I couldn't justify the cost of a G27, about the same as the damn PS3 (got one of the new slimlines), got a new Driving Force GT instead for less than $100 (1/3 the cost of the PS3!). Works fine for me.
My main game is Need for Speed Shift at the moment, while I wait (and wait, and wait, and wait
) for GT5. I rented GT5 Prologue... to be honest, lovely graphics, but lousy collision physics. You can bang into other cars, and they don't spin out, lose grip, lose concentration, get angry (
). It's mind numbingly calm, really! Plus no damage, few cars and few tracks, no weather or time of day. I think the main game fixes all of this, but it's wait (and wait) and see...
NFS Shift is more like a cross between NASCAR and GT. Other AI drivers will send you spinning out if you p!ss them off, there's a lot more banging around and some pretty realistic behaviors when you do. Lot's of fun, but it's going to be a big change when I get GT5. No penalties for ramming or hitting a wall (in fact, bonus points!), points for tapping out opponents, points for sliding round corners with drift style, even when it loses you time! It's really a good combination of arcade and realism, and some of my favorite tracks (love Spa GP, Laguna Seca, Brands Hatch, Silverstone - grew up less than 20 miles from that one, had a family friend who fire marshalled. Saw a LOT of racing there!) and the sound is AMAZING. Far more visceral than Gt5 Prologue. They nailed the sound...
Look forward to you joining the PS3 community when GT5 comes out. We'll have to take a spin round the Nürburgring together! Going in early March down to the Sebring 12 hour with a friend. My studio owner, back in his Enron days (long story!) owned a Ferrari racer and raced that one twice. Might be able to get pit passes... I'm stoked!
Just put Dirt2 on my PS3 but haven't raced it yet, also. Very highly rated game. Looking forward to being in the dirt deliberately for a change!
BTW, you ever see that Top Gear episode where the German girl went round the whole Nürburgring in a stock diesel Transit van in 10:06? Bloody amazing! Overtaking Posche's and motorbikes! I keep that clip on my DVR permanently, to stop me getting cocky...
See you at the track, some day....