GT, it’s the two letters a lot of PS2 owners talk about all the time whilst we Xbox owners don’t get diddly squat. But someone said ‘you know what, why should only the PS2 owners get this sort of game?’. The very people turned out to be Sega, and hence they decided to make their very own version of the ‘buy a car and modify it’ series and it stands before us – Sega GT 2002.

Gameplay:
Previously Sega GT had come out on the Dreamcast all this time back, but with the Dreamcast it fell and was described as a disappointment. But with a newly hatched sequel – the 2002 version and on another console and a notably more powerful and stable one. Sega GT comes in many different modes, first of all we have the standard GT mode where you buy a car, build it up, race it and sell it for a more powerful and better car. This is the theory anyway, but there is more to this you have to earn licenses to drive depending on the championship and type of circuit. Along with this comes the money you earn too allowing you to buy parts such as port polishes, tyres, gearboxes and many other parts to improve the performance of your motor. Older parts can be bought at a cheaper price but won’t last and perform as long. The GT mode allows you to do a one off event race similar to Gran Turismo, these can vary from sponsored races to limited races such as a rally race, 70’s, 80’s or 90’s only car races.

The game has many circuits to drive around but by the time you complete the GT mode many of them turn out to be adaptations of earlier tracks. Cars in the game are also limited some cannot be purchased only won and there aren’t an aweful lot of cars either but enough to suffice the main GT mode once over. The game also has a single race mode allowing multiplayer competition from another player or another computer controlled car allowing you to race a set amount of cars plus whatever you have in your GT mode garage. There is also a Time Trial mode, simplistic in comparison to single race but extends the game that little bit more allowing you to practice specific tracks. Finally the game has a chronicle mode in which you racer older 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s cars similar to the main GT mode but not in as much detail. You can add parts to you car buy winning races the more races you win the more chance you have of winning a car at the end of the 6 races you do with one single car.

Sega GT holds a realistic simulation of real life racing and includes beautifully modelled tracks and cars and is great to pick up and have a drive with one of you favourite cars. But that’s where most of the fun ends for Sega GT 2002 it is pure and simply a version of Gran Turismo on Xbox, this is not saying it’s a copy and has been made just so we don’t go and buy a PS2. This is Sega own original representation of GT racing but obviously some points in the game will be slightly similar to Gran Turismo. However I do believe this is a very fine GT game that has been created for us Xbox owners and is a pleasure to play.

Graphics:
A lot of work has been put into modelling every car in each detail all 100+ of them and have been accurately modelled down to the shape of the lights. Many nice effects such as reflective shimmer are used which are unique to Sega GT 2002. All the cars and tracks look extremely nice to view and drive around and a lot of effort has been put into using the Xbox’s capabilities here. The game also has no problem running even in two-player as far as lag on the graphics go, a great effort.

Sound:
The game does supply us with a few of their Sega’s very own tunes that you’d expect to hear in a Sega game. They are ok to listen to but can become repetitive real fast at times; it’s not that it’s terrible you could just do without it at times. Thank god that Sega provided the ability to listen to our own music because after a while you need something you can stand after a while. As far as sound goes vehicles all sound different from motor sound alone and sounds like a car should do in racing, Sega have obviously tried to model each car as individually as possible and a good result has come of this. The sound in the game is very nice but the music can let you down at times, like I said its ok.

Longevity:
With many different modes including a chronicle mode, the game has a lot of time to play through - the stand alone GT mode will keep you going for days on it’s own but will reach a saturation point where the game is finished. The chronicle and multiplayer mode will keep you going for a while also but the chronicle mode may not be to everyone’s liking. The replay mode isn’t really anything great to look for it may have editing but is difficult to use and doesn’t appeal very much. If anything this game will keep you coming back for days on end as you want to come back, tune up your latest model and make it faster and better.

Round Up:
Sega GT 2002 all in all isn’t a bad game; in fact it’s a very good game and great to play through but lacks the amount of tracks and cars that all GT racers will crave for. Essentially this is Gran Turismo on the Xbox but Sega’s own little version really and I mean little as it doesn’t have as many cars and tracks as it should do. But at the end of the day it still emulates that feeling of the Gran Turismo and rather than give up on the game and actually buy a PS2 and Gran Turismo, Sega GT 2002 kept me coming back for more GT action as the game is still that fun and keeps you coming back for more GT action. My recommendations to any GT fans is to wait for the online version with the promise of online tuned racing and possible a better overall game it will be worth it.

Pros:

• A GT game for Xbox and it’s good!!
  
• Keeps you coming back for that ‘modify a car’ feel
  
• Great graphical ability
  

  Cons:
  

  • Lacks enough cars and tracks
    
  • The music becomes too repetitive after a while