The lineage of the hardcore rally racing series DiRT Rally will continue with the new EA SPORTS WRC. The new game will be the officially-licensed video game of the FIA World Rally Championship as the same development team from the DiRT Rally series is working on the new title. These games are best played with a sim racing wheel and EA SPORTS WRC is no different. A preview build of the game was sent over and most of the game was available to play. This included the new Builder mode, allowing players to create their own car. The biggest take away from the preview is the fact that the racing model remains challenging and rewarding.
A lot of EA SPORTS WRC will progress over time after release of the game. This includes selecting professional driver setups that mirror their race encounters every week. The advanced Dynamic Handling System further pushes what Codemasters' accomplished with the handling model in the previous simulation-based rally titles. Different weather and terrain situations will net different results. This is best experienced with the force feedback of a sim racing wheel. Racing on sheets of ice is starkly different across the terrains of Monte Carlo. Seriously, the racing line could be a puddle of ice that changes how the force feedback works and how the car steers, but there’s snow elsewhere. In this situation, it’s technically better to drive on the snow and the handling will be completely different. Due to this, racers will be constantly changing their strategy quickly whether they like it or not. Players, once again, will be racing multiple times to learn the terrains and the courses to maximize their times.
Traditional rally racing is based on time trials rather than racing in packs. Navigators will provide the upcoming corners and points of interest on the course. To get players acclimated to the world of rally, EA has included a Rally School to get players in the door. While the hardcore simulation element is the peak, there are plenty of assists to get new players used to the speed and the handling of the game. This also includes automatic braking to help build confidence for these new players. The goal is to reach that immersion and master the craft of rally racing, as this has been the series to provide that experience.
EA SPORTS WRC will feature 17 real world locations including the aforementioned Monte Carlo along with Portugal, Japan, Kenya and more. Within the 17 locations will be 200 available stages to race at launch. The new game will be moving to the Unreal Engine that will provide more detail on the stages than previously seen in the series. While if you follow the current World Rally Championship, there aren’t that many manufacturers, EA made sure to pack the game with cars that include WRC, WRC2 and Junior WRC vehicles along with 68 historic vehicles that span 60 years. The icons are all here from every era that will all provide a different experience with quite a bit of these being difficult to immediately jump into.
Players can expect a Championship Mode, Career Mode, Time Trial and Online Multiplayer as playable options. The Career Mode allows players to choose a racing path in the current FIA and select a vehicle or create their own with the Builder. The Builder can also be used to create cars outside of the Career Mode, but players can select from varying aerodynamics and licensed parts including the power unit. These parts vary in cost and there is a cap, but with Career Mode there are other factors to budget including the addition of other cars for various events. Upgrades, repairs and R&D are a part of career progression. In addition, Moments will have players relive historic events along with real-world updates throughout the season.
The developers working on EA SPORTS WRC are accustomed to what the community wants in the racing aspects. Players can expect that same challenge and more with the latest outing along with a good list of content to keep them engaged. With a game like this, players become more consumed with the actual driving rather than having a checklist of modes to do. Having this many cars that will all act different in combination with different weather conditions and setups without the worry of lining up with others on a grid provides a sense of immersion that isn’t seen elsewhere. It’s just you and the car against treacherous conditions as you physically work the wheel and the shifter for faster and faster times. EA SPORTS WRC will release on November 3 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Those that pre-order will receive three days early access, 5x VIP Rally Season Pass and 3x Team Livery & Apparel Pack.
