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Is there a better fit for virtual reality than the humble racing game? Ever since sampling iRacing with an Oculus Rift I've sworn by the pairing, and now have a dedicated set-up at home. There's something sublime about how the technology fits the genre - how a fixed cockpit works so well within the limitations of contemporary VR, and how a decent steering wheel solves in an instant the sometimes fuzzy control problem that people are still trying to solve elsewhere. So it's no surprise, then, to discover that Gran Turismo Sport acquits itself beautifully in VR. Polyphony Digital's inbound PlayStation 4 driving game is making the most of PlayStation VR - though it's worth noting there are some caveats to be made. PlayStation VR events are restricted to one-on-one races, doubtless due to hardware limitations, and understandably there's no way that Gran Turismo Sport played with a headset is going to rival the likes of Project Cars 2 played on an Oculus Rift and a powerful PC rig.
That said, though, Polyphony has put some thought into how it goes about employing virtual reality, making for one of the better VR racing experiences - and quite easily the best on console. There's a neat dashboard overlay discreetly placed within the car, meaning there's no messy HUD obscuring your view out of the windscreen, and the mirrors work perfectly, the rear view adapting beautifully to your head movement. It's a small thing, of course, and nothing you won't have seen before in other VR racing games, but still no mean feat given what Polyphony is playing with here.
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