The review
War Thunder puts aviation, ground forces and naval vessels into one connected battlefield, and it is unusually generous about how seriously you want to take it. Arcade battles are quick and forgiving; realistic and simulator modes hand you manual engine management, ballistic drop and a cockpit view that hides the interface almost entirely.
Progression runs through national research trees stretching from the interwar years into modern jets and missile-armed armour. Each vehicle is modelled in detail, from armour plate thickness to individual crew positions, so learning what your machine can survive matters as much as aiming well.
It is a heavy game in every sense — a large client, long research grinds and a steep opening week — but few free titles offer this much technical depth without asking for money up front.
How it plays
- Combined-arms matches with air, ground and naval vehicles
- National research trees with per-vehicle module upgrades
- Arcade, realistic and simulator control settings
- Crew training that carries between vehicles
- Squadron play and seasonal events
Strengths
- Enormous vehicle roster across many nations and eras
- Genuinely different experiences across the three control modes
- Damage modelling that rewards knowing your machine
What to expect
- The first few hours are unfriendly without a guide
- Research at higher ranks slows down considerably
- Large download and moderate hardware requirements
Optional purchases
Free to download and play. Optional premium vehicles and a premium account speed up research; nothing is locked permanently behind payment, but the pace difference is real at higher ranks.
