World of Tanks

World of Tanks, as interpreted literally from its name, is a MMO Game highly focusing on the core of tanks combat with warfare theme. In this free 3D team-oriented MMORPG under action, strategy and simulation categories, players will get access to about 500 vehicles, among which over 150 armored ones have authentic prototypes from America, France, Germany, and the Soviet Union during periods of the 1930s to the 1950s.

The Game is developed by Wargaming.net, which also leveraged its ready-made game engine and resources to bring World of Warplanes and World of battleships possible. Read our Editorial.

Preview:

For those who played World of Tanks on January twenty-third, 2011 on the Russian server, they may not be aware of the fact that they have without conscience created a World Guinness Record, with a total number of 91,311 players gaming simultaneously online on one MMO server. This numeral is so astounding that it leaves one in amazement wondering what on earth makes this game so attractive to enchant such a considerable number of players.

The most striking feature in World of Tanks is that the entire game, from the detailed specific tanks variety to the whole picture of in-depth storyline, is made greatly on the basis of historical accuracy and operational reality. Players will start from driving light tanks, and then upgrade vehicles into higher models such as medium and heavy tanks as well as tank destroyers and self-propelled artillery; while at the same time improve their driving performance and gaining experience. Besides upgrading, modification is available as well. All tanks are subject to modification in various components, including turrets, chassis, engines, guns and even radios, which will bring about new experience and tap fuller potential of the vehicle.

In World of Tanks, there are three major combating modes, listed as Random Battle, Clan Battle and Team Battle. Contrast to the free style in Random Battles, Clan Battles have upper limit for the engaging number of players in one game, that is, 30 players at most on each side of the two rival teams. As to the fundamental mode of Team Deathmatch, players need to cooperate and make the best out of all players to gain upper hand, no matter the goal is to occupy enemy’s base or to capture the flag. And during these battles, damage is inevitable. And in the complex damage system of this game, parameters are designed on a reality basis, which may include all components mentioned above, armor thickness as well as tank crew. Damage requires repair and performance of repaired vehicles will be relatively reduced too compared to well-functional situations.

World of Tanks boasts a huge map in global scope, on which players will for sure be able to experience the thickness of the tank war.

Review:

World of Tanks is an action-packed free MMO in which you foray into battlefields of World War II and drive tanks to overcome your enemies. Developed by Wargaming.net, this MMO may easily recall your memories of Order of War among others. Everyone can download the game’s client and play it for free. Choose a powerful chariot, participate in 15 vs 15 combat, and battle it out for victory and glory!

At the beginning, we can select a tank from Soviet, American and German models. After we earn experience points from battles, we will be able to upgrade our chariots and unlock over 100 new models which are divided into five categories, including Light Tanks, Medium Tanks, Heavy Tanks, Tank Destroyers and SPGs. All of them have their special advantages and disadvantages. To be specific, lightweight tanks are suitable for identifying opponents; medium tanks in small groups are very effective in attacks; large tanks are suitable for both defense and offense, tank destroyers are slow but powerful, thus suitable to guard the base and SPGs are able to assault the vehicles discovered by light chariots from a long distance.

The first part of the game is relatively easy. Pretty soon, you can unlock a stronger armor, but the best tanks require much grind or even real money. A premium account of the game costs about € 10 a month. The paying players will have access to various advanced items that cannot be utilized by other players. Furthermore, they are also allowed to create combat squads with their friends and use the voice chat to communicate with their allies. It is not entirely fair, but World of Tanks is still worth that amount of investment because of its captivating gameplay and fast-paced content.

The main mode, that is, 15 vs 15 PVP combat, is accessible at this time. Moreover, we can join in groups created by other players, and there are really no real differences between playing with friends and playing with strangers. In random battles, the matchmaking system will put us in a systematically chosen group, depending on the players’ tank types.

The matchmaking is really quick because European servers are full of players. At the beginning of each battle, players should consult with their members via messages and decide to adopt an aggressive or a defensive strategy. The goal is to exterminate all the 15 opponents and conquer their heavily-guarded base. Your teammates are visible on the mini-map with green dots, while your enemies can be only seen on the radar.

Of course, each player has a different role to play in the competitive battle based on the class of their chariots. For example, the owner of a Tank Destroyer is shouldered with the responsibility to protect the base. Your piloting skills matter greatly in World of Tanks. Even though some players may own tanks in the same category, one will be easily vanquished by the other due to the significant differences in handling and efficiency. Plenty of elements, such as speed, endurance, firepower, reloading time, targeting accuracy, can decide the course of the battles. More often than not, the outcome of a duel is resulted from players’ skills instead of their tank models. In one word, you should pay much more emphasis on skill improvement and strategic thinking in order to gain the much-coveted success.

The maps of World of Tanks are large enough for you to explore. The diverse game environment poses great challenges to our tanks. The maps tend to be asymmetrical, but there are still many locations that provide us with protective covers. When those shelters are completely destroyed, we will become vulnerable to enemy fires. And the terrain is often steep, which can be used to our advantage.

Our shot accuracy will grow significantly when we zoom in view using the middle mouse button; however, the complicated terrain often affects our visibility, which sometimes adversely affects our performance.

Many players choose to hide behind luxuriant bushes and launch a surprise attack against approaching opponents. As a result, those who are attacked cannot really figure out where to seek for revenge. When we receive a blow, it is usually highly detrimental to our hard-earned points. If we are immobilized for a moment, we will become an easy target, which is somewhat annoying. However, to handle those disappointing situations, we can buy and use various objects, ranging from tools that allow us to quickly repair the damages to more powerful missiles.

In World of Tanks, we can regenerate after being killed, but we still have to be careful in our movements. Though we can immediately leave the battleground and start a new round, we will suffer severe losses in resources and experience points. Each vehicle earns EXP points individually, which can be used for purchasing upgrades and training the crew to increase our effectiveness.

As regards the technical aspect, the tanks are crafted in a very detailed and varied manner. And the buildings in our base are also impressive. But the images of trees and soils are merely satisfactory. Nevertheless, World of Tanks possesses a quite great technological support, providing something special to the overall ambience. Additionally, the audio segment of the game is quite remarkable and contributes to creating the right atmosphere.

In conclusion, World of Tanks is a free-to-play MMO which naturally has the problems you would expect from other free titles. But the minor flaws can not overshadow its overall charm. The types of tanks vary greatly, enriching our gaming pleasure. And it is worth noting that you will acquire a new tank within only a few days. Besides, you can team up with your friends and fight for dominance on a perilous world. Despite its shortcomings, World of Tanks stands out from a constellation of free titles on the market. But to tell the truth, we still have our doubts about how long the game can keep players busy if Wargaming.net does not provide more maps.

Anyway, if you are interested in this game, download the client now, embark on your own adventure and ascend to an admired hero! The next legend is YOU！

Official website:http://www.worldoftanks.com/

Wiki Site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Tanks