Released last September 3rd on PS4, Xbox One and PC, finally WRC 9 - the new official racing game of World Rally Championship 2020 developed by Kylotonn - also makes its debut on PlayStation 5 e Xbox Series X / S, promising an even more impressive and engaging gaming experience. We have already had the opportunity to test and review the current-gen version of the game distributed by nacon, and the latter had not completely convinced us, especially as regards the creation of certain settings (too bare) and the sound effects that could not do justice to the work of the French software house. The team founded by Roman Vincent e Yann Tambellini to solve the main problems of the now old videogame generation?
The answer is absolutely yes! We can anticipate that WRC 9 on PlayStation 5 it manages to give its best, managing to refine and improve those small uncertainties present in the PS4, Xbox One and PC versions. Although the title has the same game modes, pad in hand, we are faced with a completely revolutionized game. On the new generation console of the Japanese giant it has an extra gear, not so much for the lightning-fast uploads, which make the interaction with the different game modes more digestible than the previous edition, as for theamazing use of DualSense.
What is hiding under the hood?
One of the biggest innovations of WRC 9, compared to the previous chapters of the series, is the introduction of the new mode Club. The primary objective of the unprecedented game mechanics is to create an active community around the official game of the FIA World Rally Championship, allowing players to create their own tour from scratch, also directly intervening on the rules of the competition. But that's not all, given that the racing game developed by Kylotonn it is also equipped with all the modalities that have made the brand famous, as the Career, where we will be called to manage the professional advancement of our pilot at 360 degrees, and the Season, which unlike the previous mode will allow us to focus exclusively on the races.
In addition to the introduction of the brand new Club system, WRC 9 brings with it brings several novelties, starting with three new rallies: Japan, New Zealand and Kenya. In addition, the license of the FIA World Rally Championship will allow users to compete in the competition by choosing from more than 50 official teams from WRC, WRC 2, WRC 3 and Junior WRC, all featuring the official liveries of the respective rally cars. To the various single player content, the title adds a solid multiplayer component, which will allow players to challenge pilots from all over the world and battle for the best possible time on a given track.
Improvements to the next-gen version of WRC 9
But the branded racing game Kylotonn e nacon can you benefit from the power of the Japanese giant's next-gen consoles? Absolutely yes. The car models were already top notch in the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions, but on PS5 (and of course also on Xbox Series X / S) the results are simply astounding. The extreme attention to detail is visible not only during the game sequences, but especially through the special mode that allows players to observe and explore their vehicle from every possible view. The power of the new cars was not exploited by the developers exclusively to realize rallies as faithfully as possible and for reset loading times, But also for increase the number of elements on the screen during the races, making the gameplay as captivating as possible. Compared to the current-gen, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X / S the game world of WRC 9 is wider to the eye and characterized by paths full of details.
The generational leap is further accentuated by the wise use of lighting and meteorological events, which represented one of the biggest limitations of the PS4 / Xbox One version of WRC 9. During the races we will have the pleasure of seeing not only breathtaking views, but also amazing light effects created by vehicle or sun reflections on wet surfaces. The satisfying graphic rendering finds a further element of value in the support for 4K at constant 60 fps. Although the update has significantly improved the graphic sector of the title, this is still not entirely free from critical issues. Circuits always seem a bit finite and unnatural, with one rather limited depth of field, and delle animations that have not fully convinced us. Furthermore, we point out that the damages on the vehicle are not entirely realistic. Even if in the start-up phase we will select the “realistic” item, these will only affect the performance of the rally, without damaging it significantly.
DualSense is the real plus!
Although visual improvements are the sector that has benefited most from the generational shift, the gameplay di WRC 9 on PS5 was completely revolutionized From unpublished features introduced by Dualense, making theeven more immersive in-game experience. Depending on the surface on which you are driving, the configuration of the car or its condition, the brakes (controlled by the L2 button) will be more or less rigid under pressure, thanks to the skilful use of the adaptive triggers. In addition, the haptic feedback, coupled to the speakers integrated into the new DualSense, can further improve the gaming experience, with greater involvement on the part of the player. Pad in hand, it will seem to have been catapulted into the passenger compartment of our car, having full perception of the elements that surround us, such as asphalt, the roar of the engine or accidental bumps against obstacles. After Astro's Playroom, WRC 9 is one of the very first next-gen games that manages to take full advantage of the revolutionary features of PS5's DualSense.
