I've played World of Tanks on PC and it looks good. The console version, however, has a more approachable presentation; more mainstream, perhaps. The tutorial walks you through the various aspects of the game with baby steps, easing you into the gameplay, with much more hand-holding than I recall from the PC version. Additionally, the PS4 version doesn't get into the grittiest details, such as having to worry about having enough space in your barracks to house your tank crews. Yeah, that's a thing on the PC version.
The graphics look really good - specifically, really detailed, especially when zooming in a lot to take a shot. When I played the PS4 version, not having played the PC version for a while, I thought that the graphics were easily just as good as the PC version. Then, I played the PC version on my Alienware Aurora gaming rig and the water was better on the PC. But, that's on a specific PC. The beautiful thing about playing World of Tanks on the PS4 is that it really does look really good and there aren't any settings that need to be tweaked. You get the same graphics quality that everyone else on the PS4 is getting, which looks pretty good. Actually, where the PS4 graphics will have an advantage for most players is going to be the screen size. Most PCs have, well, computer monitor-sized monitors, while consoles are often connected to the largest widescreen television in the house... with surround sound, if you're lucky. And I was. Not so for the people above me, as the explosions were probably shaking things up there from time to time.
The music sounded to be the same as the music from the PC version, but that's really good music, so that's a good thing. The sound effects sound good and, as mentioned above, resonate quite well on a surround system with a decent sub-woofer. There are also vocal sound clips, used for your tank's crew to inform you of important information, such as when a tank's got you in their sights, whether your shot actually hit and/or penetrated your target, and when your ammunition rack's been hit. Listen for these; they can be quite informative and useful. There's also gameplay chatter from the other players, which could be useful, but can often be somewhere between pointless and annoying. It's online gameplay. Your mileage will vary. Frequently. Match by match, even.
Gameplay:
World of Tanks is all about multiplayer gameplay. There are some single-player tutorials that will walk you through the basics, adding more gameplay elements as you go along, but that's only to get you up to speed. Once you have somewhat of a hold on things, you're thrust into multiplayer gameplay. If, however, you want a refresher, the tutorials are available by going to "Proving Grounds" from the Main Menu. While the tutorials are not multiplayer, you can't even get into the game without being online.
Before you think, "Oh, free-to-play as long as I have PlayStation Plus, I guess?" - you don't have to have PlayStation Plus to play World of Tanks on your PS4. I believe there was some specific negotiations to get this to be possible, but the idea behind World of Tanks was to be truly free-to-play - and having to pay a subscription to PlayStation Plus for that privilege is contrary to that credo. If you do have a subscription to PlayStation Plus, however, there is a free tank you can download (we'll talk about that below).
For less social types - and everyone, until you join a team - the main game mode is Multiplayer, which is the standard drop-me-into-battle-quickly game, where your team is assigned by the matchmaking service. Once you've developed some skills - or if you have some particular friends you want to play with - there is the Platoon Mode, which allows up to 4 players to form a unit and play on the same team. Need to work on your tactics? Use Team Training to do just that; you can setup practice matches for 2 to 30 players.
Multiplayer and Platoon are the only game modes that you actually earn Silver and XP, as the other modes (Team Training and Proving Grounds) are considered "Practice" modes. Also note that repairs are free in the training modes, but ammo and consumables are charged in all game modes.
The idea is fairly simple, here. Help your side (the good guys) capture the base controlled by your enemies (the bad guys), while preventing them from gaining control of your base. If you manage to destroy all enemies, that also keeps them from being able to capture your base and leaves their base available for you to take at your leisure, so that works, too. There are Light, Medium and Heavy Tanks, along with Tank Destroyers and Artillery. Each type, and for that matter, each tank, has its own pros and cons. Each vehicle out there is attempting to find its own unique balance of speed, firepower, armor, sensing capabilities, communication capabilities and health. Light Tanks are fast, but can't take much damage and usually don't hit very hard, either. Large Tanks move slowly, but can give what they get, which is quite a lot. Medium Tanks fill the gap in between, with speed, armor and firepower somewhere between that of Light and Heavy Tanks. Tank Destroyers are built to destroy tanks. Get a well-placed shot and they'll do just that. And then, there's Artillery. Artillery is almost useless in close quarters face-to-face confrontations, but they can lob shells about halfway across the battlefield, raining death from above, with a unique overhead view of the battle that also gives them a perspective useful for helping to direct the battle, but makes them highly dependent on the spotting capabilities of their teammates, most notably the Light Tanks.
Most multiplayer battles feature both teams trying to take the opposing side's base. The only twist on the gameplay is that sometimes, instead of each team having their own bases to protect or capture, there is a neutral area that both teams must attempt to capture to win. Same concept, one less "base."
