Review: Battle Tanks
Game: Battle Tanks
Platform: PlayStation 3 / PlayStation Network
Developer: Gameloft
Price: $9.99
Pros: Another interesting game design comes exclusively to the PSN
Cons: The lack of variety makes the game wear out its welcome
Acquired via Developer
It is no secret that the PlayStation Network is home to some of the most outstanding downloadable offerings available on any platform. In hopes of banking on that legacy, Gameloft, who are more prolifically known as iPhone developers, looks to combine equal parts pinball and high tech artillery in the arcade shooter, Battle Tanks. After all, when you can meld mortar shells and physics puzzles, what’s not to like?
When you think of dual stick shooter mechanics, classics like the Geometry Wars or Super Stardust franchises predominantly come to mind. The common thread that these games share is a flare for the quick, twitch-like action. Though tanks would be one of the last objects imaginable when you think of mobility and quickness, the game manages to convince you that this could in fact exist; granted it would have to be on a parallel planet where engineers thought it was smarter to make a tank mobile, but vulnerable to even the mere thought of gunfire.
Herein lies the juxtaposition of the game: You man a super mobile killing machine capable of dealing large amounts of pain and destruction, but at the same time are so vulnerable that if you were to even sneeze inside of your tank, you may very well kill everyone onboard in a flash that would make the Hindenburg look like a firecracker. Plus, the exterior might as well have been made of eggshells, because they seem to have just about the same density.
Improbably asinine engineering aside, Battle Tanks is a game that brings together the world of physics puzzles and high explosives with relative ease. The goal of each stage is to clear out the enemy tanks. Sure, it sounds simple enough, but when all of the tanks on the grid have turned their fire on you, it is a completely different story altogether. Further complicating the action is the fact that most of the different weapons bounce off the walls, adding in an intriguing ricochet mechanic that takes some serious getting used to.
As the levels become more challenging, you can expect to have numerous missiles and assorted other projectiles bouncing off of the walls like the most deadly game of pong that you have ever seen. That said, this mechanic could be used in your favor, transforming things into an ever-evolving game of death billiards.
Fortunately, the battlefield will continually morph over the course of each match. Simple obstructions such as small buildings and trees can be destroyed, making way for a clearer shot at the opposition. However, there are two sides to every coin. On many occasions, clearing out these obstacles will also in turn make you more vulnerable. Adding further chaos to the action is the several different power-ups that you will come across during the course of the stages. These tend to give you such traits as invulnerability and tend to almost feel as if you are getting an unfair advantage.
However bad using a power-up may make you feel, it comes as no surprise that the limited number of lives that you have can lead to you exploiting these more and more frequently. Players will be equipped with a mere four lives and let loose on the single player campaign. Sure, you have the option to continue right where you left off if you do die, but once again, it feels like cheating in a classic coin-op game.
Don’t feel too bad, though. There are fifty levels in single player that are sure to catch your fancy. This doesn’t mean that you have to struggle by yourself though. Every single player stage can also be played through in two-player co-op, where teamwork and strategy are the true keys to victory. The real brilliance of the game shows through when you are completing the game in this manner.
For every place where the game thrives in co-op, it manages to take it to the next level in the four player, online competitive arenas. You and your four closest, or perhaps not-so-close, friends can showdown in a high-octane battle royale, the likes of which have never been seen on the PlayStation 3. Okay, maybe that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but needless to say, you will enjoy yourself while blowing your friends to kingdom come.
At it’s core, Battle Tanks feels like an experience that you could have been playing for a couple of decades in any number of arcades across the country. The visuals are competent for a PlayStation 3 game, but seem to lack the polish that you have grown to expect from other PSN classics like Super Stardust HD or Flower. There are really not a lot of new things that the game brings to the table that would have the “wow factor” necessary to hook the current generation of console gamers. If you are looking for a good way to pass an afternoon, give it a look, otherwise, nuke it while you have the chance.
This week’s biggest game is easy to pick, and not just because the only its biggest competition is a Rockband port to the PSP. This week we finally get to see Prototype, possibly the most anticipated game being released this summer. I hope you have made time in you schedule, because come Tuesday everyone (old enough to play M rated games) should be playing Prototype.
