Best Rally Game?

[PaulGR]

Have only played Forza Horizon 5 and Gran Turismo. What is the best Rally game? The store is a mess because there are so many different WRC games that all have pretty much the same names. Like WRC 7/8/9, DIRT 5, EA WRC, WRC Generations, WRC FIA...

Which is the best in your opinion? Best gameplay loop, physics, car selection, still supported by devs, and car customization?

I was playing the TOCA World Touring Cars from Codemasters on my PS1 which was my favorite game 25 years ago. Is Dirt 2 worth it? Are there newer better rally games (some are from 2023 while Dirt 2 is from 2019).

[Emaulligu]

I'd say the only relevant games here are WRC Generations which is the latest done by Nacon before they lost the WRC licensing, EA WRC which was done by EA after they gained said licensing and bought Codemasters, and Dirt 2.0 done by Codemasters before they got bought by EA.
I'll be honest, I haven't played any of the other two, but nothing I read about them makes me feel like trying them out. WRC Generation has its own lot of issues and EA WRC is filled with all the garbage EA is hated for, now including a kernel-level anti-cheat, in a solo game.

You will also find mention of Richard Burns Rally left and right, which is a very old game kept alive and upgraded by volunteers and which is surprisingly holding up very well in terms of simulation quality. Feel free to look it up more if you're curious.

I can't give a good comparative, having only played one in the list, I'm sure others will but what I can tell you is that Dirt 2.0 GOTY for 5€ is a real bargain and a solid entry point in the domain. The only notorious weak point is how it handles tarmac, which is not the most realistic.

[PaulGR]

Publicado originalmente por Emaulligu:

I'd say the only relevant games here are WRC Generations which is the latest done by Nacon before they lost the WRC licensing, EA WRC which was done by EA after they gained said licensing and bought Codemasters, and Dirt 2.0 done by Codemasters before they got bought by EA.
I'll be honest, I haven't played any of the other two, but nothing I read about them makes me feel like trying them out. WRC Generation has its own lot of issues and EA WRC is filled with all the garbage EA is hated for, now including a kernel-level anti-cheat, in a solo game.

You will also find mention of Richard Burns Rally left and right, which is a very old game kept alive and upgraded by volunteers and which is surprisingly holding up very well in terms of simulation quality. Feel free to look it up more if you're curious.

I can't give a good comparative, having only played one in the list, I'm sure others will but what I can tell you is that Dirt 2.0 GOTY for 5€ is a real bargain and a solid entry point in the domain. The only notorious weak point is how it handles tarmac, which is not the most realistic.

I hate EA with a passion and I want to avoid something from them.

What would you say is your personal favorite WRC game taking under consideration everything they have to offer (gameplay loop, physics, visuals, amount of cars, still receiving updates). I decided to avoid Dirt 5 because it seems a little arcade-y and I want something more realistic.

I also see that they have big differences in terms of car roster. EA WRC has around 80 cars while WRC Generations has around 40, which is half.

[Emaulligu]

Dirt 2.0 is post end of developpment, the studio has been bought out and the sequel is out so there won't be any more content for it. On the other hand it doesn't need a login, doesn't have a launcher and you get all the content you paid for without the need for a battlepass grind or whatever BS.
On the other hand the career mode is tied to the online server for whatever reason and the leaderboard servers will eventually be shut don as is the fate for all servers. Remains that custom championships can still be played fully offline if need arises.

I don't know if any of the other two beats it in terms of realism, except for tarmac which is kinda wrong here, but it's a serious game and it goes for pretty cheap. I really do recommand getting the GOTY edition so you get full content and don't have to work your way through a maze to buy the content later, however.

[Paradox1126]

This game is mediocre in my eyes and it's what I started rallying on. KT's WRC 10 & generations are much better and even EA WRC. Obviously RBR reigns supreme if we're talking pure driving experience.

[PaulGR]

Publicado originalmente por Paradox1126:

This game is mediocre in my eyes and it's what I started rallying on. KT's WRC 10 & generations are much better and even EA WRC. Obviously RBR reigns supreme if we're talking pure driving experience.

I found WRC Generations with all DLCs at 7 euro. I am between WRC Generations and DIRT 2 GOTY also at ~7.

I watched EA WRC gameplay and my god this game feels like it was made for mobile gaming. The physics feel so weird, like the cars have no weight, and the scenery doesn't look as photorealistic as DIRT 2 which is much older. The only positive with EA WRC is that it has a huge car roster.

[Paradox1126]

Publicado originalmente por PaulGR:

Publicado originalmente por Paradox1126:

This game is mediocre in my eyes and it's what I started rallying on. KT's WRC 10 & generations are much better and even EA WRC. Obviously RBR reigns supreme if we're talking pure driving experience.

I found WRC Generations with all DLCs at 7 euro. I am between WRC Generations and DIRT 2 GOTY also at ~7.

I watched EA WRC gameplay and my god this game feels like it was made for mobile gaming. The physics feel so weird, like the cars have no weight, and the scenery doesn't look as photorealistic as DIRT 2 which is much older. The only positive with EA WRC is that it has a huge car roster.

I'm not a fan of code masters. I feel they're a mediocre gaming company who puts out shinny products. Mind you I grew up with them from the old dirt series as well as the Toca series. When I got back into racing games I went full blown simulator and I can tell you that they are just too casual with their approach.

For me rbr will always be the best rally game but let's be honest, it's held together by duct tape. For me the KT WRC series has the best modern package.

I like EA's WRC for the immersion of it but the driving is so on rails that it takes the fun out of the game.

[Johny_Geth]

I tried several those WRC games and they just dont feel good. I dont feel car, its floating. I dont like visuals, i can barely see whats in 20 meters. Dirt cars on the other hand, feel very good and satisfying to drive, stages look pretty, for my taste, and there are lot of old cars, which i like more than new. But its for my taste, so i cant say how it will be for you, obv.

[pretspot]

Hi Paul, here are a couple of suggestions:

[DiRT Rally]
Best is Dirt Rally (1) 2015.
Although not available on steam anymore,
activation keys are plentiful and DiRT Cheap ; )
-Still supported by modders and fans.
-Very stable & high frames on medium hardware.
-And has an OFFLINE career-mode.

[Richard Burns Rally - 2004]
Abandonware but embraced by modders.
Installation and setup are intimidating.
Driving even more ; )

[WRC7]
If you are looking for a less comprehensive, more arcady game;
WRC7 is the best in the series.
Hereafter the Kt-(game)Engine becomes very unoptimized.
Which becomes very noticeable if you play @ 60+ frames.

[DiRT Rally 2.0]
DR2.0 has a couple of strikes against it, but is also very good.
The game is centered around ONLINE Challenges & Career wherein you can literally bankrupt yourself if you make too many mistakes.

In Dirt Rally 1 you could cheese these online challenges and restart infinite.
In DR2.0 that’s not possible.
So you need to be very strategic and drive defensively as not to destroy your car.
But the feeling you get when you are able to finish a Monthly Challenge with 42 Stages is very rewarding. That experience comes closest to what I think is the true Rally Experience.

Just don’t let the live leaderboard split-times intimidate you : {
Your reference is the Tier Reward.
And trying to get as less damage as possible on your car.

Goodluck,