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War Thunder

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.
War Thunder Game Cover
70%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
grinding, monetization
75% User Score Based on 294,199 reviews
Critic Score 66%Based on 9 reviews

Platforms

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War Thunder Game Cover

About

War Thunder is a single player and multiplayer tactical shooter game with warfare and historical themes. It was developed by Gaijin Entertainment and was released on August 15, 2013. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

War Thunder is a free-to-play, cross-platform MMO game that simulates epic battles from World War II and the Cold War. Choose from a wide range of armored vehicles, naval ships, and aircraft, and take part in intense PvP or PvE combat across historically-inspired maps. With various battle modes and a thriving online community, War Thunder offers immersive and engaging warfare experiences.

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75%
Audience ScoreBased on 294,199 reviews
gameplay5k positive mentions
grinding11.3k negative mentions

  • War Thunder features impressive graphics and a wide variety of vehicles, appealing to both casual gamers and military enthusiasts.
  • The core gameplay offers a solid mix of realism and fun, with engaging mechanics and a massive variety of vehicles across different eras.
  • The game provides high replayability through extensive vehicle options, custom maps, and community-driven content.
  • The grindy progression system and aggressive monetization practices lead to a frustrating experience, often perceived as pay-to-win.
  • Players report significant stability issues, including frequent crashes, bugs, and unbalanced matchmaking that detract from the overall enjoyment.
  • The game's narrative and single-player content are criticized for being repetitive and uninspired, lacking depth and meaningful engagement.
  • gameplay
    13,263 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of War Thunder is characterized by its impressive graphics and a wide variety of vehicles, offering a mix of realistic and arcade-style combat. However, many players express frustration over the game's grindy progression system, unbalanced matchmaking, and pay-to-win mechanics, which can overshadow the enjoyment of the core gameplay experience. While the mechanics and combat can be engaging, the overall experience is often marred by issues such as inconsistent damage models, bugs, and a lack of meaningful updates, leading to a mixed reception among players.

    • “I love this game! The semi-realistic damage mechanic and the breadth of vehicles make the gameplay incredibly enjoyable.”
    • “The core gameplay is solid, with a great balance between realism and fun, and the massive variety of vehicles across different eras keeps things interesting.”
    • “With realistic graphics and mechanics, War Thunder offers a detailed experience that appeals to both casual gamers and military enthusiasts.”
    • “While the game mechanics are great, the economy and lack of balance make it a "black hole" for your time and mental health.”
    • “But the ignorant BS, lack of proper gameplay modes that were present in this game's predecessor from 2010, amongst other issues, makes what could be an excellent game, a load of crap.”
    • “The grind is bullshit, and the gameplay is even bullshitier.”
  • grinding
    11,444 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of War Thunder is a major point of contention among players, with many describing it as excessively tedious and time-consuming. While some enjoy the challenge and sense of accomplishment that comes from grinding through the tech trees, others find the experience frustrating, especially without premium accounts or vehicles, which can significantly speed up progression. Overall, the game is seen as heavily grind-oriented, often leading to a pay-to-win perception, making it less appealing for casual players or those unwilling to invest significant time or money.

    • “Very good, not very grindy, good quick progression, lots of frequent updates. 10/10.”
    • “Awesome WWII vehicles and the progression tree is not grindy, but enjoyable to level up.”
    • “The game is fun from the first minute, no grinding needed to start off strong.”
    • “This game is just too grindy. Don't play it just because you see a jet; it takes 3 months to a year for a jet if you're doing free-to-play.”
    • “The grind is too long and tedious to be fun. All they ever do in updates is add new tanks or planes, and you can't be bothered to care because either you won't ever use them or have to commit to getting them.”
    • “The game is very grindy and requires a lot of grinding to get to the top tier. If you don't want to spend money, you will be grinding for a long time.”
  • graphics
    9,337 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in War Thunder receive widespread acclaim for their realism and detail, with many players praising the stunning visuals of vehicles and environments. The game is noted for its ability to run well even on lower-end systems, allowing a broad audience to experience its impressive graphics. However, some players express frustration over graphical glitches and the competitive advantage gained by those using lower graphics settings, which can obscure visibility in gameplay. Overall, the graphics are a significant highlight, contributing to an immersive and engaging experience.

