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The
release of Gran Turismo for the PlayStation in 1997
spearheaded a revolution in Driving games. Instead of the
traditional Arcade style of Racers like OutRun, Gran
Turismo strived  to produce the most realistic console driving
experience ever made, as stated by its subtitle; The Real Driving
Simulator. This switch proved extremely popular, allowing Gran
Turismo to become the biggest selling game for the PlayStation,
shipping over ten million copies. Since then the series has been
synonymous with PlayStation hardware and maintained a high pedigree
through its lifetime. Although the most recent title in the series, Gran
Turismo 4, features a few motorcycles, four-wheeled vehicles are
really what the Gran Turismo series is all about. However,
that does not mean PolyPhony Digital have anything against
motorcycles, and their Gran Turismo-based Motorcycle
Simulator, Tourist Trophy, is hoping to revolutionise the
Motorcycle Racing genre in the same way the original Gran Turismo
did. Unfortunately for PolyPhony Digital, this time around the
competition is much fiercer, with the praised MotoGP series
already a favourite with bike fans.
Tourist
Trophy is laid out very similarly to the Gran Turismo
series. Players may choose between Arcade Mode and Tourist Trophy
Mode, with the latter being very similar to Gran Turismo Mode.
Tourist Trophy Mode allows players to undertake Licence Tests, race
competitively, buy motorcycles and tune and test them. Races are
unlocked as the player passes Licence Tests involving braking,
cornering and the  other necessary skills required to ride a
motorcycle. Passing the simpler Licences allows entry to the
lower-speed Races whereas the harder and more rewarding are only
available to gamers that pass the higher difficulty Licences. This
scheme gives a good sense of progression, allowing players to
familiarise themselves with the realistic handling of the many bikes
available. Winning Competitions earns the player special bikes,
whereas regular bikes are earned through Challenges in which the
player must beat an AI Rider on the desired bike. Over
one-hundred-and-twenty bikes are available from many major
manufacturers including
Kawasaki
and Honda and have been meticulously created as exact replicas, a
feature bike fans will no doubt relish. Bikes can be tuned through
gear ratios, parts and riding style. Although basic tuning options
are available and you can change how the Rider actually rides, the
system is in no way as extensive as in the Gran Turismo
series, a little disappointing for the true petrol heads. The
customisation options are also limited, with only a few parts on
offer for each bike, although the Rider Customisation has many
possibilities.
Once
on the Track the title proves its heritage. Bikes handle
realistically and you will appreciate your time playing through the
Licences, as riding a 250cc motorcycle around a Race Track as fast
as possible requires a much better understanding of racing
techniques than a car would, as the possibility of falling-off and
earning a  Time Penalty is always likely, even with Driving Aids. Tourist
Trophy does, however, give a great sense of speed that really
keeps the player on their toes. The opponent AI behaves just as it
does in PolyPhony Digital’s earlier Racers, the use of an almost
flawless racing line that can only be overcome by tuning options or
a high level of skill.
Tourist
Trophy is graphically on par with the latest iteration of its
sister series. All bikes are realistically modelled and the replays
are very polished, with animation fluid throughout. Circuits are
also nicely detailed, although unfortunately all but one are
recycled from the Gran Turismo series. The sound effects vary
greatly for the bikes, yet more attention to detail from PolyPhony
Digital. Music is of a similar style to Gran Turismo, mostly
comprised of Indie tracks and Dance Remixes.
Although
it may lack some tuning options, Tourist Trophy is
undoubtedly a good title for bike fans. The attention is detail is
very good and bikes handle as realistically as you could expect from
a console release. Unfortunately for those inexperienced in riding
Superbikes, Tourist Trophy can be difficult to
pick-up-and-play; however the intense sense of speed does make
practicing a rewarding experience. Not quite MotoGP ‘06,
but definitely a title worthy of its heritage.
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