An upgraded graphics engine, tons of new vehicle and aircraft content, and new sound effects, round up a fairly substantial update coming to the War Thunder series. Version 1.77 is titled ‘Advancing Storm.’

Dagor Engine 5.0

War Thunder introduces a major update for their game engine with ‘Dagor Engine 5.0’ with better shadow effects, better weather effects, better ground effects, and a new global illumination system.

The biggest difference is definitely for tank drivers with better visuals such as cobblestone roads and shadowed areas that now take on more realistic shadows and illumination based on the colours being reflected nearby.

Weather effects have been updated too and the clouds look like they have been tuned slightly from previous versions.

Gaijin also spent some time working on their sound system. New sounds have been added, particularly for tank shell reloading and empty casings dropping to the ground, and sounds reflect on their surroundings better too.

War Thunder was already a good looking game and this update brings the details up another level. Lower detail settings seem to not be affected by any of the improvements and so people with better systems will benefit and the rest will be able to play along as normal.

Lots of new aircraft too

It wouldn’t be a major update for War Thunder without a half dozen new aircraft being added including some Premium types.

The RE.2000 is an Italian fighter being added to the Italian tree. Its very agile, lots of fun, and a Rank 1 fighter with a Battle Rating of 2.0. Armament is typically light with two Breda SAFAT heavy machine guns.

The Spitfire V gets an upgrade in War Thunder with new versions, namely the non-tropical versions of the Spitfire V in both Vb and Vc variations. The model itself has been upgraded with higher details and better textures – and you can fly it for the Italian side too (as a Premium pack).

The British also get the unique Martin-Baker M.B.5 fighter. Considered to be one of the best fighters meant for RAF service in World War II that was never built. The prototype was flown but orders were never placed and production switched to jet fighters. This is a Premium fighter so you have to pay up to fly it.

War Thunder also added the La-200 jet fighter. A weird looking yet well armed jet interceptor with three N-37 cannons.

Another rare interceptor gets in to ‘Advancing Storm’ with the Japanese Ki-108. A high altitude interceptor designed using the Ki-102. This was once again an aircraft with a prototype produced but little progress was made before the end of the war.

That’s just the highlights.

There are more aircraft and all kinds of new tanks and vehicles all listed in the patch notes so watch that or check out the video at the start of this post to see what the developers at Gaijin have been up to.