WRC 9

Splitting through a forest at ten-tenths, the sun above piercing through the foliage and the gravel below assaulting your undercarriage, WRC 9 is some of the finest rally racing you can find. Career mode missteps and AI concerns notwithstanding, WRC 9’s incredible stage design and satisfying handling model do make it very easy to recommend to series first-timers – but I’d wager many WRC 8 veterans will find the improvements here fairly incremental after last year’s big leap.

While it’s unfortunate that some modes feel more copy-pasted than others — with all the minor irks and nitpicks from prior now more evident in this year’s outing — there’s still a plethora of content to invest in here. Car classes that handle and feel different to one another as well as an assortment of courses both new and familiar. It may not be the coveted next leap forward given last year’s highly-satisfying rendition, but WRC 9 provides a satisfying-enough reminder as to the heights this series has finally achieved.