World War II – Battle Combat Review

Back Into The Trenches

The World War II genre has been a staple to the video game industry for decades. After initially launching World War II- Battle Combat by Edkon Games GmbH on my Android device, I wasn’t expecting anything groundbreaking. With that said, this title offers quite a bit of content that can satisfy the most hardcore first-person shooter fans. Given that this title is played on an Android device, there are a few quirks that players will need to get accustomed to.

The first thing that’s worth mentioning that there’s no story or campaign in this title. None whatsoever. This is strictly an online competitive shooter. So, if players want to have a few rounds, it’s essential that they have a solid internet connection to assure smooth gameplay. In my experience, my wifi connection dipped down a bar or two and it made the gameplay miserable. There was rubberbanding, lagging and teleportation happening all around me. Having a secure wireless connection in this day and age should be no problem for most players. However, sometimes things happen during matches and janky internet can be detrimental to enjoyment.

Comfortable Boots

That aside, when everything connects, it plays beautifully. Players will use their phones as a standard console controller. The left thumb moves the character and the right thumb is for executing an action. Any player that’s well-versed with the controls of Battlefield and Call of Duty will be able to jump into battle right away. Using a flat surface as a controller can feel alien in comparison to the practicality of console hardware. However, after a few rounds, I started getting the hang of it. Currently, this title offers Team Deathmatch, Capture Point, Deathmatch, Knives Only and Arms Race.

Players will start off with a standard machine gun and after each round, XP gathers up rather heartily. It wasn’t long before I was unlocking new skins, rifles, consumables and grenades. Matches launch after only a few seconds and the fast-paced action can get the adrenaline pumping. The music in World War II – Battle Combat is nothing to write home about, but the gunfire is music in itself. It is loud, crisp, and accurate. Thus, there are a plethora of unlockables to obtain by the usage of in-game gold coins collected after each match. They can be a bit pricey, but they each offer stats that can really make a difference in combat. There are also loot boxes that come in daily variations and some even open just by watching advertisements.

Spoils of War

The menu system in World War II- Battle Combat is dense. The menus will consist of customizing weapons and upgrading equipment using XP points that are very similar to Sniper Online. Plus, players can get new magazines, muzzles and stocks through the accumulation of the in-game currency. They can even unlock trinkets for their rifles that are akin to Apex Legends. There are only five maps available, but they’re all different in terms of flow and strategy. The bombed-out city map offers a verticality that makes handy sniping vantage points. Additionally, the beach map is a closed-in, intimate battle that has multiple paths and chokepoints. There’s also a burned-down city with trenches to have stand-offs with along with a warehouse that provides a claustrophobic situation with tightly knit gunfights. Every map gives off a unique sense of place with each round.

Graphically, this title does a good job capturing the essence of the WWII first-person shooters of yesteryear. It’s nothing that I haven’t seen a hundred times before, but it’s still impressive for an Android title. There’s a variety to the design of the maps and all the weapons have a sense of weight. Players will be able to jump, crouch and aim with their weapons with ease. The configuration feels natural and I was getting mad K/D ratios with my initial playthroughs. Some of the rifles can feel a little overpowered. One example was that I was getting cheap kills using my upgraded garand with just one headshot from across the map. However, these are just nagging balancing issues that can be patched up if the developers wish and it is nothing really game-breaking.

Some Things Never Die

World War II – Battle Combat offers the closest thing to a handheld Call of Duty or Battlefield clone I ever played. Sure, there may be some connection hindrances and it may be a fundamentally unoriginal concept, but the game’s still fun. Therefore, for anyone that is hankering for a bare-bones first-person WWII title, then this is something that’s in need of attention.