Gran Turismo 4 (PlayStation 2)

Pros: Quality driving simulator, great panoramic shots.

Cons: Lacks on-line community, stoic backgrounds (think neo-geo), predictable AI, long licensing paths, and not much car mods available.

Summary: At release easily the best game ever, but now we can compare Forza and GT4. I think that for the graphics they could have stepped it up a bit 3-dimensionally speaking, not to knock it because the graphics are definatly on the high-end of next gen platforms. Older games the mid-ground to fore-ground movement is stiff and that happens in GT4 especially on WRC tracks with flying sand and small shrubbery. GT to compensate for a little less detail on the off-road driving environment they stiffened the car and made the grass almost like pavement so your car just slowed down, but Forza made the grass slippery and the car less stiff, like when you spin your wheels in grass, more realistic. Car dynamics are great and you should buy this game for sure, but you should also buy Forza. Sony's stiff approach to a car is good for the intermediate, but once you've got it down Forza takes the handling to the next level and introduces a little less control.

I'd recommend GT1-4 to anybody. Sony's got to realize a car just doesn't stay level all the time, and grass/tire combination among other physics quandry's are details to be sorted out for GT5 on PS3. I'm waiting......