WRC 7 Xbox One Review
WRC 7 is available in the UK on Xbox One, PS4 and PC September 26th.
Has the Dirt Rally series finally got a worthy competitor?
From the time spent with WRC 7 so far that’s an easy answer and I’m happy to say it’s a yes! The developers have made some serious improvements this year and from playing over the last few days it’s clear to see!
Graphically while not groundbreaking developer Kylotonn has clearly been working hard to improve things from last years release, no lighting or fps issues as well as much better textures throughout make WRC 7 look a far more polished game now.
Seeing the beautiful sunrise whilst belting down a tiny gravel track is great to look at and we can only wait to see what this all looks like when the Xbox One X finally arrives come November 7th.
Serious detail has gone into the cars and tracks this year and it’s clear to see
The damage physics to the cars has been massively improved with most players finding themselves limping all the way to the finish with body panels missing! Tracks are all drawn with great detail and the particle effects are brilliant, kicking up dirt while clipping the edge of the road or snow clouding up behind you while going flat out on a piece of road barely wider than the car itself!
Back to the size of the road and WRC 7 is scary! These tracks are so tight sometimes players will find themselves actually doubting if the car can physically make it through the gap! This in my opinion is not a bad thing and gets us onto the difficulty. WRC 7 is really hard and will take hours of practice to master! This is by no means a bad thing, it’s a rally game and I think most can admit rally is one of the most skillful driving sports out there so why would the game be easy!
To start the game will take you on a test drive, this is to process what difficulty to put players on. Difficulty is one of four, Easy, Medium, Hard or hardcore. Options are available to adjust the driving style which also range in four different options from Amateur to Simulation but there is also an option to customise these settings allowing players the option to have starting and braking assistance on or off as well as damage effect only being visual or actually affecting the car. The last option is to adjust the gearbox from either a manual or Semi-Auto.
Much improved Co-Driver this year
This years co-driver is massively improved over last years and actually is helpful while trying to manoeuvre around the tight courses in WRC 7. There is also options for the co-driver, accessible or detailed directions, hairpins and hazards. The ability to adjust the timing of the instructions is also adjustable ranging from far ahead to very late, giving the players the option to find what suits their style.
Also options for colour-blind mode and the co-drivers voice are on offer, being able to change the voice of the co-driver is a nice feature for those who want to utilize it.
Onto the sound and as with most things in WRC 7, it improves on last years offerings, cars sound good hearing the engine red lining and the hiss of the dump valve whenever you let off the gas, while road noise is also improved and comes across well to help define what road surface you are actually on, the sound of small stones flicking up onto the car or loose mud while drifting around a corner really add to the immersion!
WRC 7 Offers plenty of modes and content.
offering 52 stages in 13 countries WRC 7 is filled with plenty to master as well as all the Official 2017 WRC cars and drivers, fans will be more than happy with the content here.
If your playing single player or multiplayer there is so much on offer, from the in depth solo rally career to the split screen rally there is always something to do!
The career mode puts you in the place of a young up and coming rally driver trying to progress up to the very top! You will be able to use your real name and this will even be displayed on the side of your car. Once the difficulty level is chosen and a contract with your chosen team is signed, the journey begins taking yourself up the ladder in the challenge to be the best rally driver there is!
Multiplayer gives plenty of options too, local split screen racing is great fun as well as the competitive online multiplayer that’s a real challenge, WRC 7 will always have you coming back to try and master it’s driving making it a very addictive game!
Control options are not limited either with WRC 7, plugging my Thrustmaster TX wheel in, it was instantly set-up and ready to use with button mapping available if need be as well as adjustments such as 900 degree wheel rotation! While there is nothing wrong using a controller the steering wheel is by far the best option and far more fun!
Video above showcases what WRC 7 can do (Sorry about the driving but like I have already said this is a tricky game to master!)
If you are quick and decide to pre-order the game there is a special pre-order bonus in which players will receive the Porsche 911 GT3 RS RGT!
Verdict:
With major improvements over last years title it’s hard not to recommend WRC 7 if you are a fan of rally! Plenty of options, good sound and great visuals as well as official cars, tracks and drivers all make it a very easy game to recommend. WRC 7 really goes to show what a developer can do when they really put the work in to fix flaws that held the previous title back, well done to Kylotonn we look forward to what next year has to offer!