Going out in style
Very rarely do developers get a chance to finish a series on their own terms. The WRC games have been going strong for years and developer KT Racing has been delivering quality titles since its inception. WRC Generations is their swan song of the series acting more as a greatest hits as opposed to a new entry. This chapter brings all the content from previous years including tracks and modes while tightening up the graphics on level three and bringing a few quality of life improvements. Basically we get a ‘best of’ for the series to send it out and the package is a treat for fans.
WRC Generations is packed with content. There are a total of 22 different countries with tracks within. A lot of these are from previous games with some new bells and whistles in the graphics department. The new Sweden area makes me sad there are not more new areas though as it stands out among the pack. The snow deformation and details are simply stunning. WRC has always been a great looking game, but these Sweden tracks really up the detail and look gorgeous.
MSRP: $39.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, PC
Price I’d Pay: $39.99
There are plenty of locales returning as well and look fantastic. The developers have opted to offer up two modes. There is a 4K 30fps mode as well as the 1080p 60fps option. For racing games I simply cannot deal with 30fps, so I am glad that the 1080p mode still looks fantastic. This is a game that would have benefited greatly from upscaling technology, but it still looks great at 1080p.
It is worth noting that the WRC games are definitely aimed at the more realistic aspects of the sport as opposed to arcade rules found in a lot of rally games. Still it is hard to ignore how good the handling in these games feel. Taking corners is always a test of patience. I roll my car constantly as I try to take it too fast. This is on me though. Once I got down the mechanics though it is super rewarding to take that corner and feather the brakes just right. The game feels sublime when I get into a groove. I also loved how every terrain felt different. Transitioning from gravel to asphalt provided just the right amount of safety net I would expect. The game does an amazing job of delivering feedback to the player during races.
Veterans of the series will be disappointed that they still have to slog through the annual series in order to progress. It seems with so many games in the series there would have been a save file reading or option to bypass some of the slog. If you are new to the series it won’t be as big of a deal, but for anyone who has played these games before it can be disappointing to have to push through these modes when you already know what you are doing.
The career mode still impresses and I particularly enjoyed the Privateer option which allows players to create their own team as well as designing their own car. The amount of customization is decent and it felt like I had more of an investment in the progression. Loved digging into this mode and for fans of WRC it definitely feels like a love-letter.
If cars are your thing WRC Generations delivers a healthy dose of old and new. The big bullet point for this year’s game is definitely the hybrid vehicles. The game features the three Rally1 hybrid vehicles, which is a neat touch. There are also plenty of classics here from manufacturers such as Ford and Peugeot that range from recent models to classics from the past. There is no shortage of vehicles to obtain although a few popular omissions make me wonder if they simply didn’t have time to include them before getting the game out.
WRC Generations retreads a lot of familiar ground while adding enough new to make it feel fresh. It has been a solid series for years and I am sad to learn it won’t be returning after this entry. Still this feels like a solid swan song to end on and I can tell the developers really poured their hearts into this final entry. I do wonder what they will build next and whatever it is, they have my attention. I have always loved rally games and this is one of the few simulation offerings that I have enjoyed over the years.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