While the normal strata of gameplay is all about winning battles to earn Silver and XP to put towards improving your tanks, researching improvements and advancing, there is a level above this: Ops. You will want to check in on the Ops tab from time to time and see what Operations fit with your capabilities and offer rewards you're interested in. The rewards can include amounts of Silver or multipliers for earned Silver on up to a day of Premium Time and Tanks with bays. While I won't push paying for Gold or Premium time - play for free and then make up your own mind whether you want to pay for some extras - I will say that Premium time will increase the rate with which you are able to build Silver and XP. However, do keep in mind that these are time-based and 1 free day means 24 hours and the clock starts ticking immediately, so if you get a free day of Premium, be prepared to clear your schedule...
Difficulty:
Do you get frustrated easily? If so, be warned: World of Tanks is likely to get on your last nerve. Being let loose on the world in a giant metal vehicle of mass destruction is great. Being hunted down by others with the same (or better) such devices? Not so great. In addition, the more approachable and mainstream PS4 version means that you can expect to, at some point, hear chatter from three-year-olds, unemployed dope heads that are "so high right now," little girls playing during what sounds like either a birthday or slumber party and, of course, players much more experience than you telling everyone to flank some tango or another. Looking for a real melting pot? Here you are. So, yes, I often find the most challenging part of World of Tanks simply not turning it off (or at least playing kamikaze in the current mission) to get away from truly annoying individuals as soon as I can.
One thing I would suggest, if you find yourself getting frustrated with World of Tanks because you find yourself getting blown up too quick and too often, but otherwise like the game, is to think about getting your tank destroyed and jumping into a new game as "respawning," as you would in a lot of other games. Sure, it's a little slower than most respawns I've experienced in a game, but your dead tank in the previous match could still earn you some Silver if your team wins the match. Just sayin'.
As for doing well in the game, use the Tutorials to get familiar with everything and get familiar with the controls via the Controls Screen (from the Main Menu), and you'll find that things get a bit easier...
While the PS4 version of World of Tanks is a simplified form of the PC game, there are several little things that are easy to overlook that can make the game a bit more manageable. One thing you don't want to overlook is that, while you use the Left Analog Stick to steer and accelerate/decelerate your tank, pushing down on the Left Analog Stick (L3) will toggle on/off your acceleration. If you're holding the stick back at the time, it will make you keep going backward, but, if not, it will start you (or keep you) going forward. This can be very useful if you make sure you have a clear path ahead for a bit, lock the gas on, and then focus on hunting down enemies with your turret.
Pushing down the Right Analog Stick (R3) will change your zoom level and, when you're using (L2) to aim, toggles your zoom on your turret, which can really go from a long distance view to aiming at part of the track on an enemy tank. This zoom is a game changer; you're at a disadvantage if you don't know how to use it.
Another insanely useful feature that could go overlooked is the target lock. Pressing (R1) to lock on to a target if you have one in your sights. This will allow you to focus on tank movement, as your gunner keeps your gun trained on the enemy. This is especially useful for Light Tanks, as you can keep moving, and fire on the enemy when your gun is reloaded and the indicator indicates a high likelihood of doing damage. Use this along with the acceleration toggle to stay agile as you're buzzing around the battlefield.
Game Mechanics:
World of Tanks is a free-to-play game with, of course, a variety of optional for-pay upgrades. These are purchased with "Gold," an in-game currency that is paid for with cash. Gold can be used to buy things such as Premium Time, which increases the amount of XP and Silver earned by 50%, as well as certain special tanks and high-powered ammunition. The special ammo can make a difference, if you make good use of it, but the rest of it really is more of a time-saver. It never felt like "pay-to-win." Additionally, there are occasionally ways to earn or win Gold, by completing Ops or participating in special promotions. In addition, if you are a PlayStation Plus subscriber, there is a Bonus German Tank, an exclusive PZ.Kpfw. II Ausf. J-PS tier III Light Tank, which purportedly has incredible armor and great gun handling. It fires quickly and has a fierce black war paint and a special livery to intimidate your enemies. Additionally, there are PS4 Founders packs that range from $15.99 USD to $98.79 USD (See link below for full details).
When I started playing the PS4 version of World of Tanks, it had been months since I had played the PC version, so I went back to compare the two. While the graphics are (potentially) much better on the PC, I have to admit that I prefer the simplicity of the control scheme on the PS4, using the gamepad to play the game, rather than using a keyboard and mouse setup. Also, the slightly simplified gameplay (such as not having to worry about expanding barracks to house your crew) doesn't seem to subtract anything from the gameplay. Die-hard social gamers who want to form squads and have maneuver drills might find the PC version more appealing (can't speak to that, I'm not that guy), but the PS4 version feels more approachable and easier to simply drop in or out of a game at will. PC players will want to flame me for this, but I actually think I prefer the PS4 version. Give it a shot.
