War Robots is a popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game developed by Pixonic for iOS and Android mobile devices. The game features team-based 6v6 PvP combat between players controlling giant battle robots. Since its initial release in 2014, War Robots has grown to become one of the top grossing mobile games globally. This article provides a comprehensive review of the game, including its key features, gameplay, mechanics, meta, monetization, and more.
Key Features
Real-time 6v6 PvP team battles – The core of War Robots is its real-time 6 vs 6 multiplayer battles. Players are matched into two teams of 6 players each, piloting giant battle robots against each other in intense PvP combat.
Over 50 robots to collect – There are over 50 different robots to collect, each with unique abilities and roles. Robots are divided into light, medium, and heavy classes.
Huge variety of weapons – Each robot can be equipped with a combination of light, medium and heavy weapons. There are over 50 different weapon types, providing nearly endless customization.
Leagues and rankings – The competitive ranking system places players into leagues based on their rating. Climbing up the leagues by winning battles is key.
Clan wars – Join clans to participate in clan wars against other clans. Earn clan rewards and medals.
Unlock pilots – Pilots provide passive bonuses and ability effects. Legendary pilots have the most powerful skills.
Fully 3D maps – Battle across over 20 beautifully rendered 3D maps with destructible terrain and interactive elements.
Constant updates – The game receives updates every month adding new content, robots, weapons, maps, and features.
Gameplay
The core gameplay loop of War Robots involves participating in 6v6 team battles. Here are some key aspects of the gameplay:
PvP battles – Two teams of 6 players battle against each other in real-time. The first team to destroy all enemy robots or capture all beacons wins.
Beacon control – Maps have beacons that can be captured by having robots physically stand on them. Controlling more beacons boosts your team’s score.
Robot classes – There are light, medium and heavy robot classes. Lights are fast but weak, heavies are slow but durable. Mediums are balanced.
Weapons – Equip each robot with a combination of light, medium and heavy weapons. Weapons have different damage types and ranges.
Abilities – Each robot has one or more abilities that provide advantages in battle when used correctly.
Respawning – Players can respawn into a new robot up to 3 times if their current robot is destroyed. The first team to lose all robots loses.
Power cells – Earn power cells during battles to activate devastating one-time use drone strikes.
Teamwork – Work together with your teammates, capture beacons, focus fire, heal/shield each other to gain an edge.
Progression and Meta
Here are some key things to know about progressing in War Robots and the evolving meta:
New player protection – Matchmaking protects new players by matching them mostly with other new players at first. This ends after reaching level 30.
Leagues – The competitive leagues start after level 30. Players are placed into leagues based on their rating. Better leagues provide better rewards.
Upgrade system – Using silver and gold, players can level up their robots, weapons, and modules to increase their stats and power.
Workshop – The workshop allows players to slowly manufacture new equipment over time without spending money.
Supply drops – Reward crates containing resources, robots, weapons, and other loot can be earned through battles, challenges, events, and openings.
Evolving meta – The meta is constantly evolving as old equipment gets nerfed and new overpowered gear is introduced. Following the meta is important.
Pay to progress – Paying money speeds up progression tremendously. However, free players can still compete at higher levels with time and skill.
Active development – The game receives updates every month to fix balance issues, shake up the meta, and add new content.
Monetization
War Robots is a freemium game that monetizes through various methods:
Premium currency – Gold and Platinum are premium currencies that can be purchased to speed up upgrades, unlocks, and manufacturing.
Supply drops – Players are incentivized to spend money buying supply drops for chances at powerful loot.
Direct purchases – Robots, weapons, pilots, and other items can be directly purchased rather than waiting to manufacture them.
Battle passes – Seasonal battle passes offer exclusive rewards and incentives to play. Paid premium passes offer the best value.
Subscriptions – Optional subscriptions offer big bonuses and accelerated progression for a monthly fee.
Loot boxes – Special event loot boxes provide chances at limited edition gear by purchasing keys to open them.
Ads – Players can optionally watch video ads to earn small rewards. Disable ads through in-app purchases.
While spending money speeds up progression substantially, free players can still be competitive at higher levels with enough time and skill. The game is not considered “pay to win”, but rather “pay to progress faster”.
Technical Aspects
Here are some technical details on how War Robots delivers its graphics and connectivity:
3D graphics – The game features detailed 3D robot models, maps, effects and weapons. Graphics are optimized to run smoothly on mobile.
Remastered mode – An HD remastered graphics mode is available on supported devices. This unlocks higher resolution textures, improved lighting, and other graphical enhancements.
Control options – Players can choose touchscreen, tilt, or bluetooth controller schemes to control their robot and aim weapons.
Online multiplayer – Battles take place in real-time online against other players. Only an internet connection is required to play.
Cross-platform – iOS, Android, and Steam players can battle against each other thanks to cross-platform support.
Server stability – Robust dedicated servers with good netcode provide a stable online experience with minimal lag or disconnects.
Community Reception
War Robots enjoys a thriving player community across platforms. Here is how players generally feel about the game:
Strong core gameplay – The strategic, skill-based 6v6 team battles are highly enjoyable and promote cooperation.
Satisfying progression – Unlocking new robots and weapons feels rewarding. Reaching higher leagues gives a sense of achievement.
Great F2P options – The game is praised for being friendly for free players despite being pay-to-progress faster.
Fair monetization – The monetization is considered reasonable. Paying provides faster progression but is not required to compete.
Active development – The monthly updates and balance changes keep the game feeling fresh and show the developers are listening.
Toxic community – A downside is the community can be quite toxic. Players get frustrated and lash out at teammates.
Steep learning curve – New players face a steep learning curve. Matchmaking protection helps ease this transition.
Overall the game is well received, especially among hardcore competitive gamers who enjoy the strategic team-based combat gameplay loop. The F2P friendly options and fair monetization help attract a large player base.
Conclusion
In summary, War Robots delivers an immensely enjoyable competitive team-based multiplayer experience on mobile. The ability to collect and customize a squad of giant battle robots never gets old. While certainly pay-to-progress faster, the game remains accessible for free players willing to grind. Fair monetization and constant new content updates ensure continued success holding onto its player base. War Robots receives a strong recommendation for anyone looking for their next addictive PvP game on mobile.