http://ps3.ign.com/articles/109/1099842p1.html
At E3 2010, I've had the chance to play three of the biggest racing games of the show in 3D -- Gran Turismo 5, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, and MotorStorm Apocalypse. For a little background, I have consistently stated that I have little interest in 3D gaming and no desire to sit in my house wearing big clunky glasses (over my personal big clunky glasses). I find first-person shooters in 3D to be a bit much -- Crysis 2 made me a little nauseous and didn't add anything to the experience. So, now you know my stance coming into E3. After playing racing games in 3D, my position has changed slightly. Racing games gain something legitimate in 3D, enough to make even myself reconsider the objection to wearing dorky glasses while lounging on my couch.
The key benefit for 3D in racing games is an added depth of field. As the scenery recedes into the background it becomes easier to see the track ahead (as it would if you were driving in real life) and to better navigate potential hazards. Each of the three games offers something different for 3D gaming but shows its potential for the genre.
Criterion admits it still has some work to do on the 3D implementation for Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, but it already looks impressive. The 3D isn't in your face, though the plan is to have some objects flying towards your field of vision in the midst of massive car crashes. Mostly, the 3D has more subtlety to it -- so much so that a minute into a chase, I already forgot I was watching something in 3D. It seems natural. And I found myself better able to anticipate calamities, dodging oncoming traffic with ease. This 3D isn't a gimmick in NFS; it's an advantage. I haven't found that to be true of many 3D-capable games.
MotorStorm: Apocalypse is the most impressive 3D game I've seen. Like Need for Speed, it offers a slight driving advantage, though not as much. That's because MotorStorm is built in tighter lanes and on linear tracks (where Need for Speed is an open-world game). Obstacles come so quickly, that added depth of field doesn't really matter. Where MotorStorm impresses is in the incredible atmosphere created by 3D technology. The game spews particle effects everywhere. You'll drive through smoke and dust clouds, watch buildings crumble as you race along their surface. 3D makes what would be an innocuous tuft of smoke feel like a tangible object rushing at you. Seeing embers of a crash in the foreground as you rush towards a narrow opening in a ruined city 20 meters in the distance really enhances the sense of danger and the thrill of speed. It's an awesome experience and it just wouldn't be the same in 2D.
Gran Turismo 5 is the least impressive of the 3D racing games at E3. The 3D doesn't do much to enhance the driving experience, because there are no crazy particle effects like MotorStorm and none of the split-second decisions Need for Speed mandates. But that doesn't mean the 3D is unwarranted or overdone. In fact, the 3D does one great thing for GT5: the cars have always been a star for Gran Turismo and seeing these beautifully rendered machines in full 3D gives an added level of realism. I can do without racing in GT5 in 3D, but seeing the cars modeled in a way that is as close to the real world version as possible is something special.
3D gaming is a big push for Sony and these three racing games show why. While not everyone will want to wear glasses while playing games at home, those who do will have a better racing experience. Who knows, maybe I'll even bite the bullet and give it a go.
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Awesome. I really hope consumer demand for 3D will take off and TV creators will try to get glasses-free 3DTVs ready for primetime faster!
I want to play in 3D!
