075REVIEW
We weren’t able to test
the online features, but
there’s no shortage of
offline content.INFO
FORMAT PS4
ETA OUT NOW
PUB NACON
DEV KYLOTONND
o you find driving too simple, in games
or in real life? Are you tired of turning
cars when and where you want with
very little effort? Isn’t the ability to
keep the vehicle on the road without thinking
boring? You need to try a rally game! As
existing WRC fans know, the experience is as
much about constant mental vigilance as it is
about quick reactions.The redesigned career mode returns, including
crew management via a (very) simple card
system, and the ability to choose which events
to enter for each day. If you don’t want to play
as a manager, you can dive into Seasons to play
a championship as driver only.
One thing the WRC series has always struggled
with slightly, and something this entry still does
not fully resolve, is deciding which audience it
wants to sell itself to. The very first thing you’ll
be asked is your experience with racing sims, so
that it can set up assists accordingly. However,
there’s simply not the range or generosity of
assists on offer that other games have, with
the result that there is no setup suitable for
people who might be avid rally fans, but aren’t
necessarily racing sim experts.
Petrolheads will be pleased to find that they
can fiddle with things such as shock absorber
rebound and brake bias, which significantly affectthe car. It’s not a hardcore sim,
though. The physics aren’t
quite right, and it bothered
us that most cars sound as
though they’re being powered
by a furious bumblebee in a
Tupperware box.BRAKE FAST
The enormous number of
tracks now includes rallies
in Japan, New Zealand, and
Kenya. The way the various
road surfaces affect handling is
very impressive, and dynamic
weather means things could
change halfway through a track.
Snow is always a challenge,
gravel threatens to throw your
car off the track at every turn,
and asphalt is a blessed relief...
until it starts raining, and you
regret your choice of tyres.
WRC 9’s not the most
impressive-looking racer on
PS4, but the rain and sun
effects are very good. It runs
smoothly in local split-screen
multiplayer, although it’s
impossible to keep an eyeon both the track and the
pace notes with half a screen.
Unfortunately, we find at time
of writing that the game is
liable to crash every few races
in this mode, something that
happened to us once solo, too.
Variety is provided in the
form of challenges (such as
using a damaged car in extreme
conditions), and classic and
‘bonus’ cars offer a different
or even more challenging
experience. The test area,
too, is a brilliant idea. This is
essentially a huge playground
for you to practise in and, best
of all, you can adjust various
settings under the hood as you
play until you find your perfect
setup. If only we could tweak
the physics as well.RALLY MCBEAL @Jim_CrikeyVERDICT
If you love racing sims and the
WRC, you’ll get a lot out of this;
but for the second year running,
if you can only pick one rally
game, Dirt 2.0 is the better
choice. Luke KempWRC 9 FIA WORLD RALLY
CHAMPIONSHIP
Finishes in style, but takes damage along the way
075REVIEW
We weren’t able to test
the online features, but
there’s no shortage of
offline content.INFO
FORMAT PS4
ETA OUT NOW
PUB NACON
DEV KYLOTONN
D
o youfinddrivingtoosimple,ingames
or in real life? Are you tired of turning
cars when and where you want with
very little effort? Isn’t the ability to
keep the vehicle on the road without thinking
boring? You need to try a rally game! As
existing WRC fans know, the experience is as
much about constant mental vigilance as it is
about quick reactions.The redesigned career mode returns, including
crew management via a (very) simple card
system, and the ability to choose which events
to enter for each day. If you don’t want to play
as a manager, you can dive into Seasons to play
a championship as driver only.
One thing the WRC series has always struggled
with slightly, and something this entry still does
not fully resolve, is deciding which audience it
wants to sell itself to. The very first thing you’ll
be asked is your experience with racing sims, so
that it can set up assists accordingly. However,
there’s simply not the range or generosity of
assists on offer that other games have, with
the result that there is no setup suitable for
people who might be avid rally fans, but aren’t
necessarily racing sim experts.
Petrolheads will be pleased to find that they
can fiddle with things such as shock absorber
rebound and brake bias, which significantly affectthecar.It’snota hardcoresim,
though. The physics aren’t
quite right, and it bothered
us that most cars sound as
though they’re being powered
by a furious bumblebee in a
Tupperware box.BRAKE FAST
The enormous number of
tracks now includes rallies
in Japan, New Zealand, and
Kenya. The way the various
road surfaces affect handling is
very impressive, and dynamic
weather means things could
change halfway through a track.
Snow is always a challenge,
gravel threatens to throw your
car off the track at every turn,
and asphalt is a blessed relief...
until it starts raining, and you
regret your choice of tyres.
WRC 9’s not the most
impressive-looking racer on
PS4, but the rain and sun
effects are very good. It runs
smoothly in local split-screen
multiplayer, although it’s
impossible to keep an eyeonboththe track and the
pace notes with half a screen.
Unfortunately, we find at time
of writing that the game is
liable to crash every few races
in this mode, something that
happened to us once solo, too.
Variety is provided in the
form of challenges (such as
using a damaged car in extreme
conditions), and classic and
‘bonus’ cars offer a different
or even more challenging
experience. The test area,
too, is a brilliant idea. This is
essentially a huge playground
for you to practise in and, best
of all, you can adjust various
settings under the hood as you
play until you find your perfect
setup. If only we could tweak
thephysicsaswell.RALLYMCBEAL @Jim_Crikey
VERDICT
If you love racing sims and the
WRC, you’ll get a lot out of this;
but for the second year running,
if you can only pick one rally
game, Dirt 2.0 is the better
choice. Luke KempWRC 9 FIA WORLD RALLY
CHAMPIONSHIP
Finishes in style, but takes damage along the way