World of Tanks Review!

With over 2,000 battles to my name I can safely say that I am in fact a fan of World of Tanks. The tank simulator shooter designed by Wargaming.net uses real and prototyped tanks developed between the 1940s and the 1960s. World of Tanks offers a wide array of choices as far as gameplay and style, you can be in the back lines with your SPG (self-propelled gun)  or be the focus of enemy fire in the heavy tanks. With 112 different tanks to choose from (not counting bonus tanks and premium tanks) the options are pretty much limitless and allow anyone to play the way they want to.

JagdPanther, Maus, and IS-3

World of Tanks is a 15v15 tank simulation with real tanks with real specifications and what Wargaming claims to be as historically accurate as possible. The game is beautiful and the sounds are crisp, at the highest ends of the settings, it even takes advantage of DX12 blur graphics, but it can be run well and still look great on a computer that isn't currently top of the line. With over a year of development in closed and open betas, the game is smooth, there are few glitches at this point and most hardcore gamers really only have one major complaint: spotting.

Over the top view artillery vehicles can use

The World of Tanks spotting/cover mechanics are based off of some formula Wargaming has come up with and most of the time it works fine, until you run into a player who know how to use it to his or her advantage. When you run into it you will know it, tanks will disappear right in front of your eyes, and it can become frustrating very fast. The only other major complaint I have is that the game just isn't that popular in North America, so in the wee hours of the morning it can take a few minutes to get into a game. Also, the matchmaking system can be very aggravating at times. I've seen how it's designed, they have formulas for placement with other players, but nothing can really count how active, aggressive, and just plain skillful a player will be so you will find your team being quite literally curb stomped at times.

Enough with the bad stuff, if you can get past some minor issues, World of Tanks offers a huge amount of game play sure to keep any gamer happy long enough to forget to eat a meal or two. Right now there are 112 different tanks that a non-premium user can get his or her hands on. 36 from the USSR, 42 from Germany, and 34 from the U.S. Each tree offers you a free starting tank, with the U.S. its the T1 Cunningham, for Germany the Leichtraktor, and for the USSR the MS-1. The starting tanks suck. They really do, even after you optimize them with better tracks, radios, guns, turrets, and engines, they are just slow and weak. Fortunately for you, you won't have to spend to much time with them, even if you are brand new to the game and aren't the best player.

A heavy tank, the IS-7

After the first tank you can begin researching into different types, SPGs, light tanks, medium tanks, heavy tanks, and tank destroyers. All of them have their different play styles, and customizations. You will even notice that playing one medium tank compared to another medium tank can feel vastly different. It is one aspect of the game I think Wargaming did a great job on, every tank is truly unique. Unfortunately this leads to favorites but that is beside the point. Every tree, U.S., German, or the USSR is a viable choice and if played right can be a successful one as well.

IS and 2 T-29s

Matches are simple 15v15 capture the base or destroy all opponents, which ever happens first. Since the closed beta they have added world domination/clan battles (which I haven't yet experienced to much), a ton of new maps, and tank company battles (basically premade teams versus premade teams). No match will last longer than 15 minutes, another aspect of the game I love. It means when you have 20 minutes before having to go pick up your kid from school or go to some cousins wedding, that you have enough time to play a full length World of Tanks game.

World of Tanks is 10,000,000% free. I can guarantee to you that you will not spend 1% of 0 cents on getting the game. However, there is a premium portion to the game. The fellas at Wargaming have to make something off of it right? And I fully support the premium portion of the game. With a premium account you are rewarded with 50% more exp, and 50% more credits (cash for items, tanks, repairs, ammo, special equipment) but technically speaking, you can do everything in the game (except host teams) with a non-premium account. The premium account simply allows you to move through the tiers of the tanks at a faster rate. There are also premium tanks and premium ammo, but for the most part the ammo is never needed in any situation and the premium tanks, in general, aren't good (to put it nicely).

I recommend everyone tries every free game because they are free, but World of Tanks is surprisingly well made and a complete product. If you can get past the silly name and some minor glitches, you will find yourself dumping a ton of hours into this game. The beta of it alone took up the majority of my time spent in games for 2010 and that's when the game had legitimate problems. It's only a few months old right now and it is very unknown in the North America market so try it out, their servers are fantastic (they hold the world record for having the most players in a video game on the same server at the same time with something like 126,000 people on the Russian server) with little to no issues ever, and their support team is always on the ball.

World of Tanks rating: 79/100

If you like our reviews, follow us on Twitter @1upnerd or like us on Facebook.




If you are interested in the game, head on over to World of Tanks. I'm sure our friends over there would love the support.