World of Warships: Legends brings the popular PC game to console not as a port, but as a full-fledged game from the ground (er, sea) up. It puts gamers at the helm of some of history's greatest battleships and pits them in 9v9 naval battles against real opponents around the world.
This is not a casual game: the pace is fast and the stakes are high in every match. Whether you are attempting to snuff out an enemy battleship's engines or just aiming for that once-in-a-blue-moon citadel hit, it is all about careful spotting and precision. The adaptive musical score, the need to zig-zag to avoid incoming salvos, and the sound of your shells hitting their target make it feel all very real and immersive.
The ships are modeled after real-world vessels that made a historical impact, and they have all been meticulously rendered. The level of detail extends to the individual rivets on the side of a battleship. This is also one of the most polished, well-designed ships-based games to have ever appeared on a console and the mechanics for controlling them are very easy to pick up even for players unfamiliar with the genre.
However, like other titles in this free-to-play series, there is a constant, annoying upsell that makes the experience feel less satisfying than it could have been. This is understandable, since the developers do need to make money. But the rate at which they push for the premium cash shop is aggravating and almost mobile game-esque.
