Gran Turismo 2000. The "Driving Simulator". What better way to show of a new system’s prowess than with a game that was a graphical splendor even on its previous console? That must be the mentality of Sony since it’s prepping up an upgraded version of the PlayStation smash hit Gran Turismo 2 with - guess - Gran Turismo 2000.

After what has seemed like a debacle of delays, Polyphony seems to have hit the home stretch for GT2000. Setbacks have held the game off Japanese shelves for months, and the American date is still up in the air (although it’s thankfully stayed in the late fall-early winter time zone). So unless you’ve been hiding under a rock inside a cave on a distant island without contact with life for the past 2 years, chances are you are pretty familiar with the Gran Turismo license. Originally introduced in 1998, the first GT set a standard for racing games, arcade and none, like no other before it. It’s mix of great graphics and more depth than you can shake a stick at proved to be the best racing game in, well, forever.

One year later the sequel to the game Gran Turismo 2 (aptly named) hit store shelves, but what a buggy game it was. Full of screwed up text and options plus not even the ability to finish the game (only 98% of the game actually hit the presses) garnered GT2 a lot of negativity from the public. Thankfully, it still retained the awesome physics engine and gameplay that the original had and what gamers fell in love with. Polyphony is now back for the three-peat, carrying on its shoulders Grant Turismo 2000. While the game is at heart GT 2.5, if you never bought the original GT2 then there’s no better time but to pick up GT2000. Featuring the same unprecedented 500+ car count and the bucket loads of depth, GT2000 will pick up where the 2^nd edition left off, polish it up some and add a few new additions. New subtitles like real acceleration (speed depending on how much pressure you put on the accelerator button), which is supported by the new analogue buttons on the PS2 controller. Also, car physics have been changed a bit in the way that they handle (cars will feel a tad lighter and springier) plus, what fans have been craving for, car flips and rolls. Probably not as dramatic as the Destruction Derby games, but still a welcome change nevertheless.

GT2000’s biggest selling point, like most of the other first-generation PS2 games, is the graphics. Simply put, no other racer in the history of driving games has looked this good. No doubt about it.

Utilizing the PS2’s powerful Graphic Synthesizer, GT2000 is able to pump out polygons at a blistering rate with little slowdown at all. Real-time lighting, curvy surfaces and shiny (sometimes, too shiny) car reflections all add up to an incredibly good looking game. Search no further when you’re looking for a game to wow the neighbors, folks.