After our preview dedicated to Noobz From Poland's World War II-themed strategy distributed by 505 Games, the moment of the final verdict on Total Tank Simulator has arrived. Has its distinctive low-poly style and varied sandbox mode convinced us to the core? Find out in this review.
Welcome to the Second World War
Total Tank Simulator is a strategic one which takes inspiration from the battle simulator genre like Totally Accurate Battle Simulator. Despite the analogy with the title produced by Landfall, Total Tank Simulator extends the possible approaches to combat even further with different game modes.
The story mode offers the player the opportunity to be able choose from six different nations, all with unique campaigns, naturally linked to the events of the Second World War. A noteworthy element is the very structure of the campaigns, they occur similarly to what happened during the Second World War, that is, proceed in a literal advance towards the final goal with a lot of troop management and economic resources.
Sandbox mode is the strong point of this genre of titles. Main fulcrum of the creative and strategic imagination of each player, who can vent their whims in the different scenarios (all strictly low-poly) proposed by the title of Noobz from Poland. You will be the one to choose how many units to have in the war field, you will always be able to choose and experience apparently