    • “With realistic graphics and mechanics, War Thunder offers a detailed experience that appeals to both casual gamers and military enthusiasts.”
    • “The graphics are stunning, especially considering it's a free-to-play game.”
    • “The graphics are incredible—truly breathtaking.”
    • “Gameplay is bad, progression is bad, graphics are awful, performance is bad even on RTX 5080.”
    • “The graphics are very realistic and there are lots of vehicles to choose from.”
    • “The graphics in this game are just a piece of dogshit.”
  • monetization
    2,331 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization model of War Thunder has drawn significant criticism for being excessively aggressive and predatory, with many players describing it as a blatant cash grab. Users report a frustrating grind to unlock vehicles, particularly modern ones showcased in advertisements, which often requires substantial real-money investment or extensive playtime. The presence of premium vehicles and accounts further exacerbates the pay-to-win perception, leading to a community backlash against the developers for prioritizing monetization over gameplay balance and player satisfaction.

    • “The monetization is not only aggressive but outright predatory.”
    • “The game's progression is heavily built around the monetization, the subscription system that flat out increases your rewards as well as the premium vehicles, that in a lot of cases are better than their free counterparts.”
    • “This game used to be one of my favorites, but now I wouldn't recommend anyone waste their time and most definitely not their money on this sorry excuse for a cash grab.”
    • “The game is very aggressively focused on monetization; with all the bonuses available, I feel like the grind takes forever, and I can't imagine getting anywhere in a reasonable amount of time without simultaneously combining a premium vehicle with a premium account.”
    • “The monetization in this game really is ridiculous. You will either pay literal hundreds of euros or you will grind 888 hours for nothing like I did, make your choice.”
  • story
    2,171 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players noting that it feels repetitive and uninspired. While there are some single-player missions and historical campaigns, they often require significant grinding to unlock and are seen as lacking in meaningful content. Overall, the narrative experience is overshadowed by a focus on multiplayer gameplay and grinding mechanics, leading to a perception that the game lacks a compelling story.

    • “The campaign's story is surprisingly gripping, with memorable characters and set-pieces that rival blockbuster action movies.”
    • “The Israeli tech tree provided a story I could invest in, a narrative of power and resilience that gave context and weight to each battle I participated in.”
    • “In the air, they deleted all mission objectives, nerfed base bombing and thus made a whole category of planes useless.”
    • “The missions themselves that you'll find yourself playing are so uninspired that it is insane to me that thousands of people do the same thing for tens of hours every week.”
    • “The single-player missions and dynamic campaigns are underwhelming, tend to be locked, and don't give you anything at all after the first time you play them... seriously?!”
    • “Without plot, storyline, character development or human interaction and growth it is simply a killfest and probably the shallowest game I have ever been drawn into.”
  • optimization
    1,556 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of War Thunder has received mixed reviews from players. While many commend its ability to run smoothly on a variety of hardware, including older systems, others report significant performance issues, particularly after updates, leading to stuttering and lag. The game's graphics are often praised for their quality, but the balance of vehicle performance based on player statistics rather than actual capabilities has raised concerns about fairness and gameplay experience. Overall, while the game is generally well-optimized, ongoing technical issues and inconsistent performance can detract from the experience.

