Stunning visuals, wicked gameplay and massive room for lasting appeal, one could simply say WRC has it all. Earlier this year when Bam Entertainment announced it would bring World Rally Championship to North America, I was very excited. I was fortunate to play WRC on a PAL (European) console and was amazed at how good the game was. Racing fans are very lucky that Bam stepped up and worked out a deal with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe to bring this great game to us over in North America.
The game is officially licensed and it features all the official cars, tracks and drivers which were present in the 2001 World Rally Championship season. There are 108 stages divided among 14 rallies all across the globe, this is enough to keep the player busy for a quite a bit of time. The multiplayer mode just ads to the playability of this game. The game contains 81 tracks which are taken from the real FIA WRC rally circuit. The tracks are lined by screaming fans, road signs; wildlife, cameramen and helicopters are seen hovering over the tracks during races. These effects add to the realism of the game and they allow the game to portray a TV style presentation, the likes of which would be broadcast during the FIA season in Europe.
The pre race movies and options are just as great as the racing itself. Before starting a race there is a intro movie to the track or stage in which you are about to race. This lengthy movie will give you a history of the track etc. This intro really gets you excited and jacked up to race. Also before every race you have the ability to select options which allow you to customize your car for the race ahead. For example you get to select the tires and gear ratio for the present environment situation.
As you race, the gameplay is great. The car handling and controls are easy to learn and become familiar with but hard to master, which makes the game appealing to people of all ages. There is a realistic damage system which I liked. For example, if you crash head on you may crack a windshield or your engine may start smoking, this damage feature adds to the very realistic feel of this racer.
Graphically the game is amazing. There is a real sense of detail and everything from the cars to by standers looks great. Evolution studios did a great job in working on every minor aspect to overall make this game look spectacular.
WRC is a game that will keep a gamer busy. There are many modes which include Single rally, time trial, two-player mode, state, and of course, the World Rally Championship. These modes are great to keep the single gamer happy and the head to head mode will amount to countless hours of playing with your buddies.
Gameplay:
Cars handle great and the game is easy to pick up but difficult to master. The damage system makes the game seem very realistic.
Graphics:
Absolutely stunning! The game looks wicked visually, from detailed cars to very life like environments. The lighting effects are also done to perfection.
Lasting Appeal:
The championship will keep you playing for a very long time. The game gets very difficult on higher levels so it will prove challenging for some time. The head to head mode is always fun when you have a buddy to play with.
Overall:
One of the best racers I?fve seen on any of the next-gen consoles. World Rally Championship does what it?fs meant to do, simulate rally racing, in pure stylish fashion with stunning visuals, great gameplay and lengthy playability. If you love racing you must, and I emphasis must, pick this one up, it?fs absolutely amazing.