After two years of intense competition in the WRC, the WRC 10 is a great car, but it is a bit too familiar. The car is essentially a tweaked version of the WRC 09, the last iteration of the cars we reviewed. Like its predecessor, the WRC 10 is based on a version of the Subaru Impreza, and though the WRC 10 is more powerful and lighter than the last generation, not much has changed on the outside. It is a very competent and durable car, and that’s where the similarities end.
As Apple launched the new iPhone X, the Samsung Galaxy S10+, and the iPhone XS, it’s time for me to descend from my lofty perch and reflect on the last year. So, after a whole series of updates, what have we learned? The first thing to say is that I still think the S10+ is one of the best Android phones money can buy. The camera has a nice new feature, but the phone’s overall performance has been unchanged, and the lack of a headphone jack is a real pain. And the S10 still has the best fingerprint sensor on any phone I’ve used.
The first World Rally Championships game on the PlayStation 3 was a great game; it had some of the best rally stages you would see on any game, and it had some of the best graphics on the PlayStation 3 yet. The game was dubbed WRC 10, and although it was released late in the year, it still didn’t receive enough attention. Since the game was quite popular, some people want it to make a return.
WRC has had its ups and downs, but since 2018, it has made significant improvements to the driving and physics models that have been warmly welcomed by reviewers and fans alike. WRC 10 was released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Rally Championship excellence, and it includes a whole mode devoted to the series’ celebration and history. The creators also said that they will modify the driving dynamics once again, make the game more accessible, and release a brand-new livery designer suite. So, with everything out of the way, let’s get to my WRC 10 review.
WRC 10 Review – What I Like
Career
If you’ve played WRC 9, the career mode in this game will seem quite similar, although not excessively so. Nonetheless, Kylotonn’s career mode in WRC 10 is a thrilling ride with a lot of complexity and user engagement.
WRC 10 allowed me to begin at the lower levels and work my way up the ladder based on my performance on the track and in the facilities. Basic equipment is supplied, and a skeleton of a crew is stationed to assist you on your trip to the summit.
What I like about the professional path is that it is systematic in the sense that there is no way to “game the system.” To advance and be recognized by sponsors and manufacturers, I needed to do well in practice, special events, and selected rallies.
It’s not all about performance; you’ll need some business savvy to assist recruit mechanics, engineers, and meteorologists, as well as boost the R&D department.
During rallies, events, and training, you gain XP and career points, which you may use to strengthen your staff and flesh out research and development. The mix of on-track performance and internal team management creates a great feeling of depth and ownership, and I found myself returning to this mode often.
For those who avoid online modes because they are worried about the lack of depth for offline-only players, career mode alleviates that worry to a large extent and is well worth the price of admission on its own.
Creator of New Liveries
This has been requested by a significant portion of the community, and Kylotonn has finally provided a livery creator. That’s the thrilling part, however, as with most things, there are two sides to every tale, and this is no exception.
While having the ability to design your own livery is intriguing, the system itself seems a little simple, and believe me when I say there is nothing new here. In reality, in other games, much more has been done, but as I already said, it’s a start.
If you’ve ever used Turn 10’s Forza livery maker, you’ll be familiar with what WRC offers (albeit it’s a little more basic). A huge number of objects have been unlocked and are ready to be utilized to make shapes, stickers, paint schemes, and other things. However, certain things are restricted, and you may unlock them and use them in your creative arsenal by completing specific in-game objectives.
I spent an hour with the inventor to really grasp how it works, and in that time, I was able to figure out every aspect of the software and how to put it all together. Overall, the livery maker is an easy concept to learn at first and will appeal to the creative masses who dive into it.
Mode 50 of the WRC
The aim of developer Kylotonn was to pay tribute to the sport’s history with a retrospective mode that enables players to experience some of the sport’s most memorable events, vehicles, and locations. The work was well worth it.
The WRC 50 option allowed me to compete in up to 19 different races throughout the sport’s long history, with difficulty levels ranging from easy to tough. I found myself liking certain parts and occurrences much more than others, but in a style like this, that’s to be anticipated.
Because I am unfamiliar with the sport’s history, I had to do some study, so having the opportunity to experience some of these historic moments was thrilling. Although, as I already said, it was very tough at times. Additionally, some of the benefits and unlocks are split for this mode, so PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC players may participate and earn different perks and goods than their counterparts.
The bottom line is that, although difficult, the WRC 50 mode provides an extremely interesting chance to participate in the sport’s history in a manner that few games have done before, and it does so in a well-packaged mode with a high degree of replay value and complexity.
WRC 10 Review: What I Don’t Like
I’ve been there and done that.
My one genuine reservation with WRC 10 is that, apart from the WRC 50 mode and the livery editor, there won’t be anything that seems like a step forward. Now, earlier versions of the game have a lot of complexity and replay value, but fans of the franchise may feel cheated, particularly if the history of the sport and designing your own vehicle liveries aren’t exactly things that excite you.
Interaction with the Career Mode
WRC 10’s career mode is fantastic, but when it’s off track, the presentation devolves into a voice-over and a monotonous sequence of point and clicks and calendar updates. The mode is extensive and long-lasting, but, like last year’s career mode, it might benefit from some additional in-depth interactions and choices that increase the player’s participation.
It’s not that I anticipate racing game career modes to catch up to those seen in series like Formula One, but for those who have had that kind of deep and engaging career mode, what’s offered in WRC 10 off the track may get a little monotonous after a while.
Conclusion
Most people would consider a rally game to be a niche product, and they would be right in certain ways. WRC 10 is a difficult game to pick up and understand, and much more difficult to master and feel in command of, but that is part of its allure for me.
WRC 10 is a cross of Dirt 5 and Dirt Rally 2.0, with a preference for Dirt Rally. WRC 10 is perfect for anyone seeking for something less arcadey but yet flexible — with the added bonus of being able to choose the degree of difficulty along the way. That isn’t to argue that WRC 10 doesn’t have a strong sim-cade feel to it, since it shouts simulation at you. I simply think WRC 10 is a little more approachable than Dirt Rally 2.0 and appeals to the casual fan.
This title, however, will test your patience and will require time and effort to master the game from the ground up. Those that are willing to do so will have a rich, genuine, and most importantly, enjoyable experience. There are no cheap ways to enjoy WRC 10, and you either go all in or don’t go at all, but the rewards for those that do are, well, amazing.
Related
Related Tags
- wrc 8
- world rally championship
- rally racing