World of Warships 0.6.11

World of Warships is a free-to-play combat game from the makers of World of Tanks and World of Warplanes, focusing (as one would expect) on warships. The game is relatively simple in concept, putting the player in charge of one naval fleet battle at a time. It straddles a fine line between realistic simulation and video game fun, playing with MMO tropes even as it creates something unique. The game will be familiar to anyone who has played any of the other 'World Of' titles, but still manages to carve out a unique space in the world of massively multiplayer online games.

Game Play and Combat Strategies

The heart of World of Warships is combat. The free-to-play combat game puts the players in the shoes of a naval squad commander, pitting him or her against a relatively evenly-matched foe. While there are a number of variables at play, each individual battle comes down to the skill of the players. How well one plans, reads the water and ultimately rolls with the changes at sea plays a huge role in what the outcome will be. As with most games of its sort, of course, the advantage goes to the player with the best ships - but in this game, one can at least earn some of the better boats in the game.

World of Warships features some of the more historically important ships from the real world, marrying them with in-game tech and placing the onus on the player to figure out how to use each class of vessel to win any given naval fleet battle. The game's website features a robust suite of tutorials to help new players to get into the game, but I can attest to the fact that there's no better training than getting your ships out there and losing a few matches. There is a huge learning curve here, but it's nonetheless satisfying.

Premium Options

There is, as you might expect, a premium store available for this game. A great deal of what you can buy simply counts as more of a shortcut than anything else, but the game is designed so that big spenders won't dominate all levels of play. You can certainly thrive in World of Warships without ever spending a dime, but those who become enamored of the game are very likely to to make a few purchases. There is also a premium tier upgrade that players can purchase for thirty days of faster progression across all of the 'World Of' games, priced similarly to what one would find in other pay-to-play MMOs.

Conclusion

World of Warships is an interesting game for anyone who likes tactical combat simulations. If you're a fan of naval combat, there's probably nothing else out there that's going to match the game. If you aren't thrilled by the chance to command these ships, though, you'll find the game relatively light. This is definitely a game for enthusiasts, albeit one that has such a low barrier to entry that it's worth a quick play for anyone with even a passing interest.