War Thunder

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 759 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • grinding
War Thunder Game Cover
War Thunder is a gorgeous-looking and extremely competent flight combat game, though the lack of some of the PC version's game modes means it has yet to reach its full potential.
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"War Thunder" is a free-to-play MMO combat game featuring aircraft, tanks, and naval warships from WWII and the Cold War era. Players can join massive battles with realistic vehicles and fight in historical settings. Customization and realism much are emphasized, with regular updates adding new content and features.

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Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 759 reviews
gameplay25 positive mentions
grinding32 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning graphics and realistic vehicle models, providing an immersive experience.
  • The gameplay is engaging and offers a variety of vehicles and game modes, appealing to both tank and plane enthusiasts.
  • The community is generally supportive, and the game allows for enjoyable multiplayer experiences, especially when played with friends.
  • The game has a significant grind, making it difficult to progress without spending money on premium vehicles or accounts.
  • Matchmaking is often unbalanced, frequently pitting lower-tier players against higher-tier opponents, leading to frustrating gameplay.
  • The presence of malware-like software (Gaijin.net Agent) that is difficult to remove after uninstalling the game raises serious concerns about user privacy.
  • gameplay61 mentions

    Gameplay in War Thunder is a mixed bag, with many players praising its graphics and core mechanics while criticizing the balance issues, particularly favoring pay-to-win elements and the prevalence of bugs. While some find the gameplay rewarding and engaging, especially in lower ranks, others express frustration over the grind, lack of community engagement from developers, and the introduction of unbalanced top-tier vehicles. Overall, the game has potential but suffers from significant flaws that detract from the overall experience.

    • “I love this game, and the gameplay is amazing.”
    • “The gameplay is quite rewarding.”
    • “The graphics, physics, and gameplay of War Thunder are amazing.”
    • “The entire game is designed to frustrate the players into spending money; that is the only motivation of the devs. Fixing the glaring flaws in gameplay or models is never addressed, merely shoved aside to spend more time developing premium vehicles to make a quick buck.”
    • “Bugs and broken mechanics never get fixed.”
    • “Regardless, this game could be so much fun, but since modern vehicles were added, most of the core gameplay loops have not changed since this game came out of beta 10 years ago, and the cracks not only have formed but have gotten very big.”
  • graphics49 mentions

    The graphics in the game are widely praised for their stunning realism and attention to detail, with many users noting that they are among the best in the genre. While the visuals are impressive and well-optimized for various hardware, some players mention that achieving high frame rates requires significant system resources. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, enhancing the gameplay experience despite some balance and performance issues.

    • “The graphics are amazing and it's finally close to a decent balance.”
    • “The graphics are fantastic to look at, the detail on every vehicle in this game is just amazing, and the attention to detail related to the original vehicles is impressive.”
    • “Amazing graphics, gameplay, and design.”
    • “Requires a lot of hardware to run at decent graphics and 60 fps, unless you are willing to take the risk of either playing at low fps at high graphics or low graphics and high fps.”
    • “From graphical bugs, to server issues, and unbalance issues, this game is no longer much good.”
    • “Fair graphics and optimization, especially compared to the competition.”
  • grinding33 mentions

    The reviews consistently highlight that the game is extremely grindy, often requiring hundreds of hours to progress, particularly in unlocking and upgrading vehicles. While some players find enjoyment in the gameplay, many express frustration with the repetitive nature of grinding and the perceived imbalance favoring those who spend money. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a significant barrier to enjoyment, with players recommending a focus on specific vehicles to mitigate the grind.

    • “The game can feel a bit grindy at times, but the rewards make it worth it.”
    • “Grinding is a necessary part of the experience, and it adds depth to character progression.”
    • “While there are moments of grinding, the sense of achievement when leveling up is incredibly satisfying.”
    • “Literally the most grindy game ever.”
    • “Be prepared to spend a year grinding for it, minimum.”
    • “Grinding out new tanks and upgrading them also takes forever, in an obvious attempt to force you into spending real money.”
  • story11 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized, with players suggesting that it lacks depth and is overshadowed by gameplay mechanics and community issues. Many feel that if one seeks a compelling narrative, they should look elsewhere, as the game primarily focuses on grinding and multiplayer interactions rather than a cohesive storyline. Additionally, there are mentions of external community content that may provide a more engaging experience than the game's inherent narrative.

