A sort of disclaimer: before you continue reading:

I do not have any issues with the game performance on my PC but it seems to be lucky coincidence. I am able to run it with all graphical setting maxed out at stable 57-62 frames per second (for majority of locations and special stages) with v-sync off almost matching my monitor 60Hz refresh rate.

Many people report that they have issues with v-sync on (input lag) or mirco stuttering (when having higher FPS than their monitor refresh rate) so one need to keep that in mind before buying the game. The patch that Milestone took 2 months to deliver did not solve those issues.

Now let's look at the game.

The good things:

+ tarmac physics are great and feel adequate to reality
+ car handling changes depending on if you go uphill and downhill
+ almost photo realistic light effects, great sky textures
+ all stages in Alsace, San Remo, most stages in Sweden, Wales and Australia (tarmac/gravel mix - changes in grip can catch you off guard)
+ Loeb Experience part of career is great addition, each is part is accompanied by video of Loeb himself explaing progress of his career
+ you can take any car to Pikes Peak and tarmac physics are again good
+ co driver replay cam with windshield getting more and more dirty as you go adds to the immersion
+ all-TV replay cam however weak car models spoil the final result
+ realistic AI is quite challenging
+ last but not least, you get a total of 32 (unique) special stages (all based on real WRC stages from previous seasons)

Next, things that I find average or lacking a bit:
= gravel physics - some say it is how feels in reality but still for me feels awkward
= snow physics - they are just OK-ish
= handbrake hairpins - difficult to do, handbrake sometimes seems not to work as intended...something's off
= Mexico stages - personal preference, they are quite technical and probably need a lot of practice
= Monte stages - quite dull, wasted potential
= all stages are quite flatish, some of them are indeed quite flat in real life but not that perfect flat
= pacenotes are generally quite good and sound good
= force feedback - there are only two settings for it and I feel it is not satisfactory in a game claiming to be delivering sim experience

The things I do not like:
- engine sounds are just plain terrible
- environment/track sounds are almost not existent or generic
- no gravel hitting car chassis sounds at all
- majority of tracks are wider than in reality
- rewinds (although they can be turned off in menu)
- high savanna-like grass by the road borders that is present in most game stages in Finland, Wales
- majority of stages in Monte Carlo, Finland, Harfen and Sweet Lamb in Wales
- PVP servers are empty, rarely anyone playing
- no real RX cars
- no control over lights (always on) or wipers
- no control over weather conditions for a stage - you can only choose morning, day, dusk or night
- snowbanks in Sweden are rock solid
- car models look like Matchbox cars, plastic and artificial
- no head cam in replays
- stages look really bad when driven at night
- grinding in career mode in order to be able to do all Loeb events

In the end it is nice game that can deliver some fun and I was quite pleased overall.
SLRE is much, much better than previous Milestone game - WRC4 and surely better than WRC5 (not Milestone).

A sort of disclaimer: before you continue reading: I do not have any issues with the game performance on my PC but it seems to be lucky coincidence. I am able to run it with all graphical setting maxed out at stable 57-62 frames per second (for majority of locations and special stages) with v-sync off almost matching my monitor 60Hz refresh rate. Many people report that they have issues with v-sync on (input lag) or mirco stuttering (when having higher FPS than their monitor refresh rate) so one need to keep that in mind before buying the game. The patch that Milestone took 2 months to deliver did not solve those issues. Now let's look at the game. The good things: + tarmac physics are great and feel adequate to reality + car handling changes depending on if you go uphill and downhill + almost photo realistic light effects, great sky textures + all stages in Alsace, San Remo, most stages in Sweden, Wales and Australia (tarmac/gravel mix - changes in grip can catch you off guard) + Loeb Experience part of career is great addition, each is part is accompanied by video of Loeb himself explaing progress of his career + you can take any car to Pikes Peak and tarmac physics are again good + co driver replay cam with windshield getting more and more dirty as you go adds to the immersion + all-TV replay cam however weak car models spoil the final result + realistic AI is quite challenging + last but not least, you get a total of 32 (unique) special stages (all based on real WRC stages from previous seasons) Next, things that I find average or lacking a bit: = gravel physics - some say it is how feels in reality but still for me feels awkward = snow physics - they are just OK-ish = handbrake hairpins - difficult to do, handbrake sometimes seems not to work as intended...something's off = Mexico stages - personal preference, they are quite technical and probably need a lot of practice = Monte stages - quite dull, wasted potential = all stages are quite flatish, some of them are indeed quite flat in real life but not that perfect flat = pacenotes are generally quite good and sound good = force feedback - there are only two settings for it and I feel it is not satisfactory in a game claiming to be delivering sim experience The things I do not like: - engine sounds are just plain terrible - environment/track sounds are almost not existent or generic - no gravel hitting car chassis sounds at all - majority of tracks are wider than in reality - rewinds (although they can be turned off in menu) - high savanna-like grass by the road borders that is present in most game stages in Finland, Wales - majority of stages in Monte Carlo, Finland, Harfen and Sweet Lamb in Wales - PVP servers are empty, rarely anyone playing - no real RX cars - no control over lights (always on) or wipers - no control over weather conditions for a stage - you can only choose morning, day, dusk or night - snowbanks in Sweden are rock solid - car models look like Matchbox cars, plastic and artificial - no head cam in replays - stages look really bad when driven at night - grinding in career mode in order to be able to do all Loeb events In the end it is nice game that can deliver some fun and I was quite pleased overall. SLRE is much, much better than previous Milestone game - WRC4 and surely better than WRC5 (not Milestone).