GT Sport was bound to be divisive. Such a big change to the underlying formula of the game makes it inevitable.
Back when GT5 released, I remember reading a review that called it a 10/10 simulation in a 5/10 game. That sort of rational feels oddly appropriate for GT Sport. What it does, it does very well: namely, funnelling people into a consistent, largely fair online experience. The iRacing comparisons are not simple name-checking. But as an overall package in the long-running premier Sony franchise, it’s lop-sided.
As engaging as Sport Mode can be, its inclusion should not be mutually exclusive to a solid offline experience. Once you’re done with campaign mode (which will take less than a week of regular play), you can either re-run events (for Mi/XP only) or head to online/arcade racing. That’s all dependent on the servers, too. It’s beyond frustrating to have the game lock you out of practically everything as soon as it loses a connection.
GT Sport feels very much like it has two distinct personalities. On one hand, it really wants to be the first big esport racing game on consoles, and has a clear, solid structure in place to do just that. It trains novice drivers (though the Driving Etiquette requirements are laughable), and rewards experienced ones. It’s not aiming to simulate real-world racing, a la PCARS2: the large number of fantasy cars and tracks makes that clear. As ever, Gran Turismo marches to the beat of its own drum.
On the other hand, it’s a peerless photography simulator and (justifiably) treats the automobile as art: leave the game idle and it is the best sort of screensaver an auto enthusiast could have. If that sounds like a slight, it’s not — Sport celebrates the car, albeit in a more hands-off way than series vets may be accustomed to. That’s not necessarily bad; just different.
With a whole bunch of stat-based CARPG elements, it still has ties to the original games, but it feels oddly out of place now. The paltry number of tracks wears thin very quickly, especially once you discount the rally circuits and ovals. That may be the game’s biggest hurdle in long-term appeal.
That all said, I believe there’s a lot of potential here. Sport is a game that will grow and evolve over time. We can only score what it currently is however, not on what it may be in the future. But that means we’ll be revisiting it a few months down the line — much as we will with Project CARS 2 and Forza Motorsport 7 — to judge how it’s changed.
Despite the hangups listed above, it’s pulled me in. The GT vibe is a unique one in the industry, even now, and if competitive racing is your bag, GT Sport is the place to be on PS4.