WRC

59%
Game Brain Score Based on 4,210 reviews
  • optimization
  • graphics
  • gameplay
WRC Game Cover
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WRC is a sport game that offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, including PvP. The game boasts excellent gameplay, a good soundtrack, and plenty of humor, but is poorly optimized and has lots of grinding. WRC Standard Edition includes early access, exclusive liveries, apparel packs, and a VIP Rally Pass for 5 in-game seasons, allowing players to build their dream car in the official game of the FIA World Rally Championship.

  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

59%
Audience ScoreBased on 4,210 reviews
graphics227 positive mentions
optimization492 negative mentions
  • The driving physics and handling are significantly improved compared to Dirt Rally 2.0, providing a more realistic experience.
  • The game features a wide variety of cars and stages, with many long and challenging tracks that enhance the rally experience.
  • The sound design is excellent, with immersive engine sounds and a good selection of music.
  • The introduction of kernel-level anti-cheat has made the game unplayable for many users, particularly on Linux and Steam Deck.
  • Performance issues persist, with frequent stuttering and frame drops even on high-end hardware, making the game frustrating to play.
  • The career mode feels shallow and repetitive, lacking the depth and engagement found in previous titles like Dirt Rally 2.0.
  • optimization1,274 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering and frame drops, even on high-end hardware. While some updates have improved performance, many users still experience inconsistent frame rates and graphical glitches, particularly during shader compilation. Overall, the game is seen as poorly optimized compared to its predecessor, Dirt Rally 2.0, leading to a frustrating experience for many players.

    • “However, the performance has improved dramatically since launch, and does continue to get better.”
    • “The performance issues have been mostly gone since the July update.”
    • “The recent patch has brought significant performance improvements, making the gameplay smoother and more immersive.”
    • “Do not waste your time or money; I purchased at launch and refunded because of the terrible performance.”
    • “The performance is abysmal – even on high-end systems like mine with an RTX 4090 and 7950X3D, the game struggles with low frame rates and stutters, varying wildly between stages.”
    • “The stuttering ruins any fun you can have with this game; changing over to Unreal Engine was a massive mistake.”
  • graphics977 mentions

    The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are often inferior to those of its predecessor, Dirt Rally 2.0. While some appreciate the visual details and realism in certain conditions, others criticize the overall performance, stuttering issues, and outdated textures, suggesting that the game feels poorly optimized for modern hardware. Overall, the consensus indicates that while the graphics can be appealing at times, they fall short of expectations for a 2023 title, leading to disappointment among players who anticipated significant improvements.

    • “The graphics are stunning, with breathtaking visuals and highly detailed tracks that capture the intensity of rally racing.”
    • “The graphics look amazing even on lower settings, and the detail on the surrounding areas makes the game very immersive.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, and the sound design is incredible, making for a fantastic overall experience.”
    • “The graphics are crap and not on par with other racing games - and even from the same developers; also the game has no business stuttering on an RTX 4090.”
    • “Graphics look worse than Dirt Rally 2.0, and the game somehow runs worse on my system as well.”
    • “The graphics themselves are a step back from 2.0 (2019!), and just look like they lack detail, and the lighting is overexposed.”
  • gameplay232 mentions

    The gameplay in EA Sports WRC has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging mechanics, realistic driving physics, and a wealth of content, including a variety of cars and stages. However, players have also reported significant performance issues, such as stuttering and bugs that detract from the overall experience. While the core gameplay is considered fun and challenging, the game's optimization and polish are seen as areas needing improvement.

    • “W2C is a remarkable addition to the gaming landscape, seamlessly blending engaging gameplay, stunning visuals, and a rich narrative.”
    • “The gameplay mechanics are another high point of W2C. Whether you’re battling foes, solving puzzles, or completing quests, the mechanics feel polished and satisfying.”
    • “The gameplay is fun, challenging, and has a lot of content.”
    • “Here the gameplay is bad.”
    • “The necessity of manually tuning every car, even pre-built ones, adds an unnecessary layer of complexity and frustration to the gameplay experience.”
    • “The inconsistent performance, combined with shader compilation issues during gameplay, detracts significantly from the experience.”
  • stability120 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly in VR and during multiplayer sessions. While some users note improvements over time and decent performance on high-end systems, others experience frequent stuttering, freezing, and graphical anomalies that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is seen as unfinished and still in need of substantial optimization and bug fixes.

