Okay, whose idea was it to simultaneously release Natural Selection 2, Primal Carnage, and Guns of Icarus Online? And to furthermore do it at the height of the holiday release season? All three games are gunning for the same audience. Namely, people who dig the camaraderie of team-based online shooters, but who are looking for the sort of twist that only an indie developer can provide. So the question you have to ask yourself is, “What flavor do you want? Aliens, dinosaurs, or zeppelins?”
World of Tanks is a strange hybrid. Part online arena shooter, part sim, and part MMORPG, there are few games that seek to occupy the niche it has carved out. This makes the game compelling, delivering an experience that is not available anywhere else. However, the very factors that separate the game from the rest of modern gaming also serve to confuse and alienate new players. It’s easy to jump into a game, maneuver, and shoot. WASD moves your tank, the mouse moves your turret, and left-click fires. Basic stuff.
But just when you think you’re getting the hang of things, your tank mysteriously explodes. Uh-oh! How did that happen?
After the jump: why you are dead Continue reading →
