World of Warships

World of Warships

World of Warships cover art
Developer(s) Lesta Studio
Wargaming
Producer(s) Alexander Bogomolsky[1]
Designer(s) Anton Oparin[2]
Composer(s) Artur Tokhtash[3]
Engine BigWorld
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release date(s) September 17, 2015
Genre(s) MMO
Mode(s) Multiplayer

World of Warships is a naval action-themed massively multiplayer online game produced by international game developer and publisher Wargaming, which is headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus. The game features aspects similar to World of Tanks and World of Warplanes, having several classes of warships fulfilling different roles within teamed player versus player battles. It was released for Microsoft Windows on September 17, 2015.

Gameplay

The gameplay is team-based. There are four different classes of vessels: destroyers, cruisers, battleships, and aircraft carriers;[4] these vessels span across ten tiers within the technology trees of several nations. The tech trees included the United States Navy, Imperial Japanese Navy, Kriegsmarine, Royal Navy, Soviet Navy, Polish Navy, Republic of China Navy, People's Liberation Army Navy, French Navy and Royal Australian Navy.[5] Through research of each ship from each tier, a player can progress through the game. Each specific ship has a number of modules that can be accessed through experience. This experience is used to unlock modules, and when a ship's modules are completely researched, the player can continue to the next ship and the previous becomes an Elite ship. Submarines and torpedo boats will not be present in World of Warships.[6]

In game screenshot with the HUD visible and a Colorado-class battleship under the player's control, one of many ships the player can acquire through gameplay.

Players are randomly assigned to teams, and generally play with and against similar-tier vessels. The game's co-operative mode involves teams of players battling against computer-controlled opponents, while the random battle mode features teams of human players battling against one another. Battles take place on a limited number of specific maps, each map depicting a specific location with different geographical layouts. Criteria for victory in a given scenario are outlined at the start of play, and typically requires occupying one or more specific locations on a map for a given period of time, or destroying all enemy players. Each vessel has unique strengths and weaknesses, and the likelihood of victory in a given scenario relates directly to the willingness of players to work cooperatively.

Divisions are the equivalent of flights in World of Warplanes and platoons in World of Tanks, and allow a group of three players to join and fight battles together. Clan wars are a planned feature of World of Warships.

Development

On August 16, 2011, the company website of Wargaming.net, developer and publisher of World of Tanks and World of Warplanes, announced World of Battleships, a free-to-play naval action MMO, intended to complete the World of war trilogy developed by the company.[7] On August 2, 2012, the game was renamed World of Warships.[8] On November 14, 2013, the game entered closed alpha testing.[9]

During Tokyo Gameshow 2014, Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi announced a collaboration between World of Warships and the Arpeggio of Blue Steel anime.[10] The collaboration involves allowing players to unlock ships of the Fog Fleet from the anime, and doing special missions involving them. Another collaboration with Haifuri was later announced in September 2016.[11]

Closed beta testing for World of Warships started on March 12, 2015, shortly after closed alpha ended, with the non-disclosure agreement covering the alpha being lifted at the same time.[12] On April 9, 2015, pre-order packages consisting of premium warships and access to the closed beta test became available for purchase by players.[13]

Open beta testing for World of Warships started on July 2, 2015, as the final step prior to the game's formal launch.[14] During a Famitsu interview with global director Ivan Moroz, it was revealed that as of the open beta test, approximately 85% of the core game development was complete, and that there were future plans to introduce weather effects and night battle after the game's official release.[15]

On September 3, 2015, Wargaming announced that the game had exited open beta. The game was officially launched on September 17, 2015 for Microsoft Windows.[16]

Out of all of the game servers, the Chinese server has the highest player population, with a peak value of 120,000 concurrent players online as of December 2015; because of this, there are plans to eventually implement multi-cluster servers there.[1]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings80.93/100[17]
Metacritic81/100[18]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM6.5/10[19]
GameSpot8/10[20]
IGN8.3/10[21]
PC Gamer (US)80/100[22]
GameStar79/100[23]
The Escapist4/5[24]
Hardcore Gamer4/5[25]
Eurogamer Italy9/10[26]

