Gran Turismo 7

Q: I only have a Playstation 4; is it still worth getting Gran Turismo 7, and will I get the full experience if I do?

A: Yes, with a caveat. The main gameplay experience in both single and multiplayer is identical, barring longer load times on PS4. There is also no need to 'wait' to start the game if you were planning on upgrading to a PS5 later, as your save file will carry over seamlessly between the two consoles. The caveat is that the Sophy AI is only available on Playstation 5.

Sophy enhanced CPU opponents can be competed against in quick/custom race on select tracks, and the Power Pack DLC is also exclusive to PS5 due to it using Sophy as part of it's goal to deliver a more realistic racing experience. If we exclude the DLC however, Sophy's absence in the PS4 version has minimal impact on the overall experience.

Q: Why is the game "always online", and that does mean it will turn into a paperweight when the servers shut down?

A: PD considers always online to be a necessary evil to keep the World Series side of the game fair, though I don't fully agree with this specific implementation as I believe a system where Sport mode vehicles and progress is fully separated from the single player career would've been better. Thankfully, PD has shown that they care about long term game preservation by patching offline saves into GT Sport before shutting the servers for that game down, so the same should be true of GT7 in the distant future.

Q: How long is the "GT Mode" this time? Also, do proper endurance races make a return?

A: What was a modest event list at GT7's launch has been greatly expanded over time. Here are the numbers;

Release day GT7: 50 licences, 48 missions, 44 circuit experiences (202 sectors), 6 music rallies, 93 event races, 10 championships = 251 total events.

Version 1.67: 100 licences, 56 missions, 53 circuit experiences (242 sectors), 12 music rallies, 257 event races, 10 championships = 488 total events.

This has become a massive single player experience on the level of GT3/4, though it is a bit lacking in goals to work towards once you beat the main 39 menu books in GT Cafe. With that being said, efforts have been made over time to remedy the perceived aimlessness of the end game, such as making collector level 50 more desirable in several ways and increasing the level cap to 70 in Spec III, and adding the bonus menus and weekly challenges.

The longest event at launch was 30 laps of Tsukuba in missions, whilst world circuits topped out at 10 laps. A set of 1 hour race missions, eight in total, was added in version in 1.11, and 1.13 then added a 1 hour world circuit race at Spa. Finally, the Power Pack DLC added 50 new races, mostly sprints, but at the end of certain paths lies four true endurance events; one 6 hour, one 8 hour, and two 24 hours. You don't need the DLC however to make a custom race of any length you want; see the next page for more information on custom race.

Q: I'm stuck on a race that has a performance point limit and my car is already near that limit. What can I do?

A: If it's not a "chili" race, you can reduce game difficulty in the options if you need to. Other solutions include making sure you have more power instead of grip on high speed tracks, vice versa when there's lots of corners, or as a last resort, spending 100k on nitrous since that upgrade doesn't increase the cars PP.

Unfortunately, PD cracked down on PP exploits early on in GT7's lifespan, as glitch tunes were trivializing the system. The silver lining is that a proper setup can now be rewarded, since gear ratios and suspension setup no longer affect PP. As a general rule for tarmac, set the front ride height lower than the rear to create a "rake", but don't go too far with this, otherwise the car may become unstable under braking. You can also stiffen the springs somewhat to improve response, especially if the car has extra grip from racing tyres and/or downforce.

If all else fails, remember that every failed attempt means more experience with the car and track. If you can learn from that experience, you'll eventually go faster and win.

Q: Where is [desirable car]? I want to buy it but can't find it.

A: If it's in the game but you don't see it in Brand Central, you'll need to wait for it to show up in either the used or legendary car lot, unless of course it's a prize car. Both lots update daily in real-time, so check both on a daily basis. Cars that haven't been available for a while are more likely to show up when the lots rotate, and cars needed for specific weekly challenges or sport mode races usually get added manually under the "Hot" label.

Q: What about selling cars? What's this I hear about GT7 not allowing you to do so?

A: For a while, it was indeed the case that you could not sell your cars. However, version 1.26 added a car appraisal section to the used car dealership, where you can sell back to the dealer. The requirement to access this is that you must complete the main GT Cafe campaign (menu book 39). Once this is met, you'll be able to sell any car that you own two or more of at a relatively generous rate.

Cars rise and fall in value in this market from day to day, based on global player behaviour. The more a certain model gets sold, the lower it's value becomes. But then cars that aren't being sold will rise in value again, so if the car you wanted to sell has dipped recently, a little patience may net better returns.

Q: I can't control my car, how do I make it easier to drive?

