I've got quite a few hours of WRC 8 in now and feel comfortable making an informed review (basically a comparison to Dirt Rally 2.0). Straight away, this game is heaps better than WRC 7 in almost every way. The physics model improvements were what I was most excited about and KT has finally delivered. Now with some practice and a decent wheel/pedals, you can actually do some proper controlled drifts/powerslides and precise low-speed donuts, which was damn near impossible in WRC 7. The one aspect of the game that still feels off is the steering and its adjustment. No matter what I change, it always feels a bit artificial/disconnected and muted compared to DR2.0, which has amazing steering feel and adjustment options. I will say that the FFB in WRC 8 is really good, especially on tarmac! Overall, I think driving the tarmac stages is better in WRC 8. The WRC 8 stage design is great as well, even better than DR2.0 imo. Although in WRC 8, there aren't many stages if you consider that each location is basically made up of only two stages that you reverse and/or stitch together (although some locations do come with a to-scale super special stage). Because of this, the stages get old very fast. I wish they would add some DLC follow up stages for each location. Sadly it doesn't look like they made any big steps with the audio, esp the engine noise. DR2.0 has much better audio imo. Another aspect that DR2.0 is clearly better is the crash/damage model. If you lose the rear or go off the road a bit in WRC 8 (and 7 for that matter), you basically just have to sit thru a very unrealistic roll/crash with no chance of recovering. In DR2.0 you can actually use driving skill to save the car and recover from a mistake in a much more realistic way. WRC 8 is still a very fun game and very challenging, but I ultimately think Dirt Rally 2.0 is a better all-around game. I keep finding myself going back to Dirt Rally 2.0, especially with the fortnightly DLC being released. The additional locations of Wales, Greece, and Finland are so much fun! I will still continue to play WRC 8 simply because it is a decent challenging game and I am a huge WRC fan.
Seems very reasonnable view to me and i tend to agree on most points.
DR2.0 is terrific on my g29. I love just about all about it, from optimization to wheel feel to physics to sound to graphics mostly, to cockpit view feel, to replays, to different surfaces, and conditions, to total stages especially with all dlc, to all older diverse car models especially rwd, but even slower fwd like the ds21 are fun challenging to drive fast and feel good,to the more exciting faster cars, it's a joy and makes me giggle each time. Even the ds21 in wet tarmac feels perfect with subtle but natural feel thru the wheel.
Wrc is good and a nice road feel up to a point, ffb good but wheel control like a controller feel, vague and laggy especially in centre and low speed grip in wrc7 is suspect on dirt and in tarmac too high at any speed. Cars react quickly like rc cars a little. Physics are suspect when the car touches abrupt edges like curbs on tarmac like no suspension.
Wrc8 has career and dynamic weather but the rest seems lacking in comparison.
Also i read that 9 out of 14 rallies are reused from wrc 7.
But I'm still interested and I'm glad if it controls better, maybe it's good for relaxing with a controller.
DR2.0 is crazy thrilling and natural feel with a wheel in cockpit view. The replays are a joy with the suspension weight physics sound damage dirt build-up crashes graphics and smoothness, tv cams, controls for viewing slowmo or fast back etc,
Also i like the hardcore damage feel and look.
Just my view up to now, although i don't have still wrc8. Also although i like the stages in wrc7 and from what i saw of wrc8 but they do seem a little like dioramas or smaller scale than the real feel of place of dr2.