The adrenaline rush of commanding a tank, once only available on PC, is now on iOS and Android devices in the form of the Free-to-Play MMO game World of Tanks Blitz.
The 7vs7 team based , no re-spawn style defiantly delivers the same exhilarating gameplay that the PC version offers. You get to use Light, Medium and Heavy Tanks as well as Tank destroyers. However there are no Self-Propelled Guns (SPG’s) as the small maps render them useless–too bad SPG lovers, you have to settle for less.
As you begin, you’re given the starter tanks aka tier 1 tanks from England, USA, Germany and the Soviet Union. Don’t worry; you don’t have to stick with one country.
From there you go on to complete the tutorial and then proceed to online gameplay. From online gameplay you’ll earn the in-game currency and experience which allows you to develop your tank and move on the next tier through their branch system. Decide what you want on your tank–whether an automatic cannon or a powerful semi-automatic beast. In addition, since matches are tier based, so you don’t have to worry about facing off against one shot killers.
Once you’re in your tank, you and your team can decide to either cap the neutral base or kill all your opponents. You use a joystick to control the movement of your tank while you drag your finger across the screen to turn the turret. The button layout is delightful as it is. Conveniently placed and it does obscure your line of sight. Also you can shift the buttons around and even increase their size to suit your own comfort under the settings option–which can be done while in session.
Shooting is made easier with the sniping option where you can precisely place your rounds in order to inflict maximum damage. Auto-aim helps you track targets that are on the move. Finally, after each session you’ll see an information chart that tells you all you need to know like how you performed.
World of Tanks Blitz has a ton of in-game purchase such as unique tanks, gold to buy a better armour piercing rounds, and even converting to a premium account which helps you progress faster by providing more exp and coin after every game. Otherwise you can stay a purist and grind your way to better tanks. Either way its not a game-breaker.
Connectivity-wise I managed to get a nice 45-50fps with a stable Wi-Fi connection and there’s little worry about lag as match making is regional and the Asia servers are in Singapore, so ping will not be an issue if you’re using Wi-Fi.
Overall all if you love tactical shooters or if you’re just a casual gamer than this game is for you. Commanders! Take care and roll out!