 100k credits and the two basic licenses if your memory card has a GT3 saved game on it is a nice feature, but I appreciate a “challenge” and skipped the credit part. Licenses on the other hand, are a pain in the ass so I went ahead and transferred them. <br/><br/>I started the game with my own car, an EG (92-95) Civic, did some weight reduction, exhaust and a chip, and was able to win all the applicable beginnger races with that alone, earning a good number of credit in the process. I then went for the Civic championship and was not so lucky, I was forced to slap a turbo on the pile in order to vanquish my foes. Yay! A challenge! [/sarcasm] One thing I will give Polyphony/Sony credit for is their modeling of a light, high-powered, front-wheel-drive vehicle; they really hit it dead on resulting in a task that isn’t so much racing as it is a constant struggle for traction. I won the Civic races, got some pretty sweet EF Mugen Racecar and then as faced with my next challenge, what to do next!? <br/><br/>I then decided to go the Miata route. Bought the cheapest, slapped a turbo on it, did some weight reduction, and easily took care of the Miata series race, which resulted in winning some ugly SUV that I can’t sell for any money and also can’t seem to use anywhere, joy! <br/><br/>I then bought an FD (last generation RX7), did the usual upgrades, and won the FR “Challenge.” What’s nice about the RWD cars I’ve used to this point, on-throttle oversteer simply hasn’t existed. Fly in to a corner, trailbrake, reach your target speed, slam the gas… No disruption in traction. Sigh… <br/><br/>Some other things to note: 1) there is no more qualifying, you always start dead last 2) there is a new “B-Spec” mode that puts you in the position of team manager during a race… You tell a complete dolt of a driver how fast he should drive, when he shoudl pit, when he should pass. Good concept (slight sarcasm there) implemented awfully awfully badly, the guy is the worst driver ever. I tried this mode once and it was absolutely painful, I can’t believe they spent development time on it 3) why in the hell should I be forced to watch animated guys wash my car or change my oil for 30 seconds? I’d much rather spend that time playing the game than watching two pixelated car mechanics do BS to my car. Sigh again… <br/><br/>Maybe they’ll get it all right when they release GT5 in 2008. 5% through the game in an hour or two and it was time for bed, goodnight cruel world.<br/><br/>[b]7.9/10[/b] – more of the same, still fun