Developer: Kylotonn
Publisher: Bigben Interactive
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox One, PS4
Tested on: Switch
WRC 8 (Switch) – Review
A few months ago, we reviewed the shipwreck that was WRC 8. While the series has seen a decrease in quality over the years, it might be suspected that the developers created the game, especially for the Switch, due to the low graphical quality and the gameplay not being on point. Sadly, even on the Switch the game looks and feels like something picked up from a public restroom.
Story
The story remains the same for the Switch port, you commence your career by either starting out in the junior cup to slowly make your way up to the powerful big boys, or instantly start at the WRC2 spec if you succeed in the initiation event. In the Switch version, it would be easier to start in the lower ranks as the controls and gameplay are even harder in this port. During your career you must keep your sponsors happy by racing well, driving clean and not wrecking your car. As your career progresses and you invest points into R&D, it will be easier to win, but the initial start is pretty spicy. No changes have been made to the flow or end of the game.
Graphics
Originally, the graphics for WRC 8 were not that great and with this, in the back of our heads, it might just make sense to see this game ported on the Switch. In this version, there have been made even more adjustments to the overall quality. The cars and sceneries look like another step back and what is immediately noticed is the strong popping up of trees and their graphics being all strange and blurry. Cars and interiors look like they came straight out of a PSX game and are simple without any details. While there are still many maps, the simpler coloring of the experience makes it seem that you are playing the same track over and over again.
Sound
What isn’t all that horrible in WRC 8 is the sound. The cars sound at least like rally vehicles and the Switch does utilize its speakers quite well to bring you the immersion of flying through hills. The music that plays is pretty generic and doesn’t really fit the rally scene, yet it’s better than absolute silence. The one good thing about WRC 8 is the clearly voiced co-pilot who yells out the directions you must go.
Gameplay
WRC 8 is a rally racing game where you must take control over a high powered vehicle and make it to the finish line in one piece. The WRC series always played decently until this year’s version which felt really bad. The difference between the console and the Switch version is even more noticeable in a bad way. In fact, the gameplay was already bad on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but it was something you could get used to in a few hours of playing. On the Switch, however, it doesn’t matter how long you play, the game just doesn’t feel right. Vehicles feel like driving a truck on an ice patch, and even that would be simpler than winning a race in WRC 8.
Since the overall controllability of vehicles is so difficult, you will struggle to get your car over the finish line. Cars handle like in older racing games where the driving engine was simple and the vehicle handling was stiff. For this reason, you will want to drive more carefully, yet this will only increase time and thus land you at a lower ranking. If you like it hard, you could switch to simulation options, where damage is received for hitting objects and flying over hills. Sadly, even when changing options to easy it seems that the in-game assists work against you rather than help you, causing one big frustration.
Not that the game has much going on for it, but the reason for the graphics having taken a punch to the private parts, is to be able to run the game smoothly without any frame drops. Controls are very simple yet playing the game in handheld can be a bit difficult with the placement of the triggers not being comfortable.
Conclusion
If you want to try the WRC experience for yourself, it is best just to grab it on the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. While this cannot be advised since the game isn’t really worth it, getting it on the Switch would be a kick to the nuts for every rally fan out there. The graphics are horrendous, the gameplay is unplayable, backgrounds pop up and generally, there aren’t any improvements done to the overall experience.
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