WRC 10 is a solid entry into the franchise...but I’m just not sure if it’s worth taking your keys and trading them in for the newer model.
Get that open-face helmet on, crack a can of *insert your favorite energy drink here*, and put on some chillstep. WRC 10 hits the road, dirt, snow, gravel, and whatever other objects you’ll possibly end up running over in the process. Now, yours truly goes brrrrrrrr in a lot of racing and motorsports games. So how does WRC fair to its past self from last year? Well, it’s kinda hard to tell.
Starting off, your thrust behind the wheel to get your bearings (all automotive puns are more than expected, they are encouraged). Career mode is very much laid out similar to last year’s, but then again if it isn’t broke you keep it going. Similar in layout and design you will build your own team and work your way through the WRC. The level of detail is really cool to look into though and experiment with. You never feel handheld and the game gives you freedom. This is both a good and bad thing. It’s successful in that it allows the freedom to go and really create your own path. The bad is that it can be a touch confusing on your goals and overwhelming to new users. The Skill Tree is similar to the F1 franchise in the layout of the tree itself, the calendar is open to what you are wanting to schedule so you really make your own path, and the ability and freedom. It will be a punisher though if you don’t think and don’t pay attention. Recklessness and careless driving will cost you your shot at the big time.
Something that I always try and pay attention to is handling. While I normally try to test on both my wheel and pedals and controller. Sadly, having wheel issues limited me to the gamepad. Honestly though this felt great behind the joystick. The haptic feedback on braking and entering corners was firm yet comforting. I mean that in a way that you could feel the weight of the car as it moved, shifted, leaned, and rolled through corners and over crests. When running on some snowy asphalt, I would hit slick spots and can feel the wheel slip in the controller. This was insanely noticeable. Past racing games, in general, do a great job with the audio cues and hearing the tires break loose. Being able to feel that shift in your hands adds that much more to the experience. That being said the handling feels about the same as last year’s overall. The feedback on the PS5 controller really takes it to the next level, but breaking it down it’s about the same overall as last year.
Visually, the game continues to be gorgeous. The landscapes are just so breathtaking to look at and take in as you rip around them tearing up the road. This kinda ties into the conversation about the game physical. The attention to detail and how the world looks and feels is insane. I mentioned the slick roads, like how the patches and puddles look. The water physics as you hit the wiper blades as the rain pours down. The world as a whole is amazing and an absolute blast to take in at a pace as fast as you can.
The legacy cars and rallies are awesome to be a part of as well. Seeing the history of the WRC represented here is a really cool thing. Even having past drivers and copilots with the car combo is really enjoyable for a history nut like myself. You also feel the handling difference with these cars as to modern WRC cars. You really have to feel them out and be aware and ahead of the weight. Let’s face it, cars like this don’t stop light their newer, lighter counterparts.
WRC 10 is a solid entry into the franchise. While there are usually updates, pretty landscapes, and nods to the parts and history of the sport that’s about all that’s new. It feels like last year’s edition, but just with some more polish and finesse. That’s fine, but I’m just not sure if it’s worth taking your keys and trading them in for the newer model. It is a fine ride and time, but overall nothing special to take for a spin.
