Gran Turismo 2 is one of the most highly anticipated sequels in quite a while, and for good reason. The original GT set a new standard for racers in just about every department: control, physics, gameplay and variety. In fact, the original GT is probably the biggest competition GT2 has, and also its biggest problem.

Had the original title never existed Gran Turismo 2 would be that much more impressive. As it is, GT2 feels more like an upgrade than a sequel. But heck, if this is an upgrade I'll take it! Basically the developers took everything that was right about GT and multiplied it by a factor of ten in GT2. The arcade mode has more secrets to unlock and the option of importing your GT mode garage (a feature that was sorely lacking last year), while the GT mode features upwards of 600 cars from a much more fleshed out manufacturing group as well as an amazing amount of races and events to complete.

One of the biggest complaints with the original GT was the fact that those license tests were so darn difficult! That situation's been rectified somewhat in the sequel. Now the game provides you with a demonstration of how the test should be driven in order to pass, a well defined suggested driving line to follow on some courses, and somewhat more realistic time limits to complete them in. Not only that, but if you have a memory card containing a save file from the first GT in which you completed the A & B licenses already there's an option to convert that data to a GT2 file. That way you can jump right into the game by getting two licenses automatically. Finally, if you attempt a test multiple times only to fail consistently, GT2 will award you a "kiddie award" on the test and let you move on.

The racing itself feels about the same this year. 4WD still rules the road and the handling is still affected similarly whenever you upgrade your car. Speaking of upgrades, there are a lot more of them this year. Particularly interesting is the "For Professionals" stuff you can buy. It's geared towards the real hardcore sim-heads that want complete control over just about every aspect of their vehicles.

Along with more upgrades, a lot of manufacturers have more than one "special" car to purchase this year. There are also a lot of manufacturer-specific events that can be run through their individual screens in the game. Oh, and the best part, you can buy some brand-name rims for your cars this year if you so desire.

The events are pretty much the same this year, there's just more of them. Like a Classic Car Cup, 80s Sports Car Cup, etc. Not to mention an Endurance Class consisting of six full races (each usually taking an hour or more to complete). The only downside I see to all this is that some of the type specific cups can be raced with cars that don't really fit the bill. It's like cars are measured solely on their weight, horsepower and whether or not they sport a racing body. Like you're able to drive a Skyline in the Station Wagon Cup for instance. It doesn't make much sense.

Another thing that deserves mention is the fact that the developers took out the Qualifying Lap feature for each race. I know a lot of people usually skipped it anyway, but for those of us who'd rather not start last every single time we race it's sort of a kick in the face.

One other gripe, although it's sort of wrong to count this against the game I guess. The rally mode, while a nice addition, seems like something that was thrown on at the last minute just to add a little variety. That in itself is not a crime, but you get absolutely nothing out of completing the rally section of the game. I don't understand why the developers didn't just make it a hidden game mode. Imagine how cool it would have been to finish the game and get a hidden Rally Mode! Sony would have been heroes. Now it just looks like they were searching for some extra gameplay options without wanting to spend too much extra time on it.