WRC Generations Review (PC): The Digital Version of the New Hybrid Era of Rally Cars

It's easy to say that the WRC games never quite cracked into that top tier of their genre. Still, with its consistent style and upward quality trajectory, the series has been received pretty well by fans, especially with the last couple of installments.

In the first couple of minutes of opening this game, you will feel exactly like in the last couple of WRC games. It has the same arcade-style approach with some minor tweaks that will make you feel like Sebastien Ogier. However, if you play Dirt Rally right after any WRC games, the harsh reality will strike you really hard. Or that's what I thought.

Still, the creators paid attention to details. For example, the traction system is more intuitive than ever, and the percentage of rain or snow on the ground, plus the type and placement of your tires, is more important and will heavily influence the behavior of the car. I had more pronounced control over the vehicle and could better control how much I wanted to slide or stick to the ground.

Still, one mistake and you will end up on the bottom of a hill or in a ditch. However, this implementation could annoy some of the fans of the series. It's kind of different from what Kylotonn created before. In the past, they have always rewarded the players the most during the races for making the right decisions.

Gamers can choose from a wide selection of cars and categories, but too many of the vehicles are too similar to make you enthusiastic about experimenting with different ones. In addition, most of the fundamentals that have been routinely polished with every entry have continued to improve in this one.

For example, the environments are more beautiful and vast than the previous products created by Kylotonn. From better weather effects to pronounced differences in track type (from asphalt to gravel, dirt, and snow), they are all more detailed than any previous game in the series.

WRC Generations comes with no less than 21 rally locations, including all 13 of the events from this year's official championship. In addition, you will find eight bonus rallies that are not in the 2022 calendar but are included for more entertainment.

Like the previous two games (WRC 10, WRC 9), Generations again forces us to begin our careers in the WRC 2 or WRC 3 competitions. It makes perfect sense for someone who just started playing rally games from a realistic point of view. However, for a person like me, who played almost all the titles from WRC 4, it's just boring to have the same start as last year.

You will have a lot of fun with the New Gen hybrid WRC cars with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine and an electric motor with a power output of 500 hp (507 ps). Precisely as in real-life, Generations allows you to select from three different power mapping modes before you start in a stage. Powerful with a short boost, a balanced option, and a less potent boost that lasts longer. It's an excellent addition and will make you think a lot about your strategy.

Conclusion

The latest product in the World Rally Championship series is definitely the best rally game you can buy this year. And it's worth every penny. However, I think that WRC Generations traded a bit of its own identity in exchange for being a more well-rounded product.

The game tries to please a larger audience at the potential expense of the ones who have stayed with the franchise for so many years. Still, Generations is a very competent racing game that will keep you entertained for hours.

Rating: 85/100