EA Sports WRC

We can now consider EA Sports WRC as one the best sports game of the year and the new rally reference production.

When it comes to rallying, Codemasters is a guarantee. This new simulation from EA presents itself at the starting line with an offer that boasts an excellent balance between quantity and quality of content and which, as per tradition, puts the driving experience at the centre. There is no shortage of sporadic stumbles, yet EA Sports WRC boasts a compelling career, a respectable fleet of cars and a deep, challenging and satisfying driving model. In short, we are talking about a must-have for fans of this sporting discipline.

EA Sports WRC manages to bring the sensations and essence of rallying to our screens, revealing itself to be an engaging, at times overwhelming, racing game. Some details are less refined than others and there is various room for improvement, however if a good day starts in the morning I would say that, as regards the future of the series, fans can celebrate.

WRC offers exactly what I wanted from a Codemaster rally game and it doesn’t disappoint thanks to a good offering of content, engaging racing, and lots of tricky routes.

Enjoy a real-time rally experience in the exciting world of WRC. Explore roads and terrain across the globe as you expertly race through challenging stages. With a realistic physics engine, stunning graphics and dynamic weather conditions, each race will test your skill and determination.

EA Sports WRC is definitely not a let down and is a more than worthy successor to Dirt Rally 2.0. Even though I had some concerns about a new game engine and wondered if that gameplay would translate, thankfully those fears were unfounded. Make no mistake, this is a solid racing game featuring plenty of cars, plenty of locations (plus loads of stages within them) and excellent gameplay be that via wheel or pad.

EA Sports WRC is as good as it gets behind the wheel, with Codemasters once again putting out a racer that feels incredible to play.

The most important thing about EA Sports WRC is that I’m pretty sure I’ll get addicted to the moments its recreation of rallying can provide across its plethora of modes. As with Dirt Rally 2.0, it’s those simple, brief moments when you get into a perfect adrenaline-fuelled flow and feel - just for a second - like you are as good as Colin McRae, that’ll keep me coming back for more, no matter how many trees I hit in between them. I'm pleased and relieved to report that post-acquisition Codemasters still understands what makes a good rally game tick.

EA Sports WRC is a complete game, with a well-structured driving model, full of realism and variety. Even though it has a less than excellent career, the Codemasters game has been able to defend itself very well among driving titles, remaining one of the best this year. It is an excellent experience that brings the rally back to its most exciting phases.

This game is a change of pace from other racing games like F1 and Forza Horizon. Yes, part of that has to do with virtually no microtransactions within the game. But on a more poignant note, rally car racing is its own beast. Between building the right setup and then having to go out on a treacherous road and compete, it’s important for all the details to be there and for the gameplay to be smooth.

EA SPORTS WRC marks two significant comebacks: Codemasters returning to develop a rally-themed game and a driving model closely resembling the experience in Dirt Rally 2.0. These two factors alone make it the best rally game in recent years.

EA SPORTS WRC is a notable improvement in the saga of World Rally Championship games. The introduction of the builder mode, along with a well-structured career mode, makes the single-player experience fun, motivating and immersive. The driving system caters for all types of players, from those who play with controllers and in a more casual way to those who prefer a simulation environment. Codemasters presents a robust game, with a few rough edges but a truly fun driving experience. Now it's time to get behind the wheel and tear up the gravel.

EA SPORTS WRC makes a few moves that are different for the franchise that work, but the difficulty that made DiRT Rally 2 so challenging yet rewarding is missing. Yes, this game offers that same sentiment to a degree, but it feels like there was more of a focus on making a complete game with a love letter to the history of the WRC rather than just making a difficult racing game. The Career Mode is a good change from typical modes seen in other racing games but outside of building a car, isn’t deep. The Moments will keep things fresh and allow varying experiences for players on a daily basis. The handling model remains challenging with a lot of tools to help new players, but it doesn’t feel as punishing as the past and I would prefer the game to be punishing.

Even with a sometimes bland Career mode and the currently disappointing state of Moments, EA Sports WRC is a game every rally sim fan should play. Driving model, realism, variety — it's the pinnacle of Codemasters' experience in the genre, plus the official World Rally Championship license. Rally has finally come home.

If EA Sports and Codemasters intended to create a WRC experience that is immersive, welcoming to newcomers, and a fun and reasonably faithful representation of the sport, then they have absolutely succeeded. As someone who enjoys racing but has never participated in the rally side of motorsports, the learning curve was manageable and the end result is that I can't wait to get back behind the wheel for another sweaty and adrenaline-filled session as soon as possible. The hardcore crowd that was hoping for a deep simulation of rally racing will likely be left wanting for more...Perhaps the biggest compliment I can pay EA Sports WRC is that the experience in this game has prompted me to explore more of the rally sport in real life. I'll be checking out some rally championships in the future and strive to improve my driving skills on something other than a nicely asphalted racetrack with gentle flowing curves.

The driving itself is brilliant, the stages wonderful, the amount of content unbelievable and the audio-visual presentation really impressive. The menu system is nothing to shout about and the damage to the cars needs to be fixed, but other than that, this is a fantastic rally game that I will spend a thousand hours with.

EA Sports WRC combines the strengths of Dirt Rally 2.0 with the WRC license and a large scale, but still doesn't feel completely rounded.

I’m afraid it will take at least several weeks until WRC achieves a state where we can call it fully playable. But even then, will it be worth 50 bucks? If you desperately need a new rally game and don’t require a full-fledged simulator, then the answer can be positive. The game has very rich content and a captivating gameplay loop so you can expect dozens of hours of fun. If you haven’t played all the available rally games, then I suggest trying them first.

EA Sports WRC is not for those who want an easy-to-digest rally race. But for anyone who wants a rally game that ranks realism and challenge a few notches higher than accessibility and flashy racing, EA Sports WRC is the best thing to happen to the genre since Dirt Rally 2.0.

Codemasters’ first shot at the WRC license is underwhelming. Despite a responsive driving model and decent rally stages, EA Sports WRC offers an awkward career mode with shallow team management. Even the presentation quality is inconsistent, with some bothersome stuttering.