Review:
WRC
Genre: Racing
Publisher: Sony
Players: 1-8 (AD Hoc)
Online play: Yes
Firmware: 2.00
Video:
Windows Media Player:
World Rally Championship - Trailer
QuickTime Player:
World Rally Championship - Trailer
Immerse yourself in the official FIA World Rally Championship game on PSP, packed full of exhilarating stages set amidst some of the world’s toughest terrain. Taste the peril and the glory of motor sport at its most intense in WRC, which features 16 official rally events from around the world, including authentic Super Special Stages for the true rally fans. You will encounter different obstacles in each stage, so you will need to listen to your co-pilot closely and mentally depict your route ahead before it appears in front of you. Timing and speed will be crucial through every bend and crest, so that you are perfectly lined for what lies ahead.
The vehicles all have their own strengths and weaknesses on particular stages due to the wheelbase length, power, handling and physics of the vehicle, so choose wisely which vehicle might suit you best before starting your Championship. These are the vehicles available in the game:
Subaru Impreza
Peugeot 307
Citroen Xsara
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
Ford Focus
Skoda Fabia
You can choose between the D-pad and the analogue stick to steer your vehicle, but the analogue stick can be very sensitive. The throttle and brake controls are in their usual positions, and the handbrake is controlled by the right shoulder button, which allows you to veer the tail end of your vehicle sideways around a sharp hairpin with great precision.
Although the loading times are quite long, the graphics of each stage and vehicle is very neat. Obviously, your vehicle will suffer some wear and tear through each stage, so it will begin to deform along your route. Take caution over large crests and narrow forest lanes or you might wrap your vehicle round a tree, possibly causing severe gearbox problems, overheating radiators, or even worse losing a wheel!
The main menu is laid out clearly and here you can select from Quick Rally, Time Trial, Single Rally, Championship, Multiplayer and Options.
Entering the Championship will take you through all of the 64 stages in the game at a Novice, Professional, Expert or Extreme difficulty. However, each level of difficulty is only unlocked by completing the previous Championship in first place. Ghost cars appear on each stage, which give you a good feel for which type of bends you’re better at than others. The sound of your vehicle and surroundings are also great, but should be plugged into some external speakers to appreciate it fully.
Multiplayer is huge in WRC. You can play with a single PSP with 2-4 players, AD Hoc with 2-8 players, or online with 2-8 players as well. Here you can host or join a game and choose your favourite stage and vehicle, to challenge the most serious drivers worldwide. Record times for each stage are also listed on an online leader board.
WRC is very realistic and consequently very hard. Even though I believe this game is better than Colin McRae Rally 2005, I would only recommend gamers who really enjoy racing games to buy this game. The Championship can get frustrating at times when it seems impossible to complete a Championship in first place, but after a few retries and a few games online, this is a fine game.
The verdict:
Uppers:
- Official stages, drivers and vehicle manufacturers
- Great visual
- 3 different Multiplayer modes
Downers:
- It’s very hard
- Still no downloadable content as had been promised
- I already have Colin McRae Rally 2005
Overall score: 75%
Henry
29/01/2007
Linear Mode
