Hot take: I like the new Reforged UT4.

I know the community here has been very negative on this topic recently, and I wanted to make this to show that negativity isn't the only response this community has to show for all the work WG has been putting into porting the game over to UE5.

DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with Wargaming in any way. I have been playing Blitz since 2014, and I have seen many of the ups and downs of this game. I also have negative thoughts on them as a company, and this is in no way a glaze of WG. Also, please read this post in its entirety before commenting, as I may already speak on a thought you have here, saving us all some time.

Also, mods, I would appreciate some help in ensuring that the discussion in this post is civil. I am aware that this is a sensitive subject here, and I want to keep this discussion respectful. I do not intend to argue with or insult anyone in this post; I am simply stating my thoughts on the new test.

So, with all that said and done, let's talk about Reforged.

First, the bad:

I do not think that the Reforged update is perfect by any means, and here are the complaints I have. First of all, I don't like the way the scoreboard is in the new update. Instead of counting how many tanks have been destroyed, the scoreboard counts how many tanks are alive. This is confusing to me, and I would much rather it be the other way, or at least have an option to change it. Second, I don't particularly like the music in the game. It's not terrible, and I can live with it, but I prefer the music in the current Blitz. Third, the camera shake when firing and receiving shots is underwhelming, to say the least. It is a small part of the game, but I like firing large guns and feeling the shake of the thunderous cannon. Fourth, and probably most controversial (you will see why soon), I don't like the implementation of sets in Reforged. Introducing sets into the game is a unique opportunity for Wargaming to shift around the lines that currently exist to make them less confusing and to make every tank in a line play similarly to the tank before it. Unfortunately, with the current implementation of sets in the Reforged test, all the sets do is add a little icon next to the existing tech tree line. I think that if WG is going to add sets, they should lean into it and make each set much more representative of the playstyle of tanks in that set. Or, in layman's terms, they should actually make it so every tank in a set plays nearly the same way. This currently doesn't exist in some sets, with the worst offender being the Death Star in the AT set. In its current existence, sets don't make any sense because it's just the same tech tree with a new little logo slapped onto each line. My final complaint is with the economy in the game. With the introduction of modules costing silver instead of just experience, the game becomes grindier. I would like to see a small boost to credit production to compensate for that.

Next, the good:

I really like the overall feel of the game. When I tested UT3, despite adding many changes that benefited the game, it still felt oversaturated, and some things felt off, like the movement of the tanks being too fast and responsive. This new test fixed those issues very effectively. I really like the graphics of UT4, and I also really like the feel of the tanks. Speaking of the tanks, the models for the tanks look really good. I know some are imported straight from World of Tanks PC, which I have no problem with, but some are also made by hand (ex. the WZ Blaze, which has no PC counterpart). I am also a big fan of the ability to instantly queue again after your tank is destroyed, so long as you have premium time. I think that the dynamic music that plays when you get a kill is awesome, and I love that addition to the game. I also appreciate the removal of unwanted features: notably commanders, iron (for consumables), the lack of ability to upgrade modules of the player's choice, the commander voices, the styling of boosters to look like soda (???), the 90% removal of needing keys to unlock sets, the removal of tiers going up to 8 instead of 10, the removal of numbers in tank tier and inclusion of roman numerals, and much more that I am probably forgetting.

There's probably more that I could go on about regarding the good, but let me put it this way: when I started playing Reforged, I forgot that I was testing a prototype of a video game. I was having fun to the point that I completed my 30 battles quite easily.

Finally, the meh:

There are a few things that WG has promised but hasn't delivered yet. This includes the modules for upgrades and optimization of the game. I personally haven't had many issues with frames, but I also have a higher-end PC that I play on, and I know that other people with lower-end devices have had troubles with the game. I am also not in love with the sets in their current state. I really think that if WG is going to introduce sets, they should go all in on it and make sets that make sense by playstyle, not nation. The current sets seem like a weak attempt at trying to change the way progression works, and the only benefit I currently see them having over the current tech tree system is that you can play any tank in the set to progress towards new tanks. I also have concerns about monetization and how they will introduce things like draws and other gambling methods that I disapprove of. However, I personally doubt that they will take advantage of players through selling keys, as they are nearly useless and can be earned for free by playing the game.

That's all I have! I hope you understand my point of view and engage in a healthy discussion in the comments. Thank you for reading this. I know it's a wall of text, but I don't feel like there is an easier way to get out my complex thoughts on this matter. I want to be clear that I am open-minded to your concerns and thoughts and willing to change them based on new information, and I hope you are the same way, too.