    • “Graphics are okay, and the game is relatively bug-free compared to the old WRC games.”
    • “Game running at 1440p ultra preset, getting a solid 90-100 fps, no stutters or performance issues, runs great.”
    • “Now that the optimization patch has come through, the game feels quite smooth and runs great on my rig.”
    • “Game is buggy as hell and has all the same problems Dirt Rally 2 had and even more (sometimes just completely unplayable for no reason).”
    • “Unfinished, buggy, intrusive product.”
    • “I want to love it, because the pieces are there but it is a buggy broken mess.”
  • music111 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising the soundtrack for its variety and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, while others criticize it as bland, repetitive, or poorly suited to the game's theme. Many appreciate the option to customize the music settings, allowing players to mute tracks they dislike, but there are also complaints about the corporate feel of the UI and the overall quality of the music selection. Overall, while some find the soundtrack enjoyable and fitting, others feel it falls short compared to previous titles in the genre.

    • “The soundtrack is beautifully composed, perfectly complementing the gameplay and enhancing the emotional depth of the narrative.”
    • “The music is awesome.”
    • “Great game with beautiful graphics and music.”
    • “Just the typical sports game soundtrack clichés, which isn’t really my style.”
    • “Then there's music, which is simply annoying.”
    • “The music is really annoying unless you like that 'middle of the road 40-year old uncle wanting to be cool style dance music'.”
  • story45 mentions

    The game's story is described as engaging and well-crafted, featuring compelling character arcs that enhance player connection. However, some players feel that the potential of the story is not fully realized, with criticisms about the focus on gameplay mechanics over narrative depth. Overall, while the story mode is considered enjoyable, it may not satisfy those seeking a purely immersive driving experience.

    • “The storyline is engaging and well-crafted, featuring compelling characters with their own arcs and motivations.”
    • “This storytelling approach creates a sense of connection that keeps players coming back for more.”
    • “The story mode is more enjoyable than multiplayer at the moment, so if you're looking to get this game to only play multiplayer, I wouldn't recommend this game.”
    • “Here is the saddest part of the story: the game has so much potential.”
    • “It is a very sad story; if you just like pure driving immersion and a wide variety of great car models and sounds, do not buy this game.”
    • “This game has no story.”
  • monetization30 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the presence of microtransactions and season passes typical of EA's practices, which they feel detracts from the overall experience. However, some users appreciate that the game offers a substantial amount of content without aggressive monetization tactics, marking it as a rare instance where EA has not heavily gated gameplay behind paywalls. Overall, while there are concerns about future monetization strategies, the current state is seen as a step away from the usual EA cash grab model.

    • “More content than DR2, no DLC nickel and diming, no core gameplay gated behind monetization.”
    • “For once, I'm surprised that Codemasters were able to put out a full game with more content than their previous rally games and it's not riddled with microtransactions, despite having EA as their publisher.”
    • “Honestly, this feels like the anti-EA game as there's no crazy microtransactions, barely any content blocked off by a paywall, tons of content in the base game, DLC coming down the line that the devs said are likely going to be free, and it's its own unique thing to set itself apart from other rally games thanks to its really long stages.”
    • “Ffs, you're killing the game by pushing through microtransactions when it still performs like a beta.”
    • “Absolutely stupid monetization; I find it hard to believe anyone would actually pay for a season pass to get outfits you'll never see on your driver.”
    • “In summary, this is everything you expect from an EA title: it has missing features they lied about, it's buggy, it runs awful, it has predatory monetization, the gameplay is unpolished, it's unfinished.”
  • atmosphere20 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising the vibrant art style and immersive sound effects that enhance the experience, particularly during night racing. However, many reviewers criticize the repetitive stage design, lack of environmental variety, and sparse spectator presence, leading to a generally flat and uninspired atmosphere compared to previous titles. Overall, while there are moments of charm, the game's atmosphere is often described as lacking depth and engagement.

