WRC 8 Review on Switch: Good Gameplay but Graphically Out of the Race
After being released on PC, PS4, and Xbox One a few weeks ago, WRC 8 arrives on Nintendo Switch. But how does this version compare to the others?
A pretty good gameplay
Gameplay-wise, it’s overall a clear success. The behavior and physics of the cars are well replicated, which will please fans of the genre. You can really feel the accelerations and braking. The HD vibrations of the Switch really make the collisions or going off track come alive. However, it’s better to play with the Pro controller because the Joy-Con joysticks prevent real precision.
Outdated Graphics
The major flaw of this Switch version is clearly its technical aspect. Graphically, the game is somewhat behind. Granted, Nintendo’s console is not the benchmark in terms of power, but still. The textures look really outdated and seem to come from the 3DS. Even the car models haven’t been spared. There’s also far too much aliasing, which isn’t particularly pleasing to the eye.
A game not stingy with content
The content is one of the game’s strong points. To start, all the official rallies are present, making a total of 14 stages. This brings the number of special stages to more than 100. All the official teams are also present (52 distributed between the WRC Junior and the WRC).
The career mode has been completely revamped, and the least we can say is that it is really good. You can now manage your team from top to bottom, from contract negotiations to the development of your car. Nothing to complain about this part of the game, which many should take inspiration from for their own productions.
An almost non-existent online mode
Alas, this is a major flaw of this opus. The lack of an online mode. Certainly, there is a ranking for each special stage that includes the best times set by players, but that’s about it. And unlike Grid Autosport, which is supposed to add it in a future update, Bungie Interactive seems to have given up on this aspect of the game.
Conclusion
In summary, this port of WRC 8 is truly successful. Aside from the online mode, all the elements of the game present on the other versions are indeed on the Nintendo console. However, if you already own the game, it’s recommended not to necessarily buy this port unless you are a rally fan.
Price: 40 €
