WRC 10 – Review

Games that come out each year have to hold up to a certain quality standard. WRC was that series that has received some flack over the past years but really stepped up their game in 2020. The previous game was really well-received and this gave the developers the incentive to make an even better WRC this year. It is going to be a special one as WRC is celebrating its 50^th birthday, so the developers went above and beyond to create the best experience possible, and they truly achieved their goal.

Story

The story is exactly the same as in other WRC games; you start as an unknown driver that must work his way up to the big league. You can start with the junior WRC cup in a basic Ford Fiesta, or try out in the more powerful WRC cars in a higher ranking, but you must pass the initiation race first. Then, you must manage your team wisely to bring yourself to the top. In the story mode, you have the options to play around with settings. It is wise to not put the rally length on realistic; unless you are a seasoned driver because then rallies will literally take hours to complete.

The days will pass and your team will grow, but be sure to keep your manufacturer and sponsors happy, as they will likely terminate the contract and put you on an early leave if you drive terribly. While this may be considered as a light storyline throughout the game, it’s absolutely not the main course for this racing title.

Graphics

WRC 10 is a true feast for the eyes. You’ll get treated to quality graphics and the attention to detail is insane. Every slight scratch, dent, and speck of dirt is visible on your car. Your windows become dirty or wet, so you will have to use your wipers, and if your break your lights during a night race then you are better off restarting said race. The thing that is often appealing about rally games is how your car gets beaten up when racing. WRC 10 perfectly displays the latter, as parts will get ripped off when driving poorly, and this will influence your overall performance.

Sound

Pairing nicely with the amazing graphics are the great sounds. With the game having a large variety of cars, you do notice the different sounds that the cars make. Modern cars sound more refined while older vehicles sound like sheer untamed wild beasts. The same goes for braking and screeching tires; when parts get worn down you will hear the suspension and brakes crunching.

During races, there isn’t any music playing, but there is some present in the menus. While driving on the road, you will have to concentrate on the instructions that your co-driver is giving you, as you will need to follow these if you want to maximize your efficiency.

Gameplay

WRC 10 is a rally racing game where you must master your vehicle on the most dangerous roads all over the world. Your career starts in either the junior league with a low-powered Ford Fiesta or in the WRC league with more powerful vehicles from various manufacturers. This is exactly the same as in WRC 9, so returning players will feel right at home. In the career mode, you will manage your own team, albeit a manufacturer-owned team or (if you have the money) one that is completely yours. The main difference is that the manufacturer will lend you a car to represent them, but you must keep them happy if you want to stay in the driver’s seat under their sponsorship.

The career mode is filled with events and managing your team and vehicle during and between races. You plan out the events which can differ between real rally stages, classical events where you drive a piece of rally history, or events like training sessions or driving under extreme conditions. Before starting your career, you can decide on what kind of difficulty you want to play, but it is advised to not put your rally length too long. When picking too realistic options, it will take hours to finish a single rally event and this can drastically drain your bank if you make any mistakes on the road.

Driving in the game feels amazing. The developers announced that they put a lot of work into this game, making the components closely work together and influencing the overall performance of the vehicle. Just like in other realistic racing games, you will notice that when your vehicle gets worn down, it will behave differently than when it is in pristine condition. Controlling the game is therefore pretty easy, as a decent driver will be able to steer their vehicle through narrow roads at high speed.

Overall the game is really great and, as the user can completely customize the experience, it is suitable for any kind of gamer. If you want the vehicles to handle realistically, but don’t want to go bankrupt on repairs, then you can just adjust this in the difficulty settings. Want a short experience and fly through the career, or do like real rally drivers do? Set the game up to your liking and make your way to the rally top.

Conclusion

WRC 10 is a real masterpiece among rally racing games. Not only is it an audiovisual experience that is true-to-life, the driving feels realistic and the game brings enough content to the table to keep you going for quite some time. With the mix between new and classic rally cars, you have a wide range of toys to play with. The career mode is long and elaborate, and with the many customization options on hand, it can be a game fit for any kind of player.

MC_JP

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Never give up on a dream. It might be a long nightmare, but one day it will change into a beautiful reality - MC_JP 2014

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