As somebody who never played the pre-PS3 GT games, I think this game holds up quite well. As long as the controls feels responsive, and the car physics feels right, you can enjoy any racing game no matter how old it is. But playing this does make me want to boot up GT7 instead sometimes. It's like I'm being a sim racer beginner all over again, struggling to keep my car in control because I can't see what's ahead and I pressed the directional buttons way too long. I never got truly comfortable with the driving, and I don't think I ever will. We're so spoiled with how accurate the analog controls are in the newer games.
The simulation mode is structured pretty well, with horsepower limitations for each cup/tourney making you want to buy multiple cars and tune them accordingly for different requirements. The game doesn't just give you a lot of cash too quickly, which I do appreciate. And obviously the driving license tests are as fun as ever, wouldn't be a GT game without them. But there's some quality of life stuff that I need to enjoy it more, particularly in the process of buying and tuning cars.
Lastly, I gotta say it's a treat seeing all the 80s-90s cars here. That period of time is my absolute favorite in terms of car design and culture. It pays off for all the hassle.
The simulation mode is structured pretty well, with horsepower limitations for each cup/tourney making you want to buy multiple cars and tune them accordingly for different requirements. The game doesn't just give you a lot of cash too quickly, which I do appreciate. And obviously the driving license tests are as fun as ever, wouldn't be a GT game without them. But there's some quality of life stuff that I need to enjoy it more, particularly in the process of buying and tuning cars.
Lastly, I gotta say it's a treat seeing all the 80s-90s cars here. That period of time is my absolute favorite in terms of car design and culture. It pays off for all the hassle.