Not quite the finished article
Our main complaint really comes from the way the overall package has been presented and the lack of diversity between the vehicles. Despite vehicles supposedly having varied set-ups, which should mean they feel different to drive, we couldn't really tell the difference between one car to the next. The Suzuki Swift S1600 in the low J-WRC class, for instance, feels similar to handle as the Subaru WRC 07 in the World Class category. The change in handling really only seems to come into play with the different terrain and weather conditions, or if you actually go into the settings and tweak performance drastically. Before you start a race you can tweak a range of settings; adjust the gears, for instance, with a shorter gear giving you quicker acceleration but a lower maximum speed, or you might want to choose a soft suspension which is better for a bumpy road. The foundations are certainly here to create the diversity, but further tweaking was certainly needed.The inconsistencies continue when you take into account the presentation of WRC. There are times when it looks great. The car models are impressively modelled of their real-life counterparts, damage modelling is good and some of the locations showcase the graphics engine well. On other occasions, especially when you compare it to DiRT, the environments look bland and suffer from a number of minor graphical glitches, including clipping issues. The audio is also quite poor. The cars lack the roar that you'd expect from the engines, or the screeching from the tyres, while the co-drivers shout out remarks that often don't even correspond to your actions around the course. It's disappointing to see and hear, especially when the actual racing part of the gameplay has been so well thought out.
There's a good framework here for the WRC franchise going forward, but this is far from the finished article. It's a punishing game to try and master but it is rewarding when you manage to whistle around one of the challenging tracks in record time. The handling model is different to what we're used to playing, but the simulation style should be appealing to those seeking a more realistic rally experience. Presentation leaves a lot to be desired, and overall it just lacks the polish that you'd expect from any modern day title. Overall, it doesn’t quite capture the same speed as the DiRt series, or many other racers for that matter - and as a result doesn't provide a consistently exciting ride over a sustained period of time. Nevertheless, WRC is a franchise that's worth keeping an eye on because there's plenty more to come and it's just going to get better and better.
