June 18, 2010 - I've made no secret of the fact that despite being a huge Gran Turismo fan, I've been very disappointed in their constant delays and push backs. However, as a wise person once said, good things come to those who wait. Although Gran Turismo 5 still isn't finished, what we saw at E3 was very impressive, and I have been assured that November 2 is in fact when this title will be released.

By this point in time you probably know the basic features in Gran Turismo 5. There will be an amazing car roster full of 1000 cars and plenty of high-res tracks from around the world. However, what you probably did not know is that 200 of these cars will be "premium" cars which will have more detailed visual styling and better damage modeling. Although all of the cars will feature sparking and scratching on impact, these premium vehicles will have the ability to be completely deconstructed, which leads to some downright epic crash possibilities.

In addition to the premium vehicles, it was also confirmed that at least eight NASCAR vehicles will be included in the game. These NASCAR vehicles will sport an amazing amount of detail as well and will have the ability to be taken out on any track in the game (not just NASCAR-licensed ones.)

But enough about cars; there have been a host of new gameplay features added to Gran Turismo 5 since the last time we heard about it. Chief among these features is the integration of both head tracking (via the PlayStation Eye) and 3D gameplay. It seems that almost every Sony title currently in development is optimized for 3D, and Gran Turismo 5 is no different. The 3D effects in the game are richly done, and you'll be able to get a better feel for the track if you have a 3D-compatible set to use with your game.

The head tracking feature in GT5 is a little detail that might not sound like a big thing, but it actually does impact the way you play the game. When you are playing with the PlayStation Eye, the game tracks your head movements so you can look left and right while you are driving to see the other cars on the road. It takes a little while to get used to this feature, but soon it becomes second nature to look left and right to survey the track.

In addition to the new gameplay features, some new tracks were announced this year at E3. Adding to the global feel of the game, tracks were shown off from Rome, Madrid and Tuscany as well as the test track seen on the BBC show Top Gear. All of these tracks are in addition to the tracks already shown at GDC as well as the six tracks from Prologue. Although we weren't able to pin down an exact number of tracks that will be included in the final game, we do know there will be at least 20 tracks total.

One of the features that has always been a part of the Gran Turismo series is the photo mode. However, like all of the other features, the fifth Gran Turismo is upping the ante for the photo mode as well. There are two different components to the photo mode: race photo and travel photo. Race photo mode allows you to pause the action and take photos of great points in your race. You can take race photos either during the live race or during the replay. The other is the travel photo mode, which allows you to actually position your car in front of various locales and take pictures photo shoot-style.

Although we weren't able to check it out, we were given the inside scoop on Gran Turismo 5's online mode. The game is going to feature an online lounge system where players can gather to set up online matches, compare stats, check out the garage, and of course race. One of the cool features of the online mode is that each lobby can be accessed independently of the user's online status. So, if for instance you like to meet in a certain person's lobby before starting a match, you can even if the lobby's owner has connection problems or can't make it online.

Gran Turismo 5 has been a long time coming. With almost a decade in development and plenty of fans waiting anxiously for its eventual release, this title certainly has a lot to live up to. However, if the demo that we saw at E3 is any indication of how the final game is shaping up, there is plenty to be to be excited about. With plenty of premium cars, new tracks, a new photo mode, and 3D/head tracking features, Gran Turismo 5 is certainly living up to the hype and will be well worth the wait when it releases this fall.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Staff Contributor