    • “The art style is both colorful and detailed, creating an enchanting atmosphere that draws players in.”
    • “The sound effects for this game are outstanding, with engines roaring, tires screeching, and gravel pinging against the floorboard, which combined creates an immersive atmosphere and true-to-life rally soundscape.”
    • “This game has a unique atmosphere.”
    • “Every stage is exactly the same in every country, just a different colored windy road with no junctions, no atmosphere, no change in surface.”
    • “At least in the dirt series there was a range of atmospheres being crafted, but EA WRC does nothing at all.”
    • “Despite the switch from their Ego engine to Unreal Engine for better stage details and environments, the game disappointingly lacks the vibrant lighting and atmosphere that defined their previous titles.”
  • replayability19 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag. While some players appreciate the variety of events and the potential for replayability through different seasons and weather conditions, many others criticize the lack of engaging content, repetitive gameplay, and limitations in unlocking older seasons, leading to a perception of low replay value.

    • “I hope with the coming seasons, updated content and (the best part) the VR patch, this will have as much replayability for me as DR2 has done.”
    • “WRC has so many different stages and cars, which makes for hours and hours of replayability within the already large library of stages.”
    • “This and the addition of various weather conditions offer a lot of replayability.”
    • “I can't find much replayability here for myself personally since I just couldn't get into it.”
    • “Probably one of the weakest rally games in terms of replayability.”
    • “Career mode is tragic, overcomplicated, and has no randomized events, so it has no replayability whatsoever.”
  • grinding16 mentions

    Players express frustration with the excessive grinding required for season passes and progression systems, often feeling that the rewards are not worth the effort. While some appreciate the lack of grinding in the campaign mode, many find the overall experience tedious, with repetitive tasks and cumbersome controls contributing to the grind. Overall, the consensus is that grinding detracts from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “Very pleased that the game contains all cars, stages, etc. unlocked and included from the beginning, no grinding, cumbersome DLC, or other cheap tricks - this is the way to release a game!”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The season rally pass is a joke; if you have it, there's no way you can level it to 20 in that short period of time—grinding is slow.”
    • “Meanwhile, they are continuing to push these excessively grindy season passes that give mediocre rewards and are also the only meaningful progression system in the game.”
  • humor15 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its absurd and cartoonish elements, leading to moments of genuine laughter, such as bizarre physics and unintentional comedic glitches. Players find irony in the game's design choices and EA's business practices, with humorous commentary on penalties and voice-over quirks, including a co-driver named "English #02" and a German voice-over by Angela Merkel. Overall, the game's flaws and quirks contribute to a lighthearted, if frustrating, comedic experience.

    • “It's so ridiculously cartoonish I actually burst out laughing several times when the car just keeps going and going sideways like it's being sucked into a black hole off the starboard side.”
    • “The funny thing is that this anti-cheat is only to protect the leaderboards from cheaters.”
    • “Most of the bugs I've encountered are of the funny variety, things like the co-driver at the beginning forgetting to count down from 5, and then cramming all the numbers into the last second, that is hilarious.”
  • emotional10 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its immersive sound design and heartfelt dialogue, which enrich the player experience and narrative depth. The beautifully composed soundtrack further enhances the emotional engagement, although some players express disappointment with technical issues and gameplay mechanics that detract from their overall enjoyment. Despite mixed feelings, many players appreciate the emotional moments and nostalgic elements reminiscent of previous titles in the series.

    • “The dialogue is witty and often heartfelt, adding layers of depth to the interactions.”
    • “The soundtrack is beautifully composed, perfectly complementing the gameplay and enhancing the emotional depth of the narrative.”
    • “I cried.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is highlighted by a diverse and impressive cast, with designs that make each character feel both relatable and unique, enhancing the overall gaming experience.

    • “The character designs are equally impressive, with a diverse cast that feels both relatable and unique.”
    • “The depth of each character's backstory adds layers to the gameplay, making every decision feel impactful.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, showcasing their growth and struggles in a realistic way.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

28hMedian play time
153hAverage play time
5-222hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 33 analyzed playthroughs

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