World Rally Championship 8 is like the football manager of racing games. You get to pick your league, manage your support center, and race against the clock, attempting to beat everyone else’s time. If you’re into driving on I95, or off-roading, then you might want to take a look at this title.
I’ve been around the block with racing and driving games, and WRC 8 definitely made me clutch the controller with more anxiety than other titles. You can easily lose control of your car and spiral out of control, even if you are trying to cruise on (relatively) flat ground. To make things even more interesting, you need to consider harsh and extreme conditions. The weather can change everything as well as the condition of your vehicle.
I really like the managing aspect of the game, even though the racing environments and the cars are beautiful. You can see your office space and manage your employees. One of the first people you hire is a meteorologist. You utilize his/her reports to adjust your car mods to your advantage. One thing I noticed is that your crew is composed of people from all around the globe.
The actual controls for driving are minimal, with special attention to the handbrake and shifting up/down. The thumbsticks are very sensitive, though. The right thumbstick is the camera control, and it is quick/sharp, so much that it can be more distracting than useful. I felt myself gently using the left thumbstick when making slight turns. It’s even harder with the sharp turns. You have a guide on the radio trying to warn/guide you as you drive. Sometimes I found myself doing the opposite of what he told me to, only to find myself falling off a cliff. I’ve found myself restarting many races over and over and over.
I had mentioned that the game looks amazing, and that might be an understatement. I thought it was really cool how going off the track can build up the grime and dirt on the car. I suppose if I got good, then my car would finish with a squeaky clean finish. I also like the attention to detail concerning sponsors and your relationship with them. Ford can cut their losses and drop you if you do poorly in the rallies.
WRC 8 feels like it is one of those specific niches of racing games. Rally Races are a different kind of thrill, but still a testament to the racing genre. I still think its super duper hard to master, but also rewarding when you become acclimated to it. I pray I never have to redo that extreme condition training scenario. It was raining, it was nighttime, and it was poised along a cliff. I think a fair rating for this title is an 8 out of 10. It’s a challenge to be sure, but one that can surely be mastered with enough time and patience.
Check Out the WRC 8 Trailer:
WRC 8 is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and in October on Nintendo Switch.
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I like to think of myself as the average Joe who grew up alongside video games. I have fun playing strategy games, RPGs, shooters, sandboxes, the whole shebang! Every game provides an experience whether it strikes you as profound, mundane, or someplace in between. I'd like to weigh in my two cents before you spend a single penny.
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