WRC Generations

Genre: Rally Racing

Players: 1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen), 2-8 Competitive (Online)

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Review:

WRC Generations, as with prior games in the series, is a Rally Racing game, with this game released in 2022 on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switc. In this game, players manage their team and calendar to build up experience and credentials, as well as racing in various events.

I should note that this game is extremely similar to the previous games in the series, and so I am copying my review of WRC 9 and changing it where appropriate.

The graphical issues of the WRC series on Nintendo Switch continue here, but in all ways but one this is overall much improved from earlier installments, with shorter (but still long) loading times, better (but still present) aliasing, and better environmental detail, especially after the Nintendo Switch version of WRC 10 basically crashed into a ditch. I might go as far as to say this is the best-looking game in the series on Nintendo Switch, if it wasn’t for the absolutely ridiculous amounts of pop-in you’ll see throughout the game. This is without a doubt one of the most egregious examples of pop-in I’ve ever seen on Nintendo Switch, which kinda’ makes the “but otherwise it looks good” less impressive.

When it comes to the gameplay, know that WRC is first and foremost a Simulation-style game, which means that players will want to be extremely precise in their steering, gas, and braking. Again, here the Nintendo Switch version disappoints somewhat due to its lack of analog triggers, although thankfully this time the steering feels significantly improved over prior games in the series.

Overall, the gameplay and controls on Nintendo Switch aren’t bad, but this is still a downgrade from other platforms. It’s a shame too, because there are some nice features here, such as an RPG-style upgrade tree and some good options for customizing your difficulty level.

When it comes to changes from the previous games, there are smaller changes like streamlined menu options, but the big change has to be the inclusion of hybrid vehicles that charge by braking and can channel that charge into the engines. I found this to be a tad gimmicky, but I appreciate that they’re trying something a bit different this time around.

Overall, WRC Generations is my favorite game in the series on Nintendo Switch, though that’s not saying much. The sacrifices made to get this game to work on Nintendo’s underpowered hardware still absolutely show, with absurd amounts of pop-in that really mar the experience. If you absolutely must have a Simulation-style Rally Racing game on Nintendo Switch, this game may be one of your better bets, but if at all possible you should play this on another game platform.

tl;dr – WRC Generations, like its predecessors, is a Rally Racing Simulation-style game where players manage their crew and schedule and race in various conditions. The core game here is a solid but highly challenging entry in the genre, but the game has still clearly suffered massive downgrades in its transition to the Nintendo Switch, particularly with the absurd amounts of pop-in the game suffers from. Overall, this is still a decent game, and overall I think this is the best game in the series on Nintendo Switch so far, but its appeal is limited and those who enjoy this niche genre are better off playing this game on any other platform.

Grade: C+

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