7.0

Panzer Elite Action: Fields of Glory

Panzer Elite Action follows the story of three tank commanders and their crew. The German commander, flushed with the success of the Blitzkrieg in Poland and France, moves on to the Eastern Front and the brink of victory with the taking of Stalingrad. We meet the Russian commander in desperate straits as he helps defend Stalingrad, and follow him as the tide turns against the Germans and he joins the massive tank battle of Kursk. The American commander enters the war on the Normandy Beachhead on D-Day. After the struggle for the Bocage, he defends the German outbreak at the Battle of the Bulge, and then drives on to the victorious crossing of the Rhine.

Panzer Elite Action: Field of Glory transports players back to the turbulent era of World War II where they must command one of the most powerful vehicles of that time, the gigantic Panzer tank as they fight their way through a variety of historical scenarios. Unfortunately for what should of been an entertaining and action filled journey, soon wears off as the game feels more like a console conversion than a true PC game. With that said, the title is probably more entertaining on the XBox or PlayStation 2 because of the simplified control system.

In its essence, the game is your standard tank simulator where the player must embark on a variety of different missions and complete a variety of quests and sub quests from escorts to all out war. The missions in Panzer Elite Action: Fields of Glory are varied and diverse that include historically accurate missions such as the invasion of Poland in 1939 which is actually quite entertaining or the liberation of Stalingrad in 1943.

Features

• Command your tank through 18 missions over 3 different campaigns and experience the biggest battles of the 2nd World War – from Stalingrad to the tank battle of Kursk to the Beaches of Normandy

• Become the leader of your own squad and employ a wealth of strategies
  The fast paced, action packed game puts you right into the battlefield filled with dozens of AI controlled airplanes, anti tank cannons, infantry and enemy vehicles.

• Feel the power of 30 tons of steel armor around you as you crush through the destructible environment, mowing down trees and destroying entire buildings

• Popular “Conquest” style multiplayer mode for up to 32 players, allowing for complex team strategies utilizing the different tank’s unique advantages
  Additional maps and vehicles available for download after release

The control system of title is rather straightforward with the gamer using the mouse and keyboard to control their tank. Once the control system has been mastered, the player must navigate these huge behemoths through the gaming environment with the ability to crush soldiers and topple trees.

The most annoying thing about the control system if the lack of responsiveness of your tank turrets that move excruciating slow. The control system of the game also feels a little dumbed down on the PC that is great for the novice tank general but frustrating for those that one  a little more out of their games.

However, the developers have made the title rather easy to complete with most vehicles only needing a couple of hits to destroy which makes the gameplay rather easy. For those players that are having difficulty with the enemy, there are various places in the game that can repair your tanks and also give you access to ammunition dumps to increase your stockpiles.

Graphically, Panzer Elite Action: Fields of Glory feels is extremely impressive and features detailed background environments, high resolution textures and some great Hollywood style explosions. The tanks and vehicles are also quite detailed that move with realism and one could say accuracy as they pummel their way through enemy lines.

As with the graphics, the sound effects in the title match the graphics and gameplay perfect with all the sounds and screams from World War II with a touch of background ambience. Match that with a World War II style soundtrack and one can be forgiven in thinking they have been transported back in time.

In conclusion Panzer Elite Action: Fields of Glory is unfortunately lacking that PC "edge" which makes this game just another tank game that is quite easy to master and does not offer the gamer much of a challenge. With great graphics and sound, this title is definitely more suited for console market with its basic control system and mission setup. Still worth checking out if you are a tank simulator fan but bare in mind that this is more arcade than simulation.