A few months ago, we interviewed Game Insight about their Windows Phone and Windows 8 offerings. The US- and Russia-based publisher has already released My Country and Rule the Kingdom for both platforms. Their sister company NARR8 also offers the NARR8 app on Windows 8. During our talk, they revealed that My Country 2020 would be coming over to Windows devices, as well as future titles.
Now Windows Phone Central is proud to exclusively announce another Game Insight title that will come to Windows 8 in 2014: Tank Domination. The tank combat genre is currently doing big business on multiple platforms, from PC to consoles to mobile. World of Tanks is going strong in beta on Xbox 360, for example. Tank Domination will bring that same style of gameplay to Windows 8. Head past the break for gameplay details, our hands-on video of the iPad version, and more Game Insight news.
Update: The game is currently planned for Windows 8 but not Windows Phone. More details after the break.
Preparing for battle
Like World of Tanks, Game Insight’s Tank Domination is a free to play online-only game. After logging in, players arrive in their own personal tank hangar. From there you can manage your tanks, purchase equipment and upgrades, and hop into battle.
Every good tank combat game needs an armada of realistic tanks for players to drive, and Tank Domination doesn’t disappoint. Each is based on a real-life vehicle or concept tank from the United States, Russia, and China.
Tanks falls into Light, Medium, Heavy, and Artillery categories as well. A tank’s size determines its movement speed, durability, and firepower – the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Artillery are a special class, with limited movement and defense but especially high damage capabilities. A light escort can be essential to keeping Artillery tanks safe.
Various tanks and armaments will unlock for purchase as players level up. 30 is the highest level, at which point you’ll have everything unlocked. You can own three tanks by default, with defeated tanks becoming unavailable for a short time. A fourth tank slot will cost Warbucks, the game’s premium currency.
Tank you very much
Tank Domination on iOS currently offers a single game type for up to 20 players: Capture the Flag. Game Insight plans to add new modes over time, so the Windows Phone version could possibly launch with more.
Capture the Flag is a team-based game type. The two teams strive to steal each other’s flags – by reaching the flag and staying with it long enough, you’ll win the game. Matches can also be won by eliminating all of the other side’s tanks; no respawns here.
Tanks are slow and deliberate vehicles. As such, touch screen controls work better in games like this than faster-paced shooters. A stick on the left side controls movement. A button beside it will set the tank to moving forward without the need to press the stick. On the right side of the screen, you’ll find another stick for aiming, as well as buttons to zoom the view and fie.
The tanks in this game can use multiple types of ammunition. Each ammo type has its own damage rating, reload time, and other properties. You can actually switch ammo types during the match, allowing you to match your firepower to your opponents.
More to come
Game Insight has multiple titles in development for the first half of 2014. The publisher couldn’t confirm, a specific time frame for Tank Domination’s release, but it should arrive on Windows 8 sometime next year. It will be free to play.
After producing mostly casual games like city builders, Tank Domination will be Game Insight’s most hardcore game so far. It’s also proof of the publisher’s excitement for Windows Phone. “Windows Phone will follow Android and become the next big thing,” a representative told us.
Game Insight has seen a forty percent increase in Windows Phone users since publishing their first game in 2012, and the platform continues to grow. The same applies to Russia, the company’s home territory. Game Insight predicts that country’s mobile market will expand by 71 percent by 2016. Hopefully Windows Phone holds onto a big piece of that pie… The availability of Game Insight’s software there certainly won’t hurt.
Books too
Game Insight’s interactive reading app NARR8 launched on Windows 8 earlier this fall. The app offers a variety of exclusive episodic interactive stories with animation, sound, and voice. Naturally, we wondered if a phone version would follow the tablet app. Turns out, it will! NARR8 will come to Windows Phone 8 in 2014.
We’ll have more Windows Phone and Windows 8 news from Game Insight early next year!
Update
Game Insight originally told us that Tank Domination would be coming to Windows 8. It turns out that some wires had been crossed, and the game is planned for Windows 8 PCs and tablets - not Windows Phone. A Windows Phone port is still possible after the Windows 8 version comes along, however. Sorry to get your hopes up, Windows Phone gamers.
