The autumn season is off to a good start with the releases of well-known racing games like  Forza Motorsport and now the new WRC. In sim racing, there is a wide range of simulation games and platforms. Sometimes it becomes difficult to choose the right game for your skill level and accessibility. In this read, I will tell you in which category WRC 2023 falls. Is it a good game for beginners? Furthermore, how has the game been received by the public? Learn all of this and more in this article.

The overall consensus of WRC 2023

The overall consensus of WRC 2023 is very positive. It's an excellent rally game with a top-notch immersive feeling. The journey of the first WRC to the stage it is today has nothing been short of brilliant. It has managed to provide a game enjoyed by seasoned rally drivers, but also the occasional gamer looking for something new. It has created a smart knowledge bridge with the rally school to help total beginners. And let's not forget about the beauty of the game… Wow, is this game beautiful. The snow-topped forests of Sweden are my favorite. However, the game is not without its flaws. There are a couple of bugs that are quite annoying (read further to get the exact details), but nothing that can't be overcome.

Let’s drift into the details of WRC 2023.

The magnificent beauty of the Unreal Engine 5

Ohhhh isn’t she beautiful? The new WRC game has stunning graphics thanks to the utilization of the Unreal Engine 5. All the details bring this rally game alive. It has done such a great job of creating that immersive feeling of rallying. From the sandy routes of Peru to the snow-covered forests in Sweden, this is how rally games should look and feel.

Image by EA games

How realistic is WRC 2023?

As a sim racer, only one question truly matters: how realistic is WRC 2023? According to sim racing legend Jimmy Broadbent, the new WRC is doing an amazing job on realism. Jimmy finds WRC to be Dirt Rally Car given resources. And I can only back that opinion up. It's a massive step forward for sim rallying. The physics is better, the grip on the tarmac is more realistic, and the engine sounds are music to your ears. It's doing an amazing job of creating that immersive feeling. And that's everything sim racing is about. It isn't a full-blood simulator by any means, but it's a great racing game with simulation accents to feed the realism. It will punish you if you don't respect physics, but it's also accessible for anyone to play.

Pro tip: do you want to enjoy rallying to the maximum? Get a shifter, handbrake, and a wheel that suits the car.

WRC modes

There are multiple modes and things to do like:

• Career
• Championship
• Moments
• Clubs
• Quick Play
• Time Trial
• Rally School
• Builder
• Customization

Especially the rally school mode is one of the best features that has been reintroduced to WRC. It teaches newcomers important aspects of rallying like road positioning, racing line, or off-throttle oversteer. There are basic lessons and advanced lessons to help you to become a better sim rally driver.

Builder is another fun mode where you can create your own rally car. You can create different classes, liveries, engine positions, and a lot more.

In customization, you can change your driver's name, co-driver's name, languages, liveries, and much more. Definitely check that out.

EA and Codemasters aren’t quite done yet

The biggest downside of WRC 2023 is the amount of crashes that occur. A lot of players are giving statements like the following:

“Refunded - Don't get me wrong, there's a pretty fantastic rally game here, but it performs poorly and I'm done paying to be a beta tester. I'll re-buy it in 6-12 months when it's fully fixed and 50% off.”- Moonsponge

“Don't be a beta tester on a "complete game", buy the game when it's known to be not buggy and supports all peripheral brands.” - KaWzY

“Game is crashing all the time, don't get it.”- Fiascotje

These reviews have been placed on Steam.

Other bugs

The online multiplayer mode can experience occasional stability issues, causing lag and disconnections. These issues can disrupt the competitive flow of online races and may deter some players from participating.

The game's AI difficulty can be inconsistent at times, with some stages feeling overly challenging while others are too easy. A more balanced AI would provide a more consistent and rewarding experience for players of all skill levels.

Does this mean you shouldn't buy it?

So, all of that means EA and Codemasters aren’t quite done yet with the optimization of WRC. The game’s engine demands a lot from your hardware, make sure yours can handle it. Other than that, I expect the developers to fix the bugs in a relatively short time frame. There is no reason to not buy this game. These are just some growing pains that most new games have. It also isn't anything fundamental, but rather a few quirks that need optimization.

EA and Codemasters are generally known for launching a bit too early and fixing it afterward. Not ideal, but it is what it is.

Always check your system with the compatibility requirements of the game.

Conclusion

To conclude, is WRC 2023 a good game? And is it suitable for sim racing beginners? The answer to those questions is both: yes! WRC is an excellent game and has made huge progress since the previous game. The physics are a lot better than before (especially the tarmac grip feels more realistic) and the immersive feeling is amazing thanks to the graphics. But the most impressive achievement is the fact that it’s a game to be enjoyed by veterans and beginners. Its accessibility is impressive. WRC is more a game than a simulator, however, it’s a game with simulation accents. And that’s a marriage that seems to be working very well.

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We aim to create a comprehensive repository to help you make your sim racing gear decisions. Check out some of our other detailed articles:

> A Beginner's Guide to a Sim Racing Setup: This article provides an overview of your entire setup.

> Best Sim Racing Cockpits: This article recommends the top ten cockpits for all budgets and compares ~70% of all the cockpits on the market in a simple table.

> The Wheel Base Guide: A comparison of every single wheel base on the market. We show the torque, platform compatibility, price and other relevant information in tables. We also have an article that analyses the value of entry-level direct drives, and one that recommends Xbox wheel bases.

> The Steering Wheel Guide: See types of wheels and the other considerations when buying one. We also have one that ranks the 12 Best F1 Steering Wheels.

> The Wheel Compatibility Guide: See the bolt patterns and QR Hubs of all the major wheel and wheel base brands.

> The Shifter and Handbrake Guide: A comparison of every sim racing stick shifter and handbrake on the market.

> The Pedal Guide: A comparison of all the budget and entry-level pedal sets, and the most popular mid-range and high-end pedal sets on the market.

> How to Earn Money in Sim Racing: An overview of the various ways in which you can get income from your favourite hobby.

We also publish sim related news, like analysing the value of the Fanatec ClubSport DD, reviewing the Fanatec QR2 or looking at the latest WRC updates. You can also find articles about us, like this article about our visit to the recent ADAC Sim Racing Expo.