If you have not been playing World of Tanks these last few years, now would be a great time to try the game out. First, you have the PC version of the game which continues to run strong for Wargaming.net. Next you have the mobile version called Blitz which is great fun when you are not at a computer. Let's not forget that World of Tanks has been on the XBox 360 for a long time, even before the XBox One version was announced. Now it has made the leap up to the new console and XBox One players are lining up to buy tanks, shoot it out, and crush some walls along the way.
The game has been upgraded well to fit into the XBox One environment. It is astounding how quickly Wargaming.net adapted the game for Microsoft's now-signature console. About 20 minutes after turning my XBox on, I was able to load the game, set up my details, and begin driving around in my tank. All of this is free, by the way. I did not load up an XBox Live connection with the XBox One and was still able to jump right into Tanks with no issues at all. Wargaming.net could honestly be said to have the track record for the most accessible games online without any barriers to entry.
Starting out on the PC version a long time ago, it was a fun transition to the console for World of Tanks. The game moves easy with the controller although many PC players prefer the mouse and keyboard format for targeting and such. Still the XBox One moves smoothly and allows for you to get in quick firing and target tanks up close. The garage interface also has all the bells and whistles. Being able to research and upgrade your tanks as well as custom paint them with camo or designs brings in the little extra. The camouflage looks fantastic on the One graphics and tanks are much more defined.
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Having played a lot of WoT on the 360, it was easy to adapt to the new One controller for the game. The interface did not change much and it took but a single battle to find a comfort level. Using mostly light tanks there were two standard maps to begin with. Province and Mines show off some nice terrain features for the early game. Province has a lot of buildings and two steep mountainsides, while the Mines offer a much more open-sided map to drive around in.
Quick battles aside, the first thing that stands out in the XBone version are the graphical upgrades. No one expected the 360 to match up to the One in graphics. The rain effect in the maps has also added a lot of feeling with streaks of water running down the screen. The game also moves a lot faster and seems to be a little more twitchy than on the 360. It is not bad at all, but it does take some time to get used to it. Movement and firing are about the same as the earlier console version and, rightfully so, there is no need to fix what is not broken. Other elements like snow effects, burning areas, and just better visuals overall really enhance the battles.
The one area where the team really got it right is allowing 360 players and One players to continue fighting in the same battles. Wargaming has said that they will support the 360 as long as they can. With Microsoft potentially ending 360 support in 2016, we’ll have to wait and see what happens. At least for now allowing players to compete in the same battles despite the gaming system they are using once again shows how easy it is to get in and play.
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So as World of Tanks rolls out on the XBox One, it is great to know that old gamers who are not willing to shut down their 360s can still play. Wargaming also announced that they would eventually be coming to the PS4 in the future that represents a full circle for the game which will now be available on every device. If you have not logged in to try the game it is free to play. The game continues to drive forward after several years of release. Fans will continue to blast away at each other, and they have plenty of ways to do it.
