Initially, booting up World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition is a bit intimidating. I was taken to a
dark garage with only a few tanks to choose from; a few light, medium and heavy tanks. Out
of curiousity, I looked at the full list of tanks I could eventually buy in the future and it is a
impressive selection with more than 60 World War II era metal death machines to chose from.
I basically saw a wall of tank titles that looked like this: T1 Cunningham; II M2 Light Tank; II T2
Light Tank; II T1E6; II T7 Combat Car; III M3I Renault NC-31; II Vickers Mk. E Type B; III Type
2597 Chi-Ha; IV M5A.
I could pick out a few names I recognized, but it’s overwhelming at first.
Without trying to drown myself in the deep hole of WWII era tank knowledge I jumped into the
tutorial.
Here is where my initial stress subsided.
World of Tanks, developed by Wargames West, takes an almost simulation approach to tank
detail but the controls are simple to grasp immediately.
Knowing some details in regards to how a real tank controls and works, I was prepared for
multiple commands, flips, switches and dials to control.
Instead, all I had to worry about was which type of ammo I had loaded — of which I can choose
three — secondary heal items and finally shooting my tank at the enemy.
There are no multiple button combos. It controls similar to an arcade tank. It’s simple.
After learning the controls quickly it allowed me to focus more on the tank battle strategy.
World of Tanks is multiplayer only. I was allowed only one life per match. Once my tank was
destroyed it was back to the garage. Tensions are high.
I would enter a match and my team spawns along side me in our home base. Diesel engines
rev and the tanks move out in different directions.
The tanks are broken up into light, medium, heavy and artillery tanks.
Light tanks excel at scouting which plays a vital role for the entire team. Light tanks can move
quickly but are weak. Due to their quickness, light tanks can identify enemy tanks and once the
enemy tanks are tagged, everyone on your team is aware of the enemy’s location. If that light
tank dies, so does the teams eyes on the tagged enemy tank(s).
Medium tanks work as an all around vehicle. They don’t pack the same power as a heavy and
aren’t as fast as a light, but fare well for most tank battles.
Heavy tanks are the team’s front line. They can take the most damage and deal out the most
pain. They are slow, which comes at a disadvantage in close quarters because the rear is the
weak spot.
Artillery tanks are your sniper class. Terrible at short range fights and very weak, but in the hand
of an accurate driver, they can hit hiding tanks and drive out enemy tanks for a flank.
Each class has a hefty amount of choice and leveling which is done through silver, gold and
experience.
I can buy a new tank or I can research a new tank to level it up. The selection of WWII style
tanks is emmesse.
Multiplayer matches are slow and methodical. I akin matches to Rainbow Six deathmatches.
One mistake and you’re back in the lobby. For how simple the controls are, the matches are
incredibly strategic and they become as complex as your teammates chose to make it.
Run towards the team without a care will get you killed. But, carefully creating cover around
urban European towns or lush French countryside will reward the patient. Flanking and moving
the enemy team out of cover to expose their weak sides and rear is how you win.
Overall, the 360 edition of World of Tanks is a well made multiplayer game and I recommend
360 owners to play a match or two. It’s free to play and offers some intense battles.
If you find yourself in love with the WWII era tanks and strategy, boot up the PC version and
delve a bit deeper. The PC version has more options at your disposal, but offers the same
simple strategic tank warfare. It’s just a slightly different breed.
World of Tanks is great edition in what is the small market of free-to-play console games.
4 out of 5
