I have played many online multiplayer games over the years, but most have been of the roleplaying variety. World of Warplanes is quite different – an action MMO based around aerial combat planes from the four major superpowers of years past (USA, USSR, Germany, and Japan). The planes range from early WWI biplanes to more modern jets. There are even planes from some countries that were designed but never actually built, which I found quite interesting.
Getting started was fast and easy. You begin in your virtual hanger where you are given some starter planes, one from each country. From here you have a few choices to personalize them before entering combat. You can change the look of your plane to a certain point by giving it a new paint job as well as some decals that are available to that type of plane for its time period. To be honest, most planes did not offer much in the way of personalization, and I wished I could upload custom graphics, but if they are trying to keep this game historically accurate I can understand. I doubt they would want their planes flying around with corporate logos on the hull – or worse!
You can also change the equipment layout of your plane before you take to the unfriendly skies. Equipment is installed in “modules” which can be bought with experience that you earn from the matches you play. Different planes have certain modules to choose from. Most have options to get better engines, guns, and hulls, while some can also equip rockets and bombs. I am certain those who like to tweak their ‘aerial rides’ will have fun, because I sure did!
You will ultimately have a huge list of planes to choose from, but before you can use them you must research and then purchase them with in-game currency you earn in battles or convert from gold. So you just can’t jump into the top-tier jets – you will have to work your way up from the bottom.
Once you have selected your plane and are done customizing it you enter a battle by simply hitting the “battle” button, which takes you to a queue screen. This pairs you up with other people with similar aircraft. The game sorts planes into tiers, with ten tiers total. It matches you against planes in the same tier, or if needed one or two tiers above or below you. As a result there is little worry about getting paired up against planes with much higher firepower, but you will still have a challenge. The game also sorts planes according to type, which are as follows: fighters (fast and agile); Heavy fighters (an upgraded version of the fighter model, but a bit slower); Ground attack planes (for taking out ground targets – these are slower but have great fire power); and Carrier based planes (rugged, can carry bombs and rockets)
As I played I discovered that once in a queue for a game the wait time could vary. I had wait times that ranged from just a few seconds to several minutes, depending on what type of plane I had chosen. I expect once the game goes live and there are more people playing, the wait times will drop be more on the lower end.
Once you enter the actual field of battle you will find that you are already flying. There are no worries about learning to take off and land which is nice – I prefer to get right into the action!. Depending on how you like your controls there are a few options to choose from. You can go with the standard mouse-and-keyboard combination or a gamepad; you can also use a flightstick if you own one for a more realistic feel. I did try top use a gamepad and it worked, but I found the analog sticks to be a bit too touchy for my tastes. I found that using the mouse to steer and fire machine guns, while using the keyboard to drop bombs, fires rockets, and roll left/right when needed was the most comfortable scheme for me personally.
The HUD is arranged nicely, and neatly, on the screen. A radar map shows you where the enemies and allies are with red and green dots representing their location. A small center panel located in the bottom center of the screen shows your speed, what weapons you have installed, and a damage meter. Nothing gets in the way and never obscures the action. Should you want you can even turn most of these off for a clear screen view.
Once the match begins, you have 15 minutes to either take out all the opposing enemy fighters which ends the match, or destroy enough ground targets to sway the battle in your favor (progress for your side is indicated by a percentage). I had fun in the battles I participated in and there were some good pilots online already. At the end of each match you are rewarded with experience points and money to use to research and buy new planes.
Another way to get experience and money is to use gold. Gold can be bought through real-world currency or earned in contests, tournaments, or other special events. Gold also can be used to purchase time-based subscriptions, which can raise the percentage of experience and in-game currency you earn in each battle. There are several choices for subscriptions, from just a day to months at a time.
I think a little grinding here and there to get something you really like is not bad thing, as long as the gameplay is fun and rewarding. In World of Warplanes I found that this was indeed the case. There is nothing like the rush of chasing someone down in a old school WWII fighter with guns blazing.
One thing that really caught my eye was how detailed and beautiful the planes look. When you’re in your hanger you are able to rotate the camera around your plane to take in all the impressive details. Also, the battle damage that your plane takes is really impressive, as you see bullet holes, smoke, and cracks start to form. There was more detail then I expected here.
In regards to the games environments, there are only two maps at the moment, but they are quite large and very detailed. They feel like they are full of life as you soar over wide open countryside and open water. I really look forward to seeing what maps they come out with next and even hope that they include some some jungle, city, or desert maps, which I think would work well.
During gameplay I found myself turning up the volume for all that was available. I found that the choice of music really works well. The orchestral score evokes the combat music from old war movies. That being said, even though I did like the music, I wish there was more of it, just to prevent the existing tracks getting a little stale. The rest of the game’s sound design is perfect, ranging from the gunfire on the planes to the afterburners on more modern jets kicking in when you need to put some distance between you and the guy on your tail. Explosions in the game had my subwoofer rocking and gave me a bit of a rush when they went off.
With the success Wargaming.net had with World of Tanks, I believe they have another hit on their hands with World of Warplanes. You can head HERE for a look at more pics, details, and a chance to get in on the closed beta. I for one look forward to seeing what more they add as it nears release.
Take to the skies and defend your land proudly – and have fun doing it!