    • “The game has excellent optimization, something that is rare nowadays.”
    • “This game is so well optimized it could even stay at 20-30 fps (not great, but manageable) on a lenovo thinkpad t440.”
    • “The graphics are awesome, and it is so well optimized, you don't even need that great of a computer to play it.”
    • “The game is a buggy, unoptimized mess.”
    • “The performance issues have become rampant since the hornet’s sting update, introducing severe frame drops, stutters, and frequent game-breaking bugs like getting stuck on a black screen during match loading.”
    • “The developers will happily break something to change the game, and 'accidentally-on-purpose' increase the performance of something and then put it on sale for a while.”
  • humor
    1,343 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "War Thunder" is a mixed bag, often characterized by absurdity and dark comedy stemming from its chaotic gameplay and community interactions. Players frequently find themselves laughing at the game's glitches, the over-the-top mechanics, and the ironic frustrations of its pay-to-win elements, which can lead to hilarious moments, especially when playing with friends. However, the humor can also be overshadowed by the game's serious issues, such as unbalanced matchmaking and toxic community behavior, making the experience both entertaining and frustrating.

    • “Haha funny snail and tank game :)”
    • “Incredibly funny to roleplay as 'testicle-1' and 'testicle-2' while you run air arcade with a friend and get unquestionably destroyed in the first dogfight of the match.”
    • “It's a commitment—to chaos, to surprise, and to mastering the art of laughing at your own fiery demise.”
    • “In the end, the game is just frustrating, unfunny, and brings no innovation. In the span of 7 years, they didn't add any new permanent mode.”
    • “Prepare yourself for tens of hours of unfunny grind, where you get bullied at every moment possible.”
    • “Many annoying little things, such as cringy, unfunny, and useless 'tips' during the loading times, or lousy radio voiceovers during the game which you can't turn off.”
  • stability
    1,104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with players reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various bugs that significantly disrupt gameplay. Many users express frustration over persistent issues such as ghost shells, hit registration problems, and graphical glitches, which have remained unresolved despite numerous updates. Overall, the game's stability is perceived as a major drawback, detracting from the overall experience and enjoyment.

    • “The game runs great even on maximum settings.”
    • “Extremely smooth gameplay, not a single bug to report, no glitches, the players are super nice, the community is outstanding!”
    • “The game is heavily supported by the devs, and is relatively bug free.”
    • “The game is a buggy, unoptimized mess.”
    • “Game has been on a downward trend due to lack of care about problems like rubber banding, dropped games when you're winning, glitches that move your tank 40ft in random directions, buggy connection, way too much grinding for free players, predatory tactics by the game to get you to spend money.”
    • “The game is constantly being updated and the graphics are almost on par with the IL-2 Sturmovik franchise, but of course, it being free, some minor glitches and bugs are present.”
  • music
    474 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in War Thunder receives mixed reviews, with many players praising its epic orchestral soundtrack and immersive sound effects that enhance the gameplay experience. While some enjoy the dynamic and thematic compositions that fit the game's wartime setting, others find the music repetitive and prefer to listen to their own playlists during play. Overall, the soundtrack is often highlighted as a significant positive aspect of the game, contributing to its atmosphere despite some criticisms regarding variety and volume levels.

    • “The soundtrack and sound effects deserve special mention; they make the experience even more epic.”
    • “The music is a huge plus.”
    • “The graphics and gameplay are great, but the War Thunder aviation soundtrack is even better.”
    • “The game seems to only have 2 soundtracks which loop like crazy and apparently engine sounds are recycled from completely different tanks.”
    • “Although the game looks great and is more realistic than World of Tanks, the map design and music is pretty lacking in comparison to World of Tanks; it pretty much has no artistic expression other than having nice looking tanks shoot each other in silence.”
    • “The new music is complete trash.”
  • emotional
    419 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "War Thunder" is overwhelmingly characterized by a tumultuous mix of frustration, heartbreak, and addiction. Players frequently describe the game as an emotional rollercoaster, where moments of joy are often overshadowed by feelings of anger, despair, and emotional damage due to its grind-heavy mechanics and perceived predatory monetization practices. Many express a love-hate relationship with the game, acknowledging its potential while lamenting the emotional toll it takes on them, often leading to a desire to quit yet feeling compelled to return.

