WRC 8 VS DiRT Rally 2.0 (Xbox One): Which is better?

WRC 8 VS DiRT Rally 2.0: Which should you buy? A Tribe Called Cars compares the graphics, gameplay, steering wheel and controller support & more to find out.

2019 is a particularly splendid time to like rally games because first we had DiRT Rally 2.0 from Codemasters and now WRC 8, the latest in the series from the French developer, Kylotonn. Both do the rally thing in their own way, but what if you can only buy one? Allow A Tribe Called Cars to help.

WRC 9’s release date was the 5th of September, 2019 so you can buy the game from the respective console game store, or head on over to Amazon: PS4 / Xbox One / Nintendo Switch.

WRC 8 VS DiRT Rally 2.0: Graphics

Neither game is at the cutting edge of graphics, but then neither has to. What matters is enough detail to provide realism and maintain a solid frame-rate.

WRC 8 does unfortunately suffer from the odd bit of slow-down, even on the Xbox One X, but it’s not much of an issue in single player as it can actually help you.

There’s also no 60 frames per second mode (FPS) for consoles, which means you will need to play on a PC for that luxury.

It’s a non-issue for those unused to the extra smoothness, but it does seem a shame the extra power of the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro goes unused.

DiRT Rally 2.0, on the other hand, can manage 60fps on consoles and, in my experience, does so rather solidly. But there are some weird graphical issues on Xbox.

However, even on a fancy computer with a top-end graphics card DiRT Rally 2.0 just doesn’t look as visually appealing although I will say both games do a great job of extreme weather conditions.

On a standard Xbox One, WRC 8 looks more appealing. Not only is it more visually interesting, there is greater levels of realism to be seen, the backgrounds are more alive and people look more human. DiRT Rally 2.0 just seems flatter and more game-like in comparison. 

But there are times when WRC 8 overdoes it with the darkening of your view when driving into direct sunlight, which is realistic to a point but at this level it’s plain annoying.

WRC 8 VS DiRT Rally 2.0: Engine sounds

Mixed bag, here. Depending on the car, I find WRC 8‘s engine noises to be great. The Lancia Stratos sounds particularly epic when in the view where are close to the pop-up headlights. But some cars are a bit electric-sounding.

DiRT Rally 2.0 is arguably more consistent here, although people still found time to complain about this. Having been in actual rally cars, I can say that both do a good enough job of immersing you in the experience aurally.

What I will say is that the environment has more of an impact on car sounds in WRC 8. Lumps and bumps appear to do nothing in DiRT Rally 2.0 unless you take off the ground, in which case the wheels can spin more freely and it revs highly if you keep your foot on the accelerator.

In WRC8, the engine has more character, too, and I’d also say there’s more detail and a wider soundstage if you use decent headphones or surround sound.

What about the single-player career mode?

The crew management element, choosing events to partake in, bonus challenges and research tree (which deals with serious rally upgrades but also things that make progress easier) all make WRC 8’s career mode less suspectible to repitition than DiRT Rally 2.0’s.

In DiRT Rally 2.0 I never really felt compelled to play the career mode for any great time, whereas I am planning on seeing WRC 8 all the way through to the end. Even the lowlier entry-level rally series keeps you hooked in Kylotonn’s game.

Both have the usual mid-rally repair sessions where you can adjust your car and prioritise repairing certain parts, so neither is actually any more or less true to actual rally racing in that sense.

Steering wheel & controller support?

WRC 8 was built with steering wheels in mind, according to its developer. This means support for most steering wheels, but also that you can remove the steering wheel or select a slightly more forward interior view that ensures you can only see the one wheel as you drive.

DiRT Rally 2.0 was also developed to accommodate steering wheels, although the initial lack of force feedback (things have improved now, thanks to updates) made it hard to really enjoy using them as much.

Both lose points in this area because it annoys me that developers fail to suggest recommended settings to mimic the real life experience.

Given that real rally drivers were used to test DiRT Rally 2.0 on at least one steering wheel, why not help the community out with standardised numbers to use as a basis?

