![dirt 4 vs wrc 7 dirt 4 vs wrc 7](https://www.thesixthaxis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/WRC9-IL1.jpg)
It’s a challenge and one that’s quite welcome as it makes the game that much more fun. Asphalt is completely different than dirt or snow, and you’ll need to react to each one appropriately if you’re going to make it through quickly. On top of this, terrain plays a huge part in the game. You’ll need to pay attention to your co-pilot (or the on-screen indications for the upcoming turn) to know whether your e-brake is going to be appropriate or if you might be able to handle it. You’ll need to control your speed to make sure you can handle the next turn.
![dirt 4 vs wrc 7 dirt 4 vs wrc 7](https://www.gtplanet.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/DR2_Ford_Fiesta_R5MKII_1_DWS-1.jpg)
You’ll not find yourself flooring it often nor will you drift through every corner without a worry about whether you should brake. As I mentioned earlier, this is no arcade racing even on the more lenient settings - it is simcade all the way through.
![dirt 4 vs wrc 7 dirt 4 vs wrc 7](https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1*D9kIMMXvPnWEbZfy7f7Crg.jpeg)
The handling model of the game feels right. These twenty minute stages are rare enough to not feel tiring and epic enough to be enthralling when they do come up. You’ll climb icy switchbacks up a mountain and feel like the race should be long over, only to realize you’re not even half done and have a ride all the way down the other side ahead of you. Epic stages, on the other hand, send you across most of the stages all at once which really can be best described as epic. A traditional stage will typically run in between five and ten minutes. The game does feature primarily the standard stages rally veterans have come to expect, but there’s more as well. It’s still a time trial, but these events feel fresh and fun, with the tangle of turns in such a small area mixing up the feel of the stage in a nice way. In addition to drives through the country, the standard stages also feature a complement of arena-based races which feature tight turns and another car on the track. The first time you soar over the top of a small hill and land with only a moment to react to the turn in front of you, you’ll be so delighted by the track design any complaints you had with the game will be forgotten. These tracks are exciting and every turn feels like a nice, well-placed challenge. It’s worth noting that these tracks are not one-to-one with the real world tracks, but such a detail would likely go unnoticed by anyone but the most diehard of rallying fans. There are over 60 to experience and while they are not each totally unique, sharing certain stretches of track amongst each other, they feel different enough to keep you interested. To match the huge number of locales, there’s likewise a large number of tracks, called stages in rally lingo. These countries are an absolute joy to experience. While you might imagine Sweden and Finland, both northern, snowy climates, would feel the same, they are still distinct and recognizable at a glance once you’ve played them a few times. There are fields, mountains and everything in between and it all comes together to create a very exciting range of locales. Poland sees you moving through countryside villages while Sweden requires you pull out your snow tires to drive through the ice. You’ll move through wet forests in the UK before heading to the Australian outback to kick up dust. The realism is a nice touch, but the greatest benefit is the massive variety of environments in which you’ll race. In 2017, that means we’re visiting Monaco, Sweden, Mexico, Argentina, Germany, Finland, Spain, the UK, Australia, Portugal, France, Italy and Poland. The tracks are set in the 13 official countries of WRC. No matter what you get, you’re going to have fun and that’s what’s important. This doesn’t seem perfect - I was set at the easiest difficulty in the training and then proceeded to win every race by a substantial margin - but since rallying is primarily time trials, increased AI difficulty really only serves to move up the target time for a given race. At the end, you’re given a suggested difficulty which you can, of course, change at any time. Once you select your style, you’re sent to a sort of obstacle course where the game will teach you the basics of rallying. Even if you select the latter, you’ll still receive a simcade experience where putting the pedal to the metal while forgetting about your break is a surefire way to end up in last place. The simulation is no DiRT Rally, but it’s fair in its added challenge. Right at the outset, you’re asked whether you’d prefer a realistic simulation or a "fun drive".