WRC 7 Review: A Rally Racer That Misses Its Own Apex

A Moment in Context

Upon the reception of WRC 7, it seems to have been tailored to a very particular moment in the history of rally gaming. Released shortly after the much-controversial and public reception of Dirt 4’s stage generation and its rather dubious physics model, it seems the community wanted a polar opposite. Something to slap Codemasters in the face with. Out of the blue, there seemed to be something very close to hysteria around WRC 7 and its reception. There is a point that suggests the phenomenon was more of an outrage towards Dirt 4 with respect to WRC 7. Not much else. The prior games in the WRC series had been less than average, and the rush towards proclaiming the seventh iteration of the game in the series was its savior, which we all saw through.

First Impressions

WRC 7 provides the best way to drive the then-new WRC cars when other titles could not do the same, and for this, it can be included among the best racing games. If you wanted to toss 2017-spec hatchbacks around gravel and snow, then WRC 7 would do the trick. It also excels at making the cars look good and having stages with authentic FIA branding, and the stages are designed well. However, the initial excitement gets replaced with disappointment the moment you start driving and experiencing the systems.

The Driving Experience

I enjoy driving, especially how the cars in certain games feel, and how realistic the physics are. I enjoy how the cars feel, especially the weight in the cars. Although with this said compliment, this rhythm in the driving experience is then immediately surprising when I feel this lack of drive. It’s like there is something missing with the drive experience. While I cherish the experience of driving, I want the experience to feel more realistic with more complications in the game, such as the arcade. It varies too much, making the experience unrealistic and unfulfilling. There is no self-salvaging when smashing the throttle; however, in no-salvaging, there is no possibility of gaining driving experience. It is this uncanny drive experience, where there is no tuning. This feeling is close enough to make the experience feel frustrating rather than enjoyable.

The force feedback system, causing discomfort, is another monumental hurdle. I tried to configure it for more hours than I’d like to say and went through menus, reading community help guides, and adjusting values like a mad scientist, to no avail. No matter what I attempted, the wheel never seemed right. It was too heavy, too numb, or devoid of feeling completely. This is a critical issue if you use a wheel, as the feedback is a lifeline in a rally game. Everything becomes disengaging without that feedback.

Performance Issues and Technology Deficiencies

There are things that could be forgiven within WRC 7, like the console performance hindrances, which are inexplicable in the case of PC ports. Performance is the biggest blunder. The game does not run smoothly when V-Sync is turned off. And once it is on, the input lag becomes immeasurable. In essence, neither really seems ideal in the context of a racing game; it is performance and accuracy that are most critical, which is why. The lack of a cockpit camera and the inability to modify the seat position, the wheel camera, or basic FOV adjustments can be very perplexing. As a result, in games where the immersion is highly advanced, the absence of specifics is puzzling.

Stages: The Bright Spot

Alright. The stage set is wonderful in WRC 7, so I do have to give credit where it is due. There is so much character on the tracks, be it sliding past the Monte Carlo mountain range, trudging through Wales’s muddy rainscapes, or on the granite stretches of the Outback in Australia. The courses feel long, punishing, and vary in an interesting way! I love the fact that the courses feel long, punishing, and vary in an ‘excellent’ way. WRC 7 does have the variety I would recommend to all folks who buy PS4 racing games, and I do love it for that. You would enjoy it in that ‘theme park’ way, I feel. Stages can be tough, but the design of the tracks does save the experience! If anything, the vehicle is more slippery.

Lack of Personality in Cars

The car roster in WRC 7 is another factor that brings the game down. In real life, WRC cars are astonishing, but in WRC 7, they are terribly bland. They are all hatchbacks, all changes on the same theme, and all none harken back to the legends as vividly. When I start a rally racing game, the first cars I want to see are the terrifying Group B monsters, the Ford Escort Cosworth, the Subaru Impreza, and of course, the Lancia Delta Integrale. Those cars had undeniable charm, a touch of risk, and quirky attributes in their very construction. In comparison to those cars, the collection in WRC 7 is devoid of life. It does not matter which manufacturer’s livery you choose; the fundamental experience does not change. This is not only detrimental to the game but to the player's experience as well, as they are not encouraged to unlock or hone their skills with different cars. Everything is the same.

Audio and Presentation

As much as the co-driver in WRC 7 needs to be given some attention, it pains me to say it is not for good reasons. The co-driver acts in a robotic manner and lacks enthusiasm, focusing more on distracting than on the latter. Rallying is difficult when the voice commanding you is from a twentieth-century GPS. Even the Engine sound is below average and, in general, feels lifeless. Compared to the other re-releases from the same period, WRC 7 looks stale. Even though the visuals do not shine in any way, the rest of it is ok. The graphics contain no effort to make it more than just a simplistic border line. It is a very average title, but for a retro version, it lacks care.

Why All the Commotion?

This is the part that puzzles me the most. The game is not terrible, but then again, it is not too good either. But when it came out, tons of people were ready to scream that it was the rally king over Dirt 4. I feel like it has always been backlash masquerading as praise. After all the experimentation in Dirt 4, people were thirsty for a rally stage, and then WRC 7 came along, and it was the only game in town. That doesn’t mean it is the better game; it simply means it was the one that cashed in on the situation. The moment you remove that situation, what you are left with is something perfectly mediocre.

Conclusion

There are specific feats of rally driving that stand out, but it is overshadowed by weak physics, poor force feedback, bad performance options, and an anemic roster. It wants to be the fully authentic WRC experience with all of the official cars and tracks, but the stages are actually quite good, and there are some moments. But for the most part, those moments are drowned out by technical issues and a presentation lacking inspiration.

For diehard fans of rallying who buy cheap PS4 games, there is likely some worth here, particularly if you want to drive modern-day WRC machines. For myself, however, it feels as if the package is unsatisfactory. After that, I found myself uninstalling it and reluctantly going back to Dirt 4, which has a lot of its own problems, but at least felt more whole. The same goes for WRC 7; it is a game you can complete on sale. Just ensure that your expectations are low. It is rough, but not in the charming PS2 era sense; more like in the sense of a missed opportunity. And that is actually the best way to describe it: A rally game stuck in limbo that is unable to find its balance.