I realize my initial review, while harsh, may some good points. So, to avoid my disappoints... DON'T DO WHAT I DID!! Been playing World of Warships for years, and I made the mistake of expecting "WoT" to be a similar experience. the two could not be more different. The biggest difference is that World of Warships is a bit more traditional and/or old-fashioned in its game design. WoWs wants you to learn to play the game by just...playing the game. If you lose your ship in mission, there's no real consequences that hinder gameplay. So, for me that gives more reason to charge in, rack up hours of experience, and level up. The grind is actually FUN, in WoWs, but I realize that's NOT for everyone.

WoT (World of Tanks) actually requires that you read every announcement, news, and watch streamers. It seemed really strange to me just how much the game depends on you being fully "plugged in" to the culture and fanbase to really be successful. Maybe it is a matter of taste, BUT I do not see it as a strength to require players to learn how to play your game, by relying on external sources. With that being said, this game does have some going for it, and IS VERY MUCH Worth Your Time.

PROs (that are not obvious, and take time to appreciate)
- Your Decisions REALLY Matter, it is rare that I play a game where your equipment loadout and gear setup have such a HUGE impact on gameplay. Really getting to know all the modification possibilities for each tank has been truly rewarding. Honestly, it's comparable to early Mass Effect and Final Fantasy, which I LOVE
- Variety of Map Design and Terrain is some of the best I have ever scene in any War Game. With all the Call of Duty (FPS) clones that seem to rely on the same strategy of "build the map on a circular loop", WoT is a much needed breath of fresh air. Some Maps I really enjoyed the challenge of finding the best positions to engage different enemy types. The BEST PART is that your most advantageous position depends entirely on what tank you are in. So, there are HOURS of replay value to keep the gameplay exciting as your improve your garage.

CONS (issues I still feel strongly hinder the experience from being the very best)
- the costs and penalties of running matches are INSANE!! Never have I played a game that actively makes me want to stop playing. After you hit your daily missions and objectives, every match ends up costing more resources than you can win back. No matter how much fun I am having OR if I'm suffering through a losing streak, the game reaches a point when you have to stop; throwing away resources for nothing is a bad strategy, so the game punishes you for playing??? Which leads into the NEXT problem...
- World of Tanks is not at all clear on what it wants players to "DO". I LOVE the DDay Event, and everything they're doing for it. It is what made me decide to stick with this game, when I was getting pretty close to fed-up. Between watching streamers, following YouTube/twitch feeds, researching tanks, grinding matches, enjoying PvE, and then dedicating resources towards either upgrading existing tanks or building new ones... what IS the intended path for players??? Yes, it's a Free to Play game, so that does justify a slightly more challenging learning curve. You want to capitalize on cultivating a culture, so there is added incentive to purchase in-game currencies and renew subscriptions.

THERE IS STILL HOPE!!! I can forgive the cons, because Warging did put out a series of surveys seeking input from players about the latest DDay Event. I shared my honest thoughts, praising ALL the aspects that are dedicated towards historical accuracy and having Battle Pass rewards that reflect that level of detail! There is A LOT to love about this game, and I hope the developers address some of these issues. Please & Thank YOU

I realize my initial review, while harsh, may some good points. So, to avoid my disappoints... DON'T DO WHAT I DID!! Been playing World of Warships for years, and I made the mistake of expecting "WoT" to be a similar experience. the two could not be more different. The biggest difference is that World of Warships is a bit more traditional and/or old-fashioned in its game design. WoWs wants you to learn to play the game by just...playing the game. If you lose your ship in mission, there's no real consequences that hinder gameplay. So, for me that gives more reason to charge in, rack up hours of experience, and level up. The grind is actually FUN, in WoWs, but I realize that's NOT for everyone. WoT (World of Tanks) actually requires that you read every announcement, news, and watch streamers. It seemed really strange to me just how much the game depends on you being fully "plugged in" to the culture and fanbase to really be successful. Maybe it is a matter of taste, BUT I do not see it as a strength to require players to learn how to play your game, by relying on external sources. With that being said, this game does have some going for it, and IS VERY MUCH Worth Your Time. PROs (that are not obvious, and take time to appreciate) - Your Decisions REALLY Matter, it is rare that I play a game where your equipment loadout and gear setup have such a HUGE impact on gameplay. Really getting to know all the modification possibilities for each tank has been truly rewarding. Honestly, it's comparable to early Mass Effect and Final Fantasy, which I LOVE - Variety of Map Design and Terrain is some of the best I have ever scene in any War Game. With all the Call of Duty (FPS) clones that seem to rely on the same strategy of "build the map on a circular loop", WoT is a much needed breath of fresh air. Some Maps I really enjoyed the challenge of finding the best positions to engage different enemy types. The BEST PART is that your most advantageous position depends entirely on what tank you are in. So, there are HOURS of replay value to keep the gameplay exciting as your improve your garage. CONS (issues I still feel strongly hinder the experience from being the very best) - the costs and penalties of running matches are INSANE!! Never have I played a game that actively makes me want to stop playing. After you hit your daily missions and objectives, every match ends up costing more resources than you can win back. No matter how much fun I am having OR if I'm suffering through a losing streak, the game reaches a point when you have to stop; throwing away resources for nothing is a bad strategy, so the game punishes you for playing??? Which leads into the NEXT problem... - World of Tanks is not at all clear on what it wants players to "DO". I LOVE the DDay Event, and everything they're doing for it. It is what made me decide to stick with this game, when I was getting pretty close to fed-up. Between watching streamers, following YouTube/twitch feeds, researching tanks, grinding matches, enjoying PvE, and then dedicating resources towards either upgrading existing tanks or building new ones... what IS the intended path for players??? Yes, it's a Free to Play game, so that does justify a slightly more challenging learning curve. You want to capitalize on cultivating a culture, so there is added incentive to purchase in-game currencies and renew subscriptions. THERE IS STILL HOPE!!! I can forgive the cons, because Warging did put out a series of surveys seeking input from players about the latest DDay Event. I shared my honest thoughts, praising ALL the aspects that are dedicated towards historical accuracy and having Battle Pass rewards that reflect that level of detail! There is A LOT to love about this game, and I hope the developers address some of these issues. Please & Thank YOU