Gran Turismo 4 (PS2)

Herald rating: * * * *

When Gran Turismo came out on the first-generation PlayStation console in 1998 it instantly became the best-loved car game in the world. It had everything - realistic racing, smooth game play, hundreds of detailed cars and a rocking soundtrack.

It still has all of that. In fact, on first viewing, Gran Turismo 4 isn't too much different from its previous incarnations. It is only after a few races in a few different cars that you realise you are playing a vastly improved game.

The progression shows itself in little things - how the light reflects off the windscreens of the cars, the squeal of tyres or the handling of the cars on demanding tracks. Everything has inched that bit closer to realism.

GT4's creator, Polyphony, claims that is thanks to its new physics and artificial intelligence engines, which car manufacturers are now using to test new vehicles. The Gran Turismo 4 game engine can now be found testing the behaviour of prototype cars before the model goes into full production, according to Driving The Game, a slick new coffee-table book on the history of Gran Turismo.

GT4 gives you two classic ways to play the game - arcade mode, where you compete in single and two-player races against other computer-controlled cars; or network - up to five consoles for multiplayer games.

In gran turismo mode, start off with a second-hand car and trade your way up as you win races.

You start with 10,000 credits, but can transfer up to 100,000 credits from the Gran Turismo 3-saved game files on your memory card, if you are upgrading.

You will be able to choose from 700 cars when you are wealthy enough and drive on 90 tracks, including the amazing German track Nurburgring Nordschleife, the toughest test track in the world. Street races take you through downtown New York and Hong Kong. The Grand Canyon is my favourite, featuring new courses covered in ice and snow for trickier driving.

A B-spec gaming mode lets you become the equivalent of Michael Schumacher's coach, sending a virtual driver into races while you control the design of the car and the races in which your driver competes.

You can also enter Photo mode, where you take photo sessions at popular tracks. You can plug in a printer using the console's USB port to print out the pictures.

Other improvements heighten realism. A nice touch features a jarring, blurring effect when you hit other cars.

Crowds are more animated. On rally tracks they will scurry in front of the car to take photos before scurrying off again, just in time to get out of the way. The detail becomes especially obvious in camera replays when you're not concentrating on staying on the road.

The best thing about Gran Turismo is that you are likely to get more playing time from it than most other games. Even if you are progressing through Gran Turismo career mode you can always pop into arcade mode for a quick, one-off race and choose from hundreds of cars. For a laugh, pick an old Volvo or VW to thrash on the hills and bends of the imposing El Capitan mountain highway.

It's the sort of game you can jump in and out of and still have an immersive experience. You don't have to be a car nut to enjoy the thrill of the race.

$120