WRC Rally Evolved

7.0
Good

Gameplay	6.0	"Is this a whole new era in rallysport?"
Graphics	8.5
Sound	7.0
Value	6.5

By Paul Harrop

When you take a popular game series like WRC and give it a jazzy new title like ‘evolved’, you would be forgiven for expecting a phenomenal leap in your rally gaming experience. There are some new features to muck around with in WRC Rally Evolved, yet nevertheless there is a strong sense of déjà vu with this game. ‘Evolved’ is perhaps too strong a word - what Sony should have called it is “WRC Rally Again”. Obviously not as catchy, but possibly a more fitting title.

But what’s in a name? Everything that has made this series great makes a comeback in spades for this addition to the WRC dynasty. The controls are a blast from the past, meaning that fans of WRC will have no problem getting back in the drivers seat. All your favourite game modes are back including rally cross, test track, single stage and single rally. Like any rally game worth its metal, where you will be spending most of your time is in championship mode. Championship mode allows you to select the country that you wish to race in and gives you three gravel bighting tracks that let you muscle out the competition and streak your way to victory. Championship mode’s garage is overflowing with vehicles to choose from. The first lot of cars available to you are the super 1600 series. These cars are slow and steady and after a few wins through the game you will earn enough points to unlock other car series, such as the concept and extreme series. There is also an Historical series, which allows you to race about in all your favourite rally cars from those dust-kicking days gone by.

Champion mode has a choice of three levels of difficulty so players can easily find a pace that suits them. Regrettably, once you get your gaming into gear, champion mode can be completed in a little over 10 minutes.

When you play a racing game enough times, it is easy to get to the stage where you can blatt around your favourite track with a bucket on your head and never drift off course. This is not the case for WRC Rally Evolved. Constant vigilance is required whenever you race because you never know when the game may send an environmental hazard your way. Rocks, hay bales and the occasional deer may suddenly stray onto your path as you madly hurtle your four wheels of fury down your chosen track. It’s best to keep an eye out so you don’t have to dish out mega bucks to get the cow shape out of your bonnet.

If you’re like me and you have trouble controlling a shopping cart, the thought of piloting a massive V8 scares the frijoles out of you. Simply leave the game in its default setting. This enables the ‘gaming aids’ which effectively turn your rally car into KIT from Knightrider. Gaming aid takes breaking out of your command and gives you the exact technique for handling the tracks corners. This is a great way to learn how to get the most control over your vehicle, but also means you win all the time without actually trying. Turn the default mode off if you wish to glean any sense of achievement from the race.

Where this game really hits the turbo boost is in the background graphics. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly get the feeling that you’ve accidentally driven into a stack of National Geographic magazines. A lot of detail was put into making the tracks breathtakingly scenic, and this is most evident when you compare the graphics of the tracks with that of the cars, which at times look like they’re made from discarded fridge boxes.

When the dust has settled, what we’re left with is a very fine rally game. Yet the question still remains: is this an evolution or a repetition? Sony has added a few additional ingredients to the WRC recipe, and the environments you race through are certainly a bonus, but I can’t help the feeling that this is caveman in a business suit. A new paint job does not an evolved game make.

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