Game Review: WRC 7

WRC 7 is certainly a step up from last year’s game.

Yes, we enjoyed WRC6 but there was one criticism: Graphically, WRC 6 is not the most spectacular driving game on the market and the presentation is generally slightly bland and inert, but there is plenty to look at, with static road-side obstacles dominating the tight tracks and dust-devils at times obscuring the road ahead.

Developer Kylotonn has certainly addressed that shortcoming and we can safely say the visuals in WRC 7 are improved, and very much on par with immediate competitor DiRT 4. There’s a myriad of road-side objects, as well as the occasional broken down competitor to look out for.

Along with the audio, the look of WRC 7 really makes you feel like you’re amongst the action.

There are also some other subtler improvements this year including new official cars from Ford, Hyundai, Toyota and Citroen in various teams. In total there are 55 different crews across the games different modes.

Thirteen different rallies from around the world are featured, with over 60 special stages including 13 new ‘Epic Stages’ to really test your endurance and concentration. Each ‘Epic Stage’ is over 15 minutes long.

Weekly challenges are very interesting and provide the opportunity to test your mettle against the rest of the WRC simulation community around the world. In that environment you won’t be competitive unless you’re adept at setting up your car for the upcoming stage.

While DiRT 4 has some Rallycross elements, there is no Rallycross included in WRC7. Nevertheless the special stages are fun, and include some stadium events which often deliver nail-biting close results.

Camera control is very important in games such as these, and often a chase camera is optimal in rallying. WRC 7 offers camera options including the cockpit, across the bonnet and more, however the third-person chase point of view deserves special mention as it cleverly maintains a view of the road ahead notwithstanding the orientation of the wheels and car. It is a really smart and natural feeling, well aligned to the way you want to drive.

The variety of stages is fantastic, with various surfaces to challenge the driver and prioritise car set-up to cater for the road ahead which could include a mix of gravel, snow, dirt or tarmac.

We loved the liberal allowance for spending time off the main road; so many other games reset the car back on the track with a time penalty far earlier than WRC 7 does. And when it does do this, it is pretty sensible about it, allowing some shortcuts to be taken if you happen to go bush. And, whatever you do, definitely try to avoid those foolish spectators who encroach near the track…quite rightly WRC 7 penalises a driver heading towards people.

Damage modelling is the development team’s focus for future releases. Currently this aspect still doesn’t feel accurate, as these cars can take a hell of a beating. We guess that is a bit of a concession to video game-play, but it would be nice if there was a more realistic way to manage the damage. However, it doesn’t mar the experience too much, and performance is altered drastically if damage is not attended to between stages.

WRC 7 features a split-screen couch multiplayer option plus an overhauled career mode with plenty of interaction.

Rally simulations are a great way to enjoy an alternative to other racing games. WRC 6 had some wonderful merit and more recently DiRT 4 gave a variety of modes and options. But for a focused way to enjoy the World Rally Championship, WRC 7 is hard to overlook.