    • “War Thunder is not just a game; it’s an emotional rollercoaster that starts with excitement, dives into despair, and ends with you rage-quitting… only to come back five minutes later.”
    • “This game has taken me on an unexpected emotional journey, filled with highs and lows that leave me both exhilarated and exhausted.”
    • “It's heartbreaking to see a game I once loved sink to this state, and I can’t recommend anyone to start playing it anymore.”
    • “Look, I've played this game since 2017, and it is one thing... special. Take that how you want, but holy crap does this game make you want to cry and gamble.”
    • “By the way, I can tell this boring story all day, but I won't.”
  • replayability
    174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is highly praised, with players highlighting the extensive variety of vehicles, custom maps, and game modes that encourage different strategies and loadouts. While some users note a frustrating grind and balance issues, many agree that the frequent updates and community-driven content significantly enhance the overall replay value, making it a compelling choice for fans of military-themed games. Overall, players find the game to offer near-infinite replayability, especially for those willing to invest time in mastering its complexities.

    • “The community's creativity shines in custom maps and game modes, offering near-infinite replayability beyond the official content.”
    • “Different game modes encourage different loadouts and strategies, enhancing overall replayability.”
    • “The game's replayability is off the charts; I keep coming back for more.”
    • “The lack of innovation and failure to address longstanding issues further diminish the game's appeal and replayability.”
    • “Played for a couple of hours, very little replay value; I found that the grind is too quick.”
    • “The grind is hell, but most of the gameplay is fun, and they have started making the game more playable for people who don't want to spend money.”
  • atmosphere
    136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in War Thunder is often described as immersive and realistic, enhanced by impressive graphics and sound design that effectively capture the chaos of battle. However, players also note a toxic community atmosphere, exacerbated by pay-to-win elements and a lack of support for newcomers, which can detract from the overall experience. While the game excels in creating a captivating war environment, the negative aspects of community interaction and monetization practices can overshadow its potential.

    • “After about 7 hours in War Thunder, I can say it’s a visually impressive and highly detailed combat game with a genuinely immersive atmosphere.”
    • “The roar of engines, the piercing sound of bullets tearing through the air, and the distant thuds of anti-aircraft artillery create an atmosphere of total immersion.”
    • “Astonishing graphics, authentic sound effects, and beautiful music create an atmosphere to fully immerse yourself in.”
    • “The overall atmosphere is far from healthy, and to be honest, the general level of the player base feels only slightly better than in Dota 2.”
    • “This atmosphere discourages community engagement and hampers the game's potential for improvement.”
    • “While the game can be fun, the difficulty of the grind for new vehicles at higher tiers breeds a toxic atmosphere and community.”
  • character development
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in this game is highlighted as a standout feature, with players appreciating the intricate character design and clothing styles that enhance the overall cinematic experience. However, some critiques point out that without a strong plot or meaningful human interaction, the game risks feeling shallow despite its engaging character elements. Overall, the depth of character design is praised, but its impact on the narrative and player engagement is seen as a crucial factor.

    • “My personal favorite game as I have easily poured thousands upon thousands of hours into this amazing cinematic experience. Nothing brings me more joy than appreciating the character design and the wonderful clothing style used in this game.”
    • “In-depth character design and thrilling campaign.”
    • “Without plot, storyline, character development, or human interaction and growth, it is simply a killfest and probably the shallowest game I have ever been drawn into.”
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300h Median play time
725h Average play time
49-1000h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1,569 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

War Thunder is a tactical shooter game with warfare and historical themes.

War Thunder is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 725 hours playing War Thunder.

War Thunder was released on August 15, 2013.

War Thunder was developed by Gaijin Entertainment.

War Thunder has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

War Thunder is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include World of Tanks, Enlisted, World of Warships, World of Warplanes, Heroes & Generals and others.