Face-Off: World of Tanks

[Administrator]

Among the most ambitious 'free to play' titles available today, World of Tanks gets a visual overhaul on Xbox One that few expected. It's unique for being the only game on Microsoft's box to have cross-platform play with its older Xbox 360 release - where owners of both consoles can play in the same 15v15 online battles. But Xbox One gets plenty of upgrades over and above this, from remade map assets, a new lighting model with high dynamic range (HDR) and improved physics and effects. It's a makeover that puts PC behind in some regards, but can Xbox One claim to offer the true, definitive version?
First up, the basics: Xbox One keeps several features from the existing, bespoke Xbox 360 release that are not available on PC. Developed on the Bigworld engine by Wargaming's Chicago and Baltimore studios, the two console versions offer weather effects such as rain, plus unique time of day settings for each map - features that are not officially available on the PC release without mods. The game design and mode selection are identical between the two consoles too, right down to the camera's field of view setting, and a new Proving Grounds option where players can practice against AI opponents. Microsoft's two machines essentially have parity in their core gameplay features, while PC takes an independent path.
The similarities on console stop there. Xbox One runs at a full native 1920x1080, storming ahead of the last-gen release's 1280x720 image. That drives image quality up hugely in direct comparisons, especially when picking out details to the far end of giant maps like Abbey. Unfortunately the use of what appears to be FXAA post-processing keeps absolute clarity at bay - though jagged edges are treated well enough. Compared to the PC's superior TSSAA option (as added via recent patch 9.9), Xbox One owners miss out on a super-sampling pass, while a temporal component helps PC to avoid pixel crawl during motion. As it stands, Microsoft's platform turns in only adequate results for image treatment, though running at 1080p is obviously a big plus.
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