Video Games

For PS3. Full game ships for $39 on April 15. Suitable for all ages.

VROOM VROOM: As an appetizer for its upcoming racing extravaganza Gran Turismo 5, Sony is releasing the appropriately-titled Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. I had a chance to test out a preview of Prologue. While several features were unavailable for testing – notably the online racing, a first for the series – the game looks promising.

PHOTOGRAPHIC: Racing games always look great, since the relatively small courses mean the developers don't have to draw and animate huge levels, but GT5 Prologue takes imagery to a new level, especially if you've got a 1080p HD television. The backgrounds look stunning, but the cars are a revelation. I was actually excited to hop into my first econo-racer, a bright-orange Ford Focus hatchback.

TIGHT IN THE TURNS: I'm not much of a racing connoisseur, but the controls felt responsive and smooth.

BOTTOM LINE: Assuming the online stuff works fine (and that's never a given), the only real hang-up I have with GT5 Prologue is that gamers are essentially being asked to pay for an extended demo of the full Gran Turismo 5 game. If that doesn't bother you, then you can go ahead and start your engines.

Victor Godinez

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