Gran Turismo 4 pulls into stores

Racing game enthusiasts in North America just let out a collective sigh of relief. After multiple delays, Gran Turismo 4 has finally driven into retail stores for the PlayStation 2. Lauded as "The Real Driving Simulator," the Gran Turismo series has sold more than 38 million copies worldwide since its inception in 1998.

GT4 lets racers feel what it's like to race down such tracks as Laguna Seca or in such locales as Times Square in more than 700 cars from more than 80 car manufacturers. The game will continue the series' trademark license-acquiring and car- and track-unlocking that has become the obsession of many automobile fetishists.

B-spec mode makes its debut, and it lets gamers assume the role of race team manager so they can give directions to their drivers from a broadcast view. In photo mode, gamers can get behind the lens of a camera to take pictures of their cars in exotic locations by controlling the zoom, pitch, and angle of the shutter. Once the picture is taken, it can be shared with friends or even printed up via a USB printer.

Gran Turismo 4 is rated "E" for Everyone and has an SRP of $49.99. For more information, check out the full review in GameSpot Sports.