There’s also now a large skill and tech tree, shamelessly reminiscent of the R&D system that’s been part of the F1 games for several years now, and it adds a bunch of extra layers to WRC 8’s racing career. That said, I think the crew management is still a good addition to WRC 8, injecting a welcome team atmosphere into what had previously been a pretty lonely experience.

It’s also more than a little incongruous that it’d be up to the driver to personally manage staff vacation time in the first place. My agent got so burnt out from sipping champagne and eating tiny triangle sandwiches in the hospitality tent that he needed a week off. For instance, while my co-driver and I spent several days slicing through Swedish tundra at speeds that would make even the sternest scrotum shrivel.

Granted, it’s a little daft how quickly staff tend to tire considering they’re not the ones doing to the actual driving. Skilled mechanics can accomplish more repairs within the limited window at the service park between stages effective agents can wrangle invites to more exclusive one-off events and canny meteorologists can forecast further into the future, giving you an idea about potential weather changes deeper into stages. Specific staff now need to be hired to fill six important roles, each of whom come with gameplay benefits attached to make those decisions feel meaningful. The AWD WRC cars and their otherworldly acceleration and grip require much more finesse you can pivot them on the throttle but they demand smoother inputs all around. They also need keen tugs of the trigger to brake hard and step the rear out. On a pad, the FWD cars like aggressive taps of the stick for countersteering – anxious drags just induce fishtailing. Whether played with a pad or a wheel, WRC 8 is a satisfying arm wrestle and certainly the best-feeling WRC game I’ve played – and that extends back to Evolution’s memorable stint with the license back in the PS2 era. With 50 teams, 14 rallies and over 100 special stages in the 2019 season, WRC 8 has the deepest content ever included in an off-road racing game. WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship Free Download Repacklab

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