World of Warships has a score of 81% on Metacritic.[18] IGN awarded it a score of 8.3 out of 10, stating that the combat feels good and that the game's teamwork is satisfying.[21] GameSpot awarded it a score of 8.0 out of 10, saying "The thrills that await, along with the promise of unlocking advanced ships down the road, make World of Warships an enticing expedition into the sometimes turbulent waters of free-to-play games."[20] The Escapist awarded it four out of five, saying "With its tense naval battles and huge array of historical vessels, World of Warships is the free-to-play MMO that can make a wargamer out of anyone."[24] In 2015 the game was nominated to British Academy Games Award for Multiplayer, but eventually lost the nomination to Rocket League.[27]

References

  1. 1 2 ""Час разработчика" 26 декабря на "Wargaming FM. Корабли". Стенограмма." [The hour of developer. December 26. on Wargaming FM. Ships. Stenograph.]. ProShips (in Russian). December 27, 2015.
  2. ↑ Nathan Lawrence (24 July 2015). "How World of Warships Sails Across History and Fun". Red Bull.
  3. ↑ "Interview with Artur Tokhtash, Head of Sound at Wargaming Saint Petersburg". Wargaming NA. April 9, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Game World of Warships". World of Warships. Wargaming.net. Retrieved 1 Jun 2016.
  5. ↑ "What's Next for World of Warships?". Wargaming America. March 27, 2015. Archived from the original on April 7, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Questions and answers". Wargaming Europe.
  7. ↑ "Wargaming.net Declares Naval Warfare". Wargaming America. August 16, 2011. Archived from the original on August 22, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Wargaming Renames World of Battleships to World of Warships". Wargaming America. August 2, 2012. Archived from the original on August 6, 2012.
  9. ↑ "World of Warships enters Closed Alpha Test". Wargaming America. November 14, 2013.
  10. ↑ "World of Warships, Arpeggio of Blue Steel Join Forces". Anime News Network. September 18, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Collaboration with Anime Series "High School Fleet" Announced!". World of Warships Asia. 15 September 2016.
  12. ↑ "Closed Beta: Full Steam Ahead". Wargaming America. March 12, 2015. Archived from the original on 3 March 2015.
  13. ↑ "World of Warships Pre-Order Packages Now Available". Wargaming Asia. April 9, 2015.
  14. ↑ "World of Warships Now in Open Beta". 2 July 2015. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015.
  15. ↑ "オープンベータテスト開幕！ 『World of Warships』開発のキーマンに聞く from サンクトペテルブルク【その1】". Famitsu (in Japanese). July 9, 2015.
  16. ↑ Orry, James (September 3, 2015). "World of Warships officially launches on September 17". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  17. ↑ "World of Warships". GameRankings.
  18. 1 2 "World of Warships". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  19. ↑ Joe Layton (October 13, 2015). "World of Warships review". Electronic Gaming Monthly.
  20. 1 2 Cameron Woolsey (September 17, 2015). "World of Warships Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  21. 1 2 Rob Zacny (23 September 2015). "World of Warships Review". IGN. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  22. ↑ "World of Warships". PC Gamer US.
  23. ↑ "World of Warships Test Der 15-Minuten-Admiral". GameStar (in German). July 7, 2015.
  24. 1 2 "World of Warships Launch Review". The Escapist. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  25. ↑ "Review: World of Warships". Hardcore Gamer. September 23, 2015.
  26. ↑ "World of Warships, battaglie navali come non se ne sono mai viste - recensione". Eurogamer Italy (in Italian). September 24, 2015.
  27. ↑ "2016 Games Multiplayer". BAFTA Awards. Retrieved 1 June 2016.

External links

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