Upon diving into our demo of World of Tanks at Wargaming's Chicago studio, creative director and executive producer TJ Wagner jokes that he had to reprimand his art team for putting too many “butterflies and bunnies” into the competitive multiplayer game's upcoming Xbox One version.

World of Tanks Xbox One and Xbox 360 Comparison 2 IMAGES

You see, while the free-to-play, PvP-focused tank battler features the same content as its Xbox 360 counterpart, the new-gen version, according to Wagner, sports “much better, higher fidelity graphics.” More than just allowing his artists to add more of Mother Nature's cute critters to the battlefield, though, this makeover means every asset, from the leaves on the trees to the rivets on the tanks, will look significantly better.On top of harnessing the latest Havok physics engine for enhanced destruction effects, the game isfully leveraging flow-mapping tech and HDR (high dynamic range) skies to deliver a world that's as breathtaking as it is brutal. In fact, as an in-game voice commands Wagner to “Move in!”, we're not bombarded by explosive shells, but are taken on a sightseeing tour of sorts. Rolling past postcard-rivaling settings, such as scenic streams, lush foliage, and a gorgeous blue sky, we witness all this polygon-pushing tech in action.The flow-mapping, for example, allows the trees to sway naturally in the wind and the water to realistically flow past rocks, while the HDR technology shelves static skies and painted backdrops for puffy white clouds that float across big blue vistas in a way that wouldn't look out of place in a nature documentary. Our preview takes place on the game's classic Abbey Road map, but Wagner promises all 40 maps will receive the same level of polish, with every last asset receiving the same attention to detail.Not to be outdone by their pretty battlefields, all 400 of the game's tanks have been built from scratch to take advantage of the new-gen hardware. From the treads to each individual rivet, everything is being articulated in HD. As we ogle the visually stunning artillery, Wagner states that the tanks actually feature “two and a half times more polygons compared to their Xbox 360 cousins, with the more complex models sporting up to 50,000.”Of course, realism-ratcheting war machines and eye-popping scenery only represent a part of World of Tank's Xbox One face-lift. Players engaging in the epic 15v15 encounters will also be treated to a much more authentic battle experience thanks to volumetric smoke and that aforementioned physics-fueled tech. Wagner promises amazing particle effects, more realistic flames and explosions, and an overall experience that will inject additional life into the metal-twisting melees.When World of Tanks rolls onto Xbox One later this year, it won't feature any new content or console-specific exclusives. It will, in fact, be the exact same game—save for the graphical overhaul—that's hosted more than 40 million battles on the Xbox 360.Wargaming doesn't want to divide its passionate fanbase, but instead bring them together in one big cross-platform family. The content parity will not only allow last- and current-gen armchair commanders to destroy each other; it will let them talk trash, strategize—via server-based voice support—and access the two titles within a single account. Best of all, at least for Achievement hunters, players can grow their gamerscore in both versions.Those who do choose to unleash hell on Xbox One, will, of course, be able to take full advantage of the system's social media hooks, from Twitch streaming to screen-sharing. The game's new Team Training mode, which encourages players to mess around and organize customized battles with friends, should provide the perfect place to stage those YouTube-worthy moments.Wagner adds that dynamic weather patterns, the ability for fires to burn and spread, and a prettied-up garage will also welcome World of Tank's Xbox One recruits. In short, he ensures the from-the-ground-up graphical overhaul will deliver an experience that's “more alive and more like war.”

Freelance writer Matt Cabral has never been in a real tank, but he did roll over an empty beer can once in his '99 Jeep Cherokee. It was pretty epic.