What matters in a game like this is the driving. These issues arenвЂ™t game breaking, but they are strange, and they definitely bring the game down on a technical level.Д«ut thatвЂ™s not really the important thing here. Engine and impact sounds would sometimes glitch and just not play. This is especially true of the car audio. At times the audio would even cut out on me altogether. The gameвЂ™s audio mixing is also strange, with some sounds coming through far louder than they were likely intended to. Most of the cars sound identical to one another. Beyond the aforementioned soundtrack, the sound design in general is lacking. But where the issues really lie here is the audio.

ItвЂ™s not gonna win any awards for its visuals, but they look nice and get the job done well enough. Up close, there are some hiccups, particularly regarding aliasing, but itвЂ™s nothing too major. The environments also look good, especially when viewed from a distance. And the damage modeling for the cars is impressive. The lighting and weather effects are similarly solid. Cars look great both on and off the track. For the most part, the visuals are solid. WRC 9 also has some other technical stumbles as well. But it doesnвЂ™t make those long load times any less irritating. This is a minor complaint, for sure, and you can mute the music if you want, so it isnвЂ™t really a big deal. The music is generic, and doesnвЂ™t really seem to fit the atmosphere of the sport. It can definitely get a bit frustrating waiting through them, especially with the repetitive soundtrack. Load times, at least on consoles, were a bit longer than I would have expected. The game suffers some other issues on the technical front as well. But overall, WRC 9 is a solid entry in the series.' 'ItвЂ™s not perfect, and returning fans may find it plays things a bit too safe in some areas. ItвЂ™s one thing to make incremental changes, but leaving the interface completely unchanged wasnвЂ™t the best call. The controls and interface never quite feel natural. Navigating the menus for the career mode especially can be clunky and unintuitive, particularly if youвЂ™re playing on consoles like I was. The menus and interface have always been clunky, and WRC 9 is no exception.

While this does make it easy for returning fans to know exactly where to start, itвЂ™s more of an issue than anything else. The structure, menus, and mechanics behind the career mode are similarly unchanged. The gameвЂ™s interface is very similar to previous games. ThereвЂ™s very little thatвЂ™s different, at least at first glance. If youвЂ™re coming into this as a returning player, you may initially be disappointed by what you see. But overall, WRC 9 is a solid entry in the series. ItвЂ™s not perfect, and returning fans may find it plays things a bit too safe in some areas. Both punishing and rewarding, WRC 9 captures the technical skill of the sport in a way that manages to be enjoyable while doing justice to the sport and the skill it requires. With no racers and only sparse crowds around you, itвЂ™s just you and your skills.

Off-road racing is an experience all its own.

Art of rally xbox split screen