GT4 = Gran Turismo 4
SGT: Online = Sega GT Online

This is really more of a question of fairness on both reviewers and gamers part. Assuming both are released this year, I can only see SGT:Online catching the worst possible treatment out of the two, namely because GT4 will be an actual sequel to the series whereas SGT:Online is really just Sega GT 2002.5. Yet it' s going to be looked upon and treated as if it was supposed to be the next installement in the series when it wasn' t. And I wonder just how many unjust reviews are going to pop up because the game is being called something it' s not.

I agree it would be a great shame to see many negative sided reviews because of inexperienced or ill-informed writers, who haven' t taken the time to cleary digest the info given to them by Sega.

Personally it' s looking like GT4 will be better than SGT Online, but that' s just from looking at screens, videos and details. Basically there both gonna be great and no doubt be worthwhile. Maybe more writers should cut Sega GT a little more slack. After all it was never meant to completely compete with GT, certainly not in the way many expected.

Hell, whatever we say poor decisions are going to be made. Shame that.

With my extreme Sega fanboyishness aside, I must ask whether you' re kidding about Sega GT not directly competing against Gran Turismo. I don' t remember which magazine it was that I read it in many years ago, probably Gamefan or GameGo, but Sega GT was mentioned as being Sega' s Gran Turismo and was their attempt to compete with the series.

As for cutting Sega GT some slack? Why? If NFL 2k4 had the same exact gameplay as the original 2K version but only online play enhanced, you think people would be cutting it much slack or have a reason to? It would only give the Madden series more opportunities to eat it alive.

The NFL 2K series are competing against the Madden series, and if one slacks then the other one dogs it out in the eyes of reviewers and gamers alike.

Sega GT is in the same boat against Gran Turismo, If Sega GT were to continuously evolve while Gran Turismo got stuck in rehash-ville providing the same gaming formula during each iteration then all excuses aside but Gran Turismo would be left in the dust.

Sega GT supposedly has already seen an Append disc and yet Sega GT Online serves to act as another one? Sorry but that won' t fly.

No game should be immune to criticism of any kind if they fail to evolve their respective series.

Terry,

I' m confused as to where you stand on all this. Do you think it' s okay that SGT: Online be treated as if it was to be a proper update to the series, or do you believe SGT: Online should be treated as what it is - an add on?

I can assure you that the Append Disc is no nothing more than vaporware. In fact, the Append Disc IS SGT: Online. I don' t remember Sega said anything about the Append Disc being free, and if you look at what SGT: Online is offering, you' d see it' s really nothing more than the Append Disc.

SGT: Online is going to offer about 40 more cars, a couple more tracks, online play, and throw in some weather effects. I can assure you, SGT: Online should not be considered a " new" game. It' s not even going to cost that much. SGT: Online is only going to be released at 20 bucks, and gamers can use their Sega GT 2002 file for SGT: Online.

SGT: Online is really just a 20 dollar add-on, and that' s why I believe it shouldn' t be treated as update in the series nor that SGT: Online was meant to " compete" with GT4. Sega GT 2002 was meant to compete with GT3. SGT: Online is just throwing some extras on top of Sega GT 2002.

Sorry about the confusion, I was trying to say that with all Sega bias aside, I feel that Sega GT: Online should be treated as both an add-on and an update to the series. I don' t like EA one bit but don' t they always get $hitt for releasing rehashes and updates? Also Capcom used to receive quite a bit of slack for the same thing. It' s only fair that all companies receive the same treatment if they do the same things.

The thing is, Sega GT is going against the Gran Turismo series in many ways, and the minute Sega threw their hats into the console driving sim arena to do battle their Sega GT series had the unfortunate fate of being thrown under a Gran Turismo scrutiny microscope and always be nitpicked apart in comparisons. If one has something the other doesn' t then people will be quick to dog one version out.

I don' t like it but that' s just the way I see things. I' m always hearing of how great or revolutionary Gran Turismo, but in all honesty I can' t stand the slow pace of the game, the drifty controls or its overall gameplay. And because Sega GT is quite similar, I can' t stand it neither.

As for my previous mention of the mythical append disc, I originally used the term " supposedly" because of a brief past mention of it and also the Gamefaqs listing of it with no detailed info.

Personally I' d love to see Sega ditch the whole Driving Sim stuff and focus on the racing games they do best and no other company on the planet can compete with them at. Arcade style racing baby!!! Leave the boring stuff for Polyphony Digital ;)

Thanks for clearing that up Lotusson, and Terry what I meant by cutting SGT Online some slack was for exactly the reason mentioned above. The game is only a mere update (not even half a sequel) and so shouldn' t be treated as one.

Oh... and yeah Sega GT was in the same boat as Gran Turismo when it first came out, but when I played SGT 2002 I really felt it wasn' t quite the competition to Sony' s driving sim as Sega made out. However it was, and still is a classic.

I love both games and to be honest wish Sega the best of luck with the series. Hopefully when they do make a true sequel it stands either shoulder-to-shoulder with GT or kicks its butt.