Imagine this: you’re inside an enclosed vehicle with a steel shell, hundreds of meters underwater. One mistake could cost the lives of hundreds of men: may it be crashing on a rock or getting torpedoed by an unseen enemy. It’s hard to understand why someone would want to put themselves in this position but hey, you’re a soldier and fighting for your country. Though not as tension-filled as real submarine warfare, World of Submarines provides a worthwhile experience. It’s made by GDCompany (not Wargaming) and it offers a nearly similar experience compared to popular games like World of Tanks and World of Warships. Unfortunately, it does suffer from a few grinding and microtransaction issues. With that in mind, should you give the game a shot? Let’s check out what it has to offer:

If you’ve played World of Warships Blitz and World of Tanks before, then there’s you’ll only get to experience a little learning curve in World of Submarines. Though made by different developers, the user interface, controls, and even the progression elements are quite similar. You’ll steer your submarine around using a virtual joystick on the left side of the screen, while the fire and firing options (as well as equipment), are on the right. The user interface is clean and easy to understand - there are cooldown bars and a zoom button on the middle of the screen, and they don’t get in the way of the action.

Battles in World of Submarines are composed of 4v4 duels. Goals vary from controlling a certain part/s of the map or simply sinking the enemy team to the bottom of the ocean floor. It’s fun despite not being hyper-realistic, and there are enough players to only warrant an occasional bot or two. Maps are quite small but are well-designed. There are underwater canyons and rock formations for you to navigate around and use to your advantage.

Apart from spending your time in the deep, dark abyss, you’ll also have to spend a lot of time in the dockyard. Submarine upgrades are a huge deal in World of Submarines. The game went for familiarity, taking inspiration from how Wargaming does it. You can upgrade and equip your submarines with various parts from a stronger hull, better weapons, and secondary armament. Unfortunately, progression is extremely grindy and microtransaction-heavy. There are also questionable practices like highly expensive submarines and a chance-based upgrade system which is honestly the first of its kind. Regardless, you can still enjoy the game without paying a cent. Note that there are countless submarines you can choose from, ranging from those of Japan, USA, and the USSR. Granted, you’ll have a lot of options and if you’re a fan of a particular class, you’ll definitely get to play as one.

Overall, World of Submarines is a fun, PvP game that delivers a straightforward gameplay experience. Though it has its own deficiencies and letdowns, it’s a fantastic title for anyone looking to captain their own submarine and fight in pitched underwater battles. With that said, give the game a shot and start hunting down enemies!