FIA-licensed World Rally Championship game featuring teams, drivers, cars, and rally locations from the 2005 season. The player drives the car around the track, attempting to complete the stages quickly. Because the Rally is conducted so the path is clear of other vehicles, competitors are depicted as ghost cars. Co-drivers’ notes are spoken and shown on the screen to help navigate the often twisty stages. Quick Rally, Time Trial, Single Rally, Championship, and Multiplayer modes are available. Sharp Rally races a random car and rally stage. In Time Trial, a ghost car is displayed on the track, and the player’s goal is to beat the ghost car’s time on that stage. In Single Rally mode, the player selects a team and car to drive and must complete all steps in a single rally.
Other drivers are represented by ghost cars. The Championship mode expands on the Single Rally mode to include an entire season of 16 rallies. Each Rally has two to four stages, and the player must advance to the next stage by reaching a particular position. The difficulty level (novice, professional, expert, or extreme) determines the number of steps per Rally and the required finishing position. Completing the previous level unlocks the expert and excessive levels. After each Rally, points are awarded to the top eight drivers, and the championship is determined by the driver with the most points at the end of the season. Completing championship modes unlocks new car types and rally stages for use in other ways of play. Multiplayer modes include both offline (hot-seat) and online play. The hot-seat rallies accommodate up to four players, allowing them to compete in Time Trial, Single Rally, and Championship modes. Online wireless space allows up to eight players to race together on a single stage. Competitors, like in other ways, are represented by ghost cars. The game has an arcade-style control scheme (no manual gear changes) and a simple damage model. Damage to the vehicle has an aesthetic impact, and damage affects the car’s performance on expert and extreme levels. PSP WRC supports downloadable content, such as custom avatars for the player.
