Recent reviews by Gary Oak

I'd like to preface that I have no prior experience with WRC games, came into this expecting an experience similar to DR2, and am playing with a Fanatec setup and not a controller. I quickly got my wheel settings mostly dialed in on my DD1 and only need to adjust the FFB between surface types like other rally games, like lowering it for snow courses and increasing for asphalt.

First I'll start with the cons.

If you're running an Arduino controlled handbrake it cannot be mapped to the handbrake in game. I thought I had fixed this, but I was wrong and it appears that many more are having this issue in the discussions. This makes it near impossible to effectively handle most courses, as all of the cars (yes all of them) do not have enough steering angle to make it around without a handbrake. Sure, you can modify the suspension to easily scandi flick them, but this ends up reducing stability for the rest of the course. This is the most frustrating part of the game for me. You'll be in a good flowstate, come up on a hairpin then drive straight into the side of the wall trying to go around it. The alternative is a complete stop followed by a 10 point turn.

My next issue is performance. My FPS averages anywhere from 70-100 on a 32" monitor @ 1440p with low/med settings using a 2080super/5800x. Some courses are worse than other for this (looking at you Argentina). That said, maybe it's for the best since there's no VR or triple monitor support.

If you're coming from DR2 the pace notes are inconsistent and will cause you to crash fairly often. You'll start in a high speed section, then get to a slow technical spot and you'll still be hearing 5's instead of 2's. I use an American voice co-driver w/ HUD disabled, so I'm not sure if the voice is matching the notes that would normally be shown at the top of the screen.

I'd also like to note that the older cars like Group B look very outdated graphically compared to the modern WRC cars. The audio in the game also leaves much to desired compared to other modern racing games.

Outside of those issues, the game seems solid. The in-game wheel settings are simple and easy to configure. If you're someone who typically googles for good wheel+in-game settings, I'm pretty confident you can get your own setup dialed in without having to search.

The career is where this game really shines though. Having to manage your money between a crew, events, and repairs is a ton of fun. Also, please don't be me and decide not to hire a weatherman with your R&D points lol. Some events will have rain during half the stage and it gets dicey if you're on the last one with worn soft tires. You have a limited stock of tires you decide to bring before the event begins, so it's crucial to know when it's going to rain and when to use the rain tires. The option to participate in historic races, or manufacturer/sponsor try out's is also really cool. In these events, you drive as far as you can within a given time to increase your rating with that specific group. They help remove the monotony of driving the same car over and over again during your career.

With all that said, I cannot recommend this game in it's current state if you're running a wheel and expecting an experience similar to DR2. You're probably going to be left feeling frustrated and disappointed like I am. If the game goes on sale or they resolve the majority of issues being reported, this will definitely be a good pickup. I'll be sure to regularly come back to see if there's been improvements to my complaints and will update the review accordingly. :)


****UPDATE****
Got about 25 hours of playtime now and completed the WRC2 Private Career mode. This allows me to compete in the WRC1 cars. Handbrake is also now working, which is the primary reason I've been playing it a bunch. All of the previously mentioned flaws are still there. I recently watched Jimmy Broadbents review and he provides even more feedback regarding how half-assed this game was made. Here's a few things I didn't realize until I watched his video.

1. Every single car is AWD. (yes even the RWD).
2. Throttle input is terrible. 0-60% throttle is like 1% actual throttle. 61-85% throttle is 10% actual throttle. 86-100% is 100% throttle. There is no inbetween.
3. Gear ratio adjustment is only for gears 1-5. Hop in a 6 speed? You can only adjust the first 5.

I hate to say it, but I'm still having fun with the game when I play. I just can't recommend anyone buying it for it's current price while it still has these issues. If it goes on sale for 40% off or more definitely pick it up!

If you're into card based strategy games you'll probably enjoy this one. Trust the reviews and pick it up. I'm sure you won't be disappointed with the purchase.

OPTIMIZE

Awesome game. I've been playing the Monster Hunter Series since the first title on PS2. Monster Hunter World makes some serious changes by foregoing with individuals zones you load into, to a consistent single map.

My favorite points of the game:
- Beautiful graphics
- Interesting new monsters while keeping some of the classics
- Cross over events with monsters from other games (FFXIV/Witcher3)

While the above is great, it does have some serious flaws which makes me prefer the more traditional Monster Hunter games.
- Severe lack in original weapon designs that normally match the monster materials used to craft it
- Gem farming
- Arch Tempered is kind of gimmicky with only an increase in HP and damage. They should at least provide an additional attack,

Overall this game is great and I have no issues coming back and playing. It's always a lot of fun and is well worth the full price tag.

Game performs, looks and sounds great. Setting up a wheel is extremely easy with preconfigured options for all of the popular brands and models.

The best part of this game is the extremely active modding community which can help keep things fresh and new.

Trying to come up with a negative but I honestly can't think of any. If you enjoy driving cars at the limit or just fun, I guarantee you'll have a good time.