Seeing a new iteration of the iconic tank warfare game in the form of World of Tanks: Heat is a surprise. Wargaming looks to give players a new way to compete against other significant weapons of war. If you haven’t played its predecessor, you are missing out on some intense tank-fighting gameplay, something that feels in a league of its own. So to see a new iteration of the series arriving on consoles, I had to dive in for myself to see what was different. And what we got was a familiar but fun formula mixed into Wargaming’s own recipe. A tank hero shooter that is simple but something worth playing. More so if you are looking for something new to play with friends or other squadmates.
Overwatch Meet World of Tanks
Let’s get down to brass tacks with the main component of World of Tanks: Heat. The game features a hero-shooter mechanic, with each tank operator being a different character. And with that, they have different abilities and an ultimate that prove useful in the fight. For example, one operator calls in an artillery barrage. Furthermore, the operators, or “Agents,” in this game have different passive abilities that set them apart. A prime example is Chopper, who takes reduced damage and gains additional protection while capturing objectives.
At first, it may seem odd to feature a similar type of style to a game like Overwatch. But with World of Tanks: Heat, it works really well. It changes the whole feel of the game, from a tank simulator to a more arcade feel. Each of the characters is fun to play with, and each has different tanks that suit their playstyle. So if you are looking for a defender, you get bigger tanks with more armor. But if you would rather work with an Assault loadout, you’ll have a faster tank that can deal more damage at a faster rate.
The combination of putting hero shooter mechanics with tank gameplay is odd to hear. However, Wargaming makes it work well with World of Tanks: Heat. Allowing you to create team dynamics in fights where everyone is contributing. Whether you want to be fighting up front as an Assault. Holding down objectives as a Defender, or perhaps sniping enemies as a Marksman. The game’s current lineup of characters offers you various choices, and they work great. Its most surprising mechanic is the one that hits the hardest for sure.
Tank Fun for Everyone
Another important aspect of the game is the type of matchmaking that it offers players. If you want to go up against others and test your skills, the Quick Match feature allows for that. Putting you in tank battling glory across different maps and modes to come out on top. But it’s not just your shots that have to land; it’s the right Agent choices you make as well. So if you are looking to take a break from a battle royale or FPS, you are covered in this regard.
However, many players have long weeks and just want to be able to kick back. And there is nothing worse than logging onto a competitive game just to get destroyed over and over in your game sessions. World of Tanks: Heat offers the perfect solution by having a Versus AI mode for casual players. You and your squad can matchmake to duke it out against bots, and it feels great. Instead of the AI just being goofy, they can be tough to contend with. At times, it felt like I was competing against other players and had to double-check I was queued in the AI playlist.
While having both types of matchmaking may seem not important, it’s the opposite. With many games focusing on the hyper-competitive edge, having casual instances brings more people in. Sometimes you just want to kick back after a long day and not have to worry about bringing your A-game. If that’s what you prefer, the game allows for this by featuring both PvP and PvE modes.
Room to Be Had for Modes
Although the game is still in its early stages, the amount of mode variety is a big hit against it. There is a tutorial mission, target range, PvE, and PvP matchmaking. While it seems like a lot, the big focus of the game is on fighting against other players. But the amount of variety you experience so far isn’t that vast. You get to experience four modes: Control, Conquest, Hardpoint, and Kill Confirmed. It starts to feel a bit stale in this regard after some time. And while the addition of more modes is surely bound to happen, at launch it’s disappointing.
Seeing that there was no Deathmatch of any kind was a shock when I booted the game up. Whether it was the standard free-for-all or even Team Deathmatch. Additionally, many of the ones in the game involve capturing areas. While some game mechanics with the Agents revolve around capturing objectives, adding new ones to compensate for standard kill modes could go a long way.
On the PvE side of things, the Versus AI mode could also use some more modes to enjoy. Such as an operations mode or specfic story type missions to complete with friends. Something that could help expand the lore of the game’s universe for any players that may be curious. Across the board, the game needs more modes so players don’t feel like they are stuck in a small cycle of playlists. It can help to keep things more fresh in this game in the long run.
Sightseeing With a Tank Is The Way to Go
Visually, World of Tanks: Heat looks much better than its predecessor. From the environments to the tanks, things look great. However, the main star of the show, the tanks, look the best. The details on everything from the armor plating to each section of the treads look fantastic. Something that you rarely see in games with war vehicles. Furthermore, the pieces of armor that get removed from being destroyed were just the extra touch that makes it better. Because it shows the attention to detail: when I put my shots into the tread flaps, it exposes them more.
Wargaming also did good work on the map designs. Rather than just being wide-open valleys, there are also cityscapes that turn tank fights from turkey shoots into strategic encounters where taking some last-minute decisions around buildings can mean the difference between winning or losing. It feels like a vast difference compared to World of Tanks. In this, I felt like the maps are more suited to pure tank brawls, and you can’t rely on sniping from afar to be your saving grace.
Furthermore, the sound design of the game is almost music to my ears. The roaring sounds of the tank engines when you start a match are fantastic. Plus, each shot from the tank’s weaponry feels lifelike. The loud bangs and massive force are near-perfect to what these machines can produce. And of course, I can’t go without mentioning that the iconic pinging of a shell ricocheting back was a great addition. Each time, giving you the perfect reminder that you messed up and are opening yourself up to retaliation.
World of Tanks: Heat Shows Promise
World of Tanks: Heat has a minimal amount of game modes at launch, which limits it a bit. But, with the inclusion of a hero shooter dynamic, the game feels great. It’s taking on something that can be niche even within the iconic genre. Furthermore, the various Agents and skills that come with them all give different team dynamics that make everyone’s input feel useful, while also keeping things fresh if you want to change up playstyles.
Additionally, having both the matchmaking for PvP and PvE opens the doors to more community players. Therefore, this allows you to enjoy the game at the end of the day without much fuss. Plus, with progression counting in the Versus AI mode, you can enjoy the game at your own leisure with your friends to dominate with, allowing you to train on the different tanks and Agents if you decide to go up against other players online. And with how the game looks and sounds, it feels like an upgrade over World of Tanks, which may be a classic, but it shows that Wargaming looks to up their game.
World of Tanks: Heat is something new for the developers. Sometimes this can work out in a studio’s favor, while other times it can be a massive blowback. This time, it feels like things are working out, even if it still needs more to be added to the game. But, with the game being centered on multiplayer tank action, you won’t be disappointed in what it offers.
8 — Great
Review copy provided by developer/publisher/PR group