A: The answer of course depends on what the precise issue is. Firstly, if you turned off ABS, I strongly recommend turning it back to default, or at least weak. This game's physics were not designed to work in ABS off mode, and even the world tour e-sports

When you first begin Gran Turismo 7, a significant portion of the game's content is inaccessible. This means that your initial experience will be very similar to other players, a change from the more open-ended nature of previous Gran Turismo titles. This structure, however, simplifies the process of creating a walkthrough for the GT Cafe segment.

Once the game is fully installed, you can enter the World Map. Choose a nickname and a difficulty level (the latter is new to the 'GT mode' in GT7), and then you'll be greeted by Sarah, whom after some exposition will steer you towards the used car dealership. With the starting 20,000 credits you have, you're guaranteed at least these three options;

Other cars may be available to you depending on the current used car rotation. PP stands for performance points, and whilst it's not an exact measurement, more performance points is usually better. The Fit and Aqua are both hybrids*, but whilst the Fit's quoted power output includes the electric motor, the Aqua excludes it, so the two cars have similar acceleration in practice. Either car is a sound choice, whilst the Demio lags behind.

*A hybrid car uses both petrol and electric motors, typically working with energy recovery technology to charge up the electric motor, which can then deploy to improve performance or fuel economy.

Your next stop is the GT Cafe, where you'll be introduced to Luca who will in turn introduce you to the menu book system that forms the 'linear' portion of GT7. Complete these menu books to unlock new circuits and game modes.

Menu Book 1: Japanese Compact Cars

Acquire three cars: Toyota Aqua S '11, Honda Fit Hybrid '14, Mazda Demio XD '15. Clear reward: 1 star roulette ticket.

Corresponding series: Sunday Cup, no PP limit (suggested 380), road cars.

Whilst you can choose to simply buy the cars you need using credits saved or earned in other modes, this guide will assume you take the route of obtaining menu book cars through their corresponding races. The maximum listed cash reward is for coming 1st, whilst the prize car can be won with any finish 3rd or higher. It's worth doing all 3 races each time even if you don't need to, as otherwise you'll lose out on any unclaimed prize cars once you clear the menu book, and winning a car you already own still increases your collector level.

It's possible to win races with less PP than what the game suggests, which is a relief in this case as none of the three 'starter' options reach the 380 PP threshold and you haven't unlocked the tuning shop yet. These three courses are short and simple, with Northern Isle in particular being a banked oval where you'll hardly need to brake.

Menu Book 2: Test yourself at the Licence Centre

Complete licence B-1: Starting & Stopping 1. Clear reward: unlock Goodwood and Brands Hatch.

Licence tests ask you to complete a certain sector or lap within a time limit, with an additional incentive if you can beat all of the gold times. As usual for B-1 tests in Gran Turismo, this test involves stopping in the designated area, and this time you're assisted by cones on the side of the track which mark the best place to brake for a gold prize. Once you've passed the test, you can choose to do the rest of the B licence or move on to the next menu book. You'll be coming back here later either way.

Menu Book 3: European Classic Compacts

Acquire three cars: Fiat 500 F '68, Mini-Cooper 'S' '65, Volkswagen 1200 '66. Clear reward: unlock High Speed Ring and the Tuning Shop, + 1 star roulette ticket.

Corresponding series: Sunday Cup Classic, no PP limit (suggested 350), road cars.

Since you're not limited to using classic compacts like the AI is, any of the three cars you now own from menu book 1 should be able to win these races. It's also worth noting that completing a race without any major collisions with other cars or walls will award you a 'clean race bonus', which increases your cash reward by 50%. As for the prize cars, you'll be tuning up the Mini in a later menu book.

Menu Book 4: High Speed Ring Track Day

Finish 3rd or higher in the championship. No PP limit (suggested 400), road cars. Clear reward: unlock Tsukaba and Suzuka, + Brand Central car dealership.

I recommend going to the tuning shop first to get close to the 400 PP suggestion, because Igor Fraga will show up in a Civic Type R (445 PP). He'll go easy on you, but it's still difficult to catch him in anything you have right now in stock trim. Tyres are a cheap way to boost PP, but as the name suggests, extra power is preferable on this track. Alternatively, you could complete the B licence early and win a Renault Clio. The second race of this series will be in the wet, so as I mentioned in the driving tips section, brake earlier and expect lower cornering speeds.

When you finish 3rd or higher in a championship for the first time, you also get to draw one prize car card out of three. In this case your possibilities are a Honda Civic Type R, Honda Integra Type R, or Suzuki Swift Sport, but it doesn't really matter what you win this time due to the contents of menu book 5...