TEST WRC Generations: an epilogue in apotheosis for Kylotonn?

While we’re all waiting WRC 11 for this end of the year 2022, Kylotonn took everyone by surprise by announcing WRC Generations. The idea behind this change of title is to highlight the profound transformation that will take place on the official license of the World Rally Championship. Until now in the hands of the Parisian studio, WRC will change ownership in 2023, EA having recovered the rights and entrusted the project to the teams of Codemasters (DiRT Rally among others). This Generations WRC is therefore the last episode developed by the studio of Nakon… A convincing final lap?

The visual has also improved.

We must all the same salute the immense work done by the Parisian teams. Indeed, if the license shone in the firmament at the time ofEvolution Studios, series WRC experienced dark times in the hands of the Milanese entity Milestone (best known for its countless motorcycle games). Recovered in 2015 by Kylotonn with WRC 5, the series will have slowly (necessarily, with an annual game), but surely recovered the slope, to the point of once again becoming a credible name when we speak of piloting simulation. With its realistic approach, but which allows itself a few shortcuts in order to always be accessible to as many people as possible, WRC is known to most enthusiasts as a license that allows fun with a controller, where a DiRT Rally is more enjoyable with a steering wheel.

For this latest opus, the Parisian studio has gone all out, especially in terms of content. The developers announce 21 rallies, i.e. 165 specials for a total of more than 720 km, the 49 teams for the official 2022 season (in Rally1, Rally2 and JWRC), but also 37 legendary cars available. Rally enthusiasts will be able to have a field day with the presence of several legendary models, including old ones (Lancia Fulvia, Alpine A110, Lancia Stratos), members of the Group B (205 T16, Audi Quattro), from Group A (Lancia Delta HF Intergrale), a whole bunch of old liveries WRC (Toyota Celica, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, Subaru Impreza, Citroen Xsara, Ford Focusetc.) and even a R-GT (the Porsche 911 of Delecour). The advantage is that each car has its own feeling and its specific engine character, the opportunity to notice that the terrifying cars of the Group B of more than 500 HP are actually very hollow at low revs, before spinning the wheels under a deluge of horses in the second half of the rev counter.

Nevertheless, despite this plethoric content, we quickly find the usual limits of rally games. We especially think of the stages which are repeated a lot, especially if you have played the previous opuses. Moreover, we do not recommend that you opt for the “realistic” duration since this setting, which makes the rallies very long, will make us cover all the stages very many times, until saturation. Example: on the Croatia rally, we will thus pass no less than six times in the same place (the famous football field that we are bypassing), whether in one direction or the other, with light or weather conditions. different. However, we console ourselves with some special reviews, especially in Sweden, where the highways have given way to winding roads lined with snowdrifts (on which it is possible to lean). The visual aspect has also improved with more than correct graphics. The lighting is much more beautiful, and the density of the sets has been increased, which offers ever more beautiful landscapes. However, there is a small exception on certain routes, such as Corsica, where the rendering is completely behind. We even wonder if these plots are simply not ports from old games, without a visual facelift… We also noticed some visual imperfections, such as clipping in the decorations. To put it simply, it’s clean, but it doesn’t go beyond that.

In terms of cars, the progress is more convincing, especially thanks to the arrival this year of the category Rally1 which replaces the old ones WRC. Concretely, the cars are entitled to a more aggressive aero kit, as well as a hybrid system of the type KERS. In short, when we brake, we recharge a battery. The latter is emptied by an electric motor providing additional torque on acceleration, particularly at low revs, when the combustion engine’s turbo has not yet built up pressure. This addition is quite nice in that low speed raises are much more effective.

Faithfully modeled, the vehicles are exact copies of those currently driving in the world.

This system thus saves a lot of time on the Monte-Carlo rally, by allowing our car to jump between two hairpins negotiated with the handbrake. Before the start of each special, we can configure the KERS to have a more or less rapid return of power, knowing that the greater the power, the faster the battery drains, and the greater the stress exerted on the tires. Faithfully modeled, the vehicles are exact copies of those currently driving in the world.

Finally the only problem remains to be found at the level of the engine sounds, which are very uneven. Where the Ford Puma and the i20 have hyper-rich sounds, with a throaty engine screeching through the revs, all underlined by the gunshots of theanti lagthe hiss of the turbo and the noises of the wastegatethe Toyota Yaris seems clearly set back. At the wheel, we finally hear only the suction of the turbo, which makes us feel like we’re driving a big vacuum cleaner. We find the same concern in the lower categories with the convincing Citroen C5 and an Skoda Fabia which seems to come from Gran Turismo. Fortunately, this does not spoil the driving sensations, even if these have not really evolved since the previous opuses.

Apart from the Rally1 which have a different feeling thanks to the electric motor, the other categories and the old ones seem to behave like in the previous games. If you make a full career, the passage in the Ford Fiesta two-wheel drive and Rally2 shouldn’t confuse you. Overall, the higher we go in category, the more we will benefit from powerful machines that hold the pavement well, the pinnacle being the category Rally1 with their big downforce, which changes everything at high speed. However, between all the cars in the same category, the differences are not incredible. A few bugs remain, in particular on the grip of asphalt rain tires which offer less performance than the soft slickseven when the road is transformed into a veritable torrent by a thunderstorm.

It is your talent as a driver that makes the difference in the race, and the attention paid to the co-driver’s notes. The latter is not beyond reproach. The system used is the traditional classification of turns from 1 to 6 (which roughly corresponds to the gear ratio to be used) and some details on the trajectory. On this last point, we would have liked to have more detailed information on the turns we can cut, and especially on the changes in grip. Moreover, the series always drags a difference in treatment between men and women. If you want a man in the right seat, all languages ​​are available, while the reading of the notes is in English if you want a female voice…

In terms of game modes, we find all the classics of the series, with fast races, the mode Careerthe multi, the challenges and the arrival of a mode League. The latter allows us to participate in daily and weekly events (solo or in a team), and to measure ourselves against others. Here, no retry and no way to exit the ordeal. In short, just like in real life, which means you have to be fast, but without making the slightest mistake. The mode Season puts us in the shoes of a pilot, while the Career adds a fairly conventional management overlay. If you got your hands on a game in the series F1 of Codemasters, you will immediately see what it is. Concretely, we have to manage staff, develop our team via an R&D tree, all without blowing our budget.

WRC Generations is undoubtedly one of the best books in the series. WRC of Kylotonn. But for all that, we are still quite far from an incredible episode that stands out from the series. Of course, you have to remember that the game is developed in just a few months and that the license will escape the studio, which does not necessarily motivate you to make large investments for a game. Clearly, if you haven’t touched the license for a whileor that you are an absolute fan of the franchise, go for this Generations. If you’re not more of a fan than that and if you already own WRC 10 for example, the interest will probably be more limited, given the redundancy of a very large part of the content.

You can buy WRC Generation on Amazon at €39.99.