E3 2013 Preview: World of Warships takes the battle out to sea in 2014

World of Warships is currently in development and isn't due out for some time, but I was able to get an exclusive look at the upcoming MMO at the Wargaming booth at this year's E3. The game was presented in a personal theater room, and while what I saw was pre-alpha footage, it gave a clear indication of what to expect. If you're a fan of the company's other ventures such as World of Tanks and World of Warplanes, this next title may offer up a change of pace that's still in line with those titles.

The upcoming World of Warships takes on a much slower, much more methodical pace than its land and aerial counterparts. Gameplay is centered around a rock, paper, scissors battle style, with all warships being both more powerful than some ships but vulnerable to other types. A green bar shows you the amount of health your ship has, meanwhile a blue bar displays its buoyancy. Keeping track of both is essential to surviving on the water while taking on enemy ships.

You have access to an aircraft carrier, which allows for some heavy offense on your enemies. Though you have a limited number of attack planes at your disposal, you can opt to send them all out one after the other. Due to the fact that these airborne “weapons” run on fuel, however, don't expect them to be in the air and raining down bullets on your foes for too long. Also, due to some stringent ESRB rules, there will not be any kamikaze planes.

Wargaming is currently looking into how weather conditions can be implemented to create a more disastrous and hectic experience for players. For the game's release, though, there won't be any weather conditions, but don't rule that element out just yet. Somewhere along the road this feature could be added to the game to provide a dramatic shift in naval warfare.

Like in other Wargaming projects, World of Warships offers up 15-on-15 competitive modes including capture the flag. Additionally, there will be four class types, each of which has nine tiers. You'll be able to select real-life ships from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan. Each will have nuances specific to their country's technology and hardware, which should make the selection process quite interesting.

If you're a Wargaming fan and are looking for something different to play from the company, the slower pace of World of Warships may suit your needs. The game will hit the free-to-play MMO market in 2014.

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