WRC

About

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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

59%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,391 reviews

graphics446 positive mentions

optimization998 negative mentions

Great driving physics and handling, especially on gravel and snow.
A large selection of cars and stages, providing a lot of content for players.
The career mode offers a more engaging experience compared to previous titles.

Kernel-level anti-cheat added months after release, breaking compatibility for Linux and Steam Deck users.
Performance issues, including stuttering and low frame rates, even on high-end systems.
Graphics are considered a downgrade from Dirt Rally 2.0, with many players reporting visual glitches.

optimization
2,558 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
52%
39%
The optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including constant stuttering and frame drops, even on high-end hardware. While some users have noted improvements following patches, the overall consensus is that the game remains poorly optimized compared to its predecessor, Dirt Rally 2.0, and still requires substantial work to address its performance shortcomings. Many players recommend waiting for further updates before purchasing, as the current state of optimization is seen as unacceptable for a modern racing title.
- “The recent patch has brought significant performance improvements, making the gameplay smoother and more immersive.”
- “I have had essentially no performance issues at all, it runs smoother for me than Dirt Rally 2.”
- “Game running @1440p ultra preset, getting a solid 90 - 100 fps, no stutters or performance issues, runs great.”
- “Bad optimization, constant microstutters and server issues.”
- “This game has very poor optimization.”
- “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.”
graphics
1,954 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
62%
15%
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are a significant downgrade from "Dirt Rally 2.0." Common complaints include poor optimization, frequent stuttering, and a lack of detail in textures, particularly in environmental elements. While some players appreciate the visual improvements in certain areas, the overall consensus is that the graphics do not meet the expectations for a 2023 title, often feeling outdated and inconsistent across different stages.
- “After watching a lot of negative reviews and comparisons to Dirt Rally 2, which I have played a lot of, I decided to find out for myself. I have found no graphic problems running on ultra settings with a NVIDIA GTX 1060 and 16GB of RAM. The cars and tracks look fantastic and play well. Dirt Rally 2 is good, but I am enjoying this better and so glad I bought it. I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys rally games.”
- “- Very detailed graphics in 4K achieved by Unreal Engine (the most advanced game engine to the present day).”
- “The graphics are beautiful and so is the sound.”
- “Terrible graphics, no non-temporal antialiasing options, many issues on rally stages like indestructible thin poles and grass on tarmac.”
- “The graphics themselves are a step back from 2.0 (2019!), and just look like they lack detail, and the lighting is overexposed.”
- “Graphics look much much worse than dirt rally 2.0.”
gameplay
452 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
59%
5%
The gameplay in EA Sports WRC is generally praised for its fun and realistic driving mechanics, offering a satisfying rally experience with improved physics and a variety of cars and stages. However, many players report significant performance issues, including stuttering and bugs that detract from the overall experience, particularly in the career mode, which some find lacking depth. While the core gameplay is enjoyable and a step up from previous titles, the game's optimization and polish are seen as areas needing improvement.
- “The driving feels really good and has a lot of good gameplay mechanics in the career mode like being able to manage your own team.”
- “The gameplay is fun, challenging and has a lot of content.”
- “Gameplay is great and fun, career mode, tons of cars, custom livery, car builder.”
- “Career feels half-baked to say the least; it's basically just a string of events (the same events every season) with some 'mechanic manager simulator' sprinkled in.”
- “Gameplay can be incredibly frustrating because of things like getting reset for seemingly nothing or driving an incredibly small distance off track and getting reset or a shortcut penalty despite nothing being there or nothing indicating that you are going somewhere the game doesn't want you to go.”
- “The inconsistent performance, combined with shader compilation issues during gameplay, detracts significantly from the experience.”
stability
234 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
1%
82%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and performance issues such as stuttering and micro-freezes, particularly in VR mode. While some users have noted improvements over time and that it runs well on high-end systems, the overall consensus is that the game remains a "buggy mess" that detracts from the experience, especially for those using lower-end hardware. Many recommend waiting for further patches before purchasing, as the game still feels unfinished and plagued by technical problems.
- “Game running @1440p ultra preset, getting a solid 90 - 100 fps, no stutters or performance issues, runs great.”
- “As of today, this game runs great (60+) without stutters at medium graphics on my rtx 2070m and I have to say I'm having a blast.”
- “Now that the optimization patch has come through, the game feels quite smooth and runs great on my rig.”
- “Inglish: For what I have been able to play, I loved it, but since yesterday it does not let me play because I enter the game, get into a career, and when I start it crashes (freezes) and makes me go out and restart the PC. I have tried to fix it but there is no way, and the graphics I have not touched. I have an empty hard drive and I do not know what to do to play it again. I also uninstalled it and reinstalled it but there is no solution.”
- “The no.1 first priority for a rally game needs to be smooth performance, but even with a 12600 and a 3080 this is a stuttery mess that repeatedly throws off my drives - the game freezes for a split second, just enough to miss a corner and for inputs to be missed.”
- “In 61.5 hours played, I don't think I've finished a single stage without either: 1) massive visual bugs/glitches, 2) massive stuttering, 3) a massive performance drop (usually right near the end of the stage), 4) the game straight up freezing.”
music
217 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
46%
18%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack as fantastic and varied, while others find it bland or irritating compared to previous titles like Dirt Rally. Many players appreciate the ability to customize their music experience, including turning off tracks they dislike, but there are complaints about repetitive playlists and a lack of energy in the music selection. Overall, while some enjoy the menu music and in-game tracks, others feel it detracts from the overall experience.