In terms of using a controller, which is what most players will use, DiRT Rally 2.0 is playable, but I found myself spinning a lot. It’s frustrating to the point where I struggle to enjoy it. Some cars are actually borderline undrivable without a lot of practice, others are too unpredictable.

WRC 8 is a very different story. It’s much more intuitive and instantly inspires confidence. It’s still not easy as you can definitely leave it too late to countersteer and pay the price.

Plus the roads are hellishly thin in places (try avoiding every kerb along the Welsh coastline), which requires great accuracy that increases the intensity. Hell, try driving the Lancia Stratos fast on gravel to see what a twitchy car feels like.

Truth is, I actually find myself sticking with a controller when playing WRC 8 because of laziness and I still enjoy the game hugely. In DiRT Rally 2.0 it’s a different story.

Which has better longevity?

With WRC 8‘s beefier career mode, I’d say it’s going to keep you busier for longer. But then VR users will want VR and that’s a problem. It also depends which you prefer when it comes to handling, as both are different. I’ll explain in a second.

I’d say both have similar levels of content such as multiplayer, time trials and rally competitions. Both also have various timed challenges.

DiRT Rally 2.0 is better for classic rally machinery such as the Group B monsters and there are more cars in general if you have the DLC packs. With that said, WRC 8 has its fair share such as the original Alpine A110 and Lancia Delta HF Integrale and more could be added later.

What about gameplay & driving physics?

Given the same aim to provide a realistic rally experience, it’s interesting how different the two games are. WRC 8 feels considerably more intuitive and there’s greater feedback from the wheels as they battle for traction. Surfaces feel varied.

It is, however, a bit less punishing in terms of braking and you can react a little bit later even with all assists turned off. But it is easy to fishtail when playing on the controller in some of the faster, twitchier machines so a delicate touch is still needed.

DiRT Rally 2.0, on the other hand, punishes you just for steering a little too harshly and for braking too late and for looking at the steering wheel wrong. Okay, maybe not the last one but it’s hard-as-nails, which would be fine if you knew why. But the lack of feedback means it’s largely guesswork.

Road rallies just feel weird in DiRT Rally 2.0 and it feels slower. Still, if you count sheer difficulty as realistic it will keep you and other hardcore purists happy.

As for the experience itself, WRC 8 has the official licence so you can expect all the 2019 cars, all the teams and 102 stages.

However the co-driver sounds like John Cleese, which is jarring and can never be unnoticed. But that does mean he is clear. DiRT Rally 2.0‘s co-driver is better.

WRC 8 also has more course variety and most flow better, in part thanks to that higher feeling of speed. This is especially true when the weather conditions change mid-challenge and the tyres you thought were satisfactory are no longer up for the job.

That’s not entirely DiRT Rally 2.0‘s fault, as they are modelled on actual courses, but repetition does rear its annoying head far quicker than it does in WRC 8. With that said, players of the not-so-great WRC 7 will find the stages familiar, too.

WRC 8 lacks of a VR mode, as previously mentioned, is a pain for those who want the closest to real-life experience. Motion sickness and all. DiRT Rally 2.0 has it on PC (but not consoles).

WRC 8 VS DiRT Rally 2.0: Which should I buy, then?

It’s a close call as it depends on what you want. Neither game is easy, especially if you intend on using a steering wheel, but they are different enough and have their individual merits.

For sheer fun and the handling model though, I have to give it to WRC 8. The sensation of speed makes it more intense and the consistency and realism of the physics, not just on tarmac, makes it genuinely fun.

Not only that, the career mode is far meatier and I have found myself more hooked on it than DiRT Rally 2.0, which claws back points for its historic rally car collection and a steeper, more intense learning curve if you have the patience.

Put it like this: It’s great to have two compelling rally games on the market so if you have the money it would not be the worst thing to buy both. Share the love! But if I had to choose, I’d take WRC 8. What do you think?

Note: A small donation goes to me if you click and buy the game using an affiliate link (at no cost to you), which I will use to make more videos! Thank you for reading.