Blitz 1941

Blitz 1941 is a massively multiplayer online game set in WW2. The graphics are 2D and the game is played from a top-down perspective, much like strategy games.

You control a tank, and the controls are similar to other RPGs: you move with the keyboard, while shooting and aiming with the mouse. Your tank can be upgraded, and the game has a nice skill system.

When you first enter the game, you need to choose one of the two nations: Germany or the Soviet Union. Both of them have very different tanks and missions. Because the game is sort of a mixture between strategy and RPG, I recommend going through the tutorial. It is very thorough in explaining all the features the game has on offer. Also, the tutorial is divided in several parts, and you have to reach higher levels to unlock more tutorials. I like this system because it basically teaches you all you need to know, right when you need to know it, instead of throwing a lot of information at you right from the beginning.

The gameplay is actually more similar to multiplayer battle arena games like Dota or League of Legends. I say this because the controls are very similar. You mainly control one unit on a huge battlefield, and you have a number of special skills. The camera isn't locked on your tank, so you can move it freely with the mouse. This might be strange at first, but it is an interesting concept after you get the hang of it. Your tank will level up like in an RPG and new skills will be unlocked. You can also buy new items and even new tanks.

Blitz 1941 features single-player as well: you actually have to complete more missions in order to level up and advance to further areas. The multiplayer is weak because it only allows battles of up to 8 players, meaning 4v4. The maps are huge for only 8 tanks in total, and this results in less epic battles than in those games that support up to 32 or 64 players.

Overall, it is an interesting game, and the fact that it is free to play makes it better. The really nice features I enjoyed in the game were the number of tanks to choose from and the wide variety of skills. Leveling up is fast so the game feels very rewarding to those players who invest time in it.