- “The soundtrack is fantastic.”
- “Great game with beautiful graphics and music.”
- “The music slaps.”
- “Why is the soundtrack so trite and... irritating?”
- “The music is really annoying unless you like that 'middle of the road 40-year old uncle wanting to be cool style dance music'.”
- “The soundtrack sucks compared to Dirt Rally 2.0 and Dirt 4.”
story
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
72%
8%
The game's story aspect receives mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the engaging narrative and RPG elements, such as managing team sponsors and choosing races, while others criticize the lack of a substantial storyline, likening it to a mere driving simulation without depth. Many users find the story mode more enjoyable than multiplayer, suggesting it offers a better experience despite performance issues. Overall, while some players see potential in the story, others feel it falls short of expectations.
- “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.”
- “Aside from performance issues, this game is like Dirt 2, but with a more comprehensive story (you have team sponsors to keep happy, etc.), but much more forgiving even choosing pro mode with hardcore damage enabled.”
- “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.”
- “Same story as Starfield... quantity over quality once again.”
monetization
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
36%
57%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the lack of aggressive microtransactions and paywalls, which is unusual for an EA title. However, concerns remain about the presence of optional season passes and the potential for future DLC monetization, leading some to view it as a cash grab. Overall, while the game offers a more complete package than previous entries, the lingering presence of EA's monetization tactics has left a sour taste for some players.
- “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.”
- “- Good price, no microtransactions, which is rare for EA (optional rally pass if you want extra cosmetics and decals).”
- “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, and DLC coming down the line that the devs said are likely going to be free.”
- “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, and it's unfinished.”
- “The core gameplay is enjoyable, but it's not fair for a full-price game to have locked content as a form of advertising.”
atmosphere
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
54%
18%
The atmosphere in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of vibrancy and engagement compared to previous titles like Dirt Rally 2.0. While some appreciate the sound effects and track designs, others criticize the sparse environments, flat visuals, and absence of dynamic elements such as spectators, which detracts from the overall immersion. Overall, the game struggles to create a compelling atmosphere, leaving players wanting more in terms of visual detail and environmental interaction.
- “This game has a unique atmosphere.”
- “The sound effects for this game are outstanding, with engines roaring, tires screeching, and gravel pinging against the floorboard, creating an immersive atmosphere and a true-to-life rally soundscape.”
- “The art style is both colorful and detailed, creating an enchanting atmosphere that draws players in.”
- “At least in the Dirt series there was a range of atmospheres being crafted, but EA WRC does nothing at all.”
- “While the cockpit is certainly passable, and the fans, drivers, and marshals look a lot better than in DR2.0, the actual roads and surroundings look significantly worse, and the backgrounds and atmosphere are abhorrent.”
- “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.”
replayability
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
64%
19%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the variety of events and the potential for multiplayer engagement, many criticize the lack of randomness and repetitive content across seasons, particularly in career mode. Performance issues and the inability to unlock older content further detract from the experience, leading some to consider it one of the weaker entries in the rally genre. However, updates and future content may improve replayability for some players.
- “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.”
- “All rallies you can drive in different seasons as well, providing even more replayability.”
- “Career mode is tragic, overcomplicated, and has no randomized events, so it has no replayability whatsoever (and in my opinion just sucks overall).”
- “So far it seems to be the same every season, which is not great for replayability.”
- “I can't find much replayability here for myself personally since I just couldn't get into it.”
humor
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as both intentional and unintentional, with players finding amusement in its cartoonish physics, quirky bugs, and ironic design choices, such as the co-driver's name and the absurdity of the battle pass system. Many reviewers noted moments that elicited genuine laughter, particularly due to the game's frustrating mechanics and EA's questionable practices, which are often viewed through a comedic lens. Overall, the game's humor adds a lighthearted element to the experience, despite its flaws.
- “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 German voice-over is unintentionally funny, as the stage introductions were apparently recorded by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.”
- “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.”
grinding
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
10%
84%
Players express frustration with the excessive grinding required for season passes and progression, often feeling that the rewards are not worth the effort. Many find the controls and customization process tedious, while some appreciate the campaign mode for its lack of grinding and immediate access to all content. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the overall 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!”
- “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. The 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.”
- “Grinding and restarting the stage over and over again after every crash.”
emotional
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by moments of humor and nostalgia, with players sharing laughter over their mistakes and reminiscing about past experiences. The immersive sound design and heartfelt dialogue contribute to a deeper connection with the gameplay, while the beautifully composed soundtrack enhances the overall emotional experience. However, some players express disappointment and frustration, indicating a mixed emotional response to the game's current state.
- “I cried”
- “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.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development is highlighted by a diverse and impressive cast, with designs that make the characters 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.”