WRC 4

{{about|the 2004 video game|the 2013 video game|WRC 4: FIA World Rally Championship}}

{{Infobox video game

| title = WRC 4

| image = WRC 4 Cover.png

| caption = PAL cover art

| developer = Evolution Studios

| publisher = {{vgrelease|EU|SCEE|JP|Spike}}

| series = World Rally Championship

| platforms = PlayStation 2

| released = {{vgrelease|EU|22 October 2004|JP|7 April 2005}}

| genre = Racing

| modes = Single-player

}}

WRC 4: The Official Game of the FIA World Rally Championship (also known as WRC 4 and WRC 2004) is a racing video game developed by Evolution Studios for the PlayStation 2. It is the fourth rallying game to be officially licensed by the FIA World Rally Championship and is based on the 2004 WRC season.

Gameplay

In a quick race, the player will play a randomly selected stage with a randomly selected car and driver. During the race, the player will have to beat a time trial (although this is not needed to advance in the game). The time target will be based on the 1st place time ranking. If beaten, the best time will be the new target time to beat. The Championship mode lets the player play through the 2004 WRC season. The player must play through this mode based on the real life calendar, following the schedule for the 2004 WRC season. Championship mode ends when all 16 rallies are played, but the player can stop playing after any stage, because the game saves after each stage is finished. The player can play all six stages in a rally, but normally the player will have to buy the stage to play it in other modes.

The Pro Driver Challenge is a career mode where the player takes the role of a rookie who has to start from the weak Super 1600 class and must complete a series of tasks to enter the WRC class. In Super Special Challenge, the player will play against an AI generated opponent in all SSS course in the country's alphabetical order instead of the season's chronology. In a single rally, the player will play all six stages in a selected rally. The test track mode lets the player practice their driving skills or take part in rally tests akin to the license tests of the Gran Turismo series.

Reception

{{Video game reviews

| MC = 77/100{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps2/wrc4 |title=WRC 4: The Official Game of the FIA World Rally Championship (ps2: 2004): Reviews |website=Metacritic |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913121513/http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps2/wrc4 |archivedate=13 September 2008 |url-status=dead |accessdate=11 February 2017}}

| CVG = 7/10{{cite journal |author=PSW staff |url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=112134&site=psw |title=PS2 Review: WRC 4 |publisher=Computer and Video Games (PlayStation World) |date=December 2004 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527021421/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=112134&site=psw |archivedate=27 May 2008 |url-status=dead |accessdate=11 February 2017}}

| EuroG = 8/10{{cite web |last=Reed |first=Kristan |date=20 October 2004 |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_wrc4_ps2 |title=World Rally Championship 4 |website=Eurogamer |accessdate=11 February 2017}}

| Fam = 32/40{{cite magazine |title=World Rally Championship 4 |magazine=Famitsu |volume=852 |date=15 April 2005}}

| GMaster = 88%{{cite journal |title=WRC 4 |journal=GamesMaster |date=December 2004}}

| OPMUK = 9/10{{cite journal |title=WRC 4 |journal=Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine |issue=53 |date=December 2004}}

| PALGN = 7.5/10{{cite web |last=van Leuveren |first=Luke |date=29 October 2004 |url=http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=1706 |title=WRC 4 Review |website=PALGN |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323162914/http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=1706 |archivedate=23 March 2008 |accessdate=11 February 2017}}

| Play = 83%{{cite journal |title=WRC 4 |journal=Play |date=December 2004}}

| PSM3 = 87%{{cite journal |title=Review: WRC 4 |journal=PSM2 |date=December 2004}}

}}

The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, where the game was localized and published by Spike on 7 April 2005, Famitsu gave it a score of all four eights for a total of 32 out of 40.