    • “It was then translated by a blog called 'Status Report', which released the story to the English community, and caused outrage.”
    • “If you want story, then go read a book.”
    • “It installs malware on your computer; end of story. Even installing and immediately uninstalling is a detriment to your computer.”
    • “Obviously, he refused, and sent his story to Russian websites, who published it.”
  • monetization8 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with premium vehicles perceived as overpriced and unbalanced, disrupting gameplay for profit. Players have noted the introduction of expensive, powerful vehicles with each patch, alongside the addition of loot boxes reminiscent of CS:GO, raising concerns about pay-to-win elements. While some assert that participation in microtransactions does not disadvantage non-paying players, the overall sentiment leans towards dissatisfaction with the game's financial model.

    • “The final point, for a casual fan, is the microtransactions.”
    • “There are microtransactions; however, you will be at no disadvantage if you do not participate in them.”
    • “Don't put money in this game; the premium vehicles are near naked cash grabs, and there is inconsistent balancing done to the top tier assets.”
    • “Another blatant example of a desperate cash grab is that every patch there is a new, very expensive, and very powerful premium vehicle (T29, IS-6, RU251, OBJ 120...) added to the game that totally disrupts the meta for a month or two until sales have become satisfactory and Gaijin finally decides to balance it.”
    • “Now they are adding CS:GO style loot boxes on top of the standard free-to-play microtransactions.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant stuttering and freezing issues upon launch. While some servers provide decent ping and minimal packet loss, players still report lag and rubberbanding, particularly at longer distances. Additionally, there are concerns about performance disparities between different vehicle ranks and nations, suggesting a need for more balanced optimization across the board.

    • “Good optimization.”
    • “The servers feel like they lost a bit in performance; EU servers show you a decent to good ping with no packet loss, but you can still experience a bit of lag and rubberbanding, especially with vehicles 'flying' over hills or spinning, most of the time at a distance around 800-1,200 meters.”
    • “Tried literally everything, but the game keeps stuttering and freezing every second as soon as I launch it.”
    • “Unless you are very good, you will have difficulty playing in arcade aircraft games, as the overpowered Russian planes will have even better performance due to the lack of physics.”
    • “However, there are gaps in tank performance between one rank and another.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is polarizing; while some players find certain moments, like arcade interactions and unexpected scenarios, amusing, others feel that the overall experience lacks genuine comedic value and can be frustrating. The chaotic elements can lead to amusing reactions, particularly in multiplayer settings, but many find the humor inconsistent and overshadowed by boredom.

    • “It makes my brother rage a lot, which is hilarious to watch.”
    • “Lying afterwards and saying they didn't mean it like that is just plain hilarious.”
  • stability5 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting persistent bugs, lag issues, and frequent freezes that detract from the overall experience. Many players express frustration over the developers' lack of support in addressing these problems, leading to a perception that the game is poorly maintained.

    • “Game freezes all the time, lost $30.00 on this.”
    • “Developers have ruined this game, and offer no help in bugs and buggy gameplay or help against account hijackers.”
    • “Horrible, buggy and frustrating, not helped by devs that are more interested in pushing out content than in fixing the mode.”
  • music2 mentions

    The music in the game is praised as amazing, contributing positively to the overall experience, while some users note that the sound quality is good. However, there are concerns about the game's pricing model, particularly regarding the cost of DLC compared to full-priced games.

    • “The music is amazing, the graphics are stunning, the animation is alright, and the sounds are pretty good too.”
    • “The game is free, but the DLC costs more than two full-priced games, and the music is by no-name artists.”
    • “The soundtrack lacks variety and feels repetitive throughout the gameplay.”
    • “The music doesn't match the game's atmosphere, making it hard to stay immersed.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with users expressing strong dissatisfaction and advising others to avoid it altogether.

  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its authentic use of historical tanks and airplanes, making it appealing even to players who typically do not engage with shooters or action games.

    • “I don't normally play shooters or action games, but this is a great choice because it incorporates the historical tanks and airplanes of the period, which really enhances the atmosphere.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

67% average critic score

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Play time

65hMedian play time
180hAverage play time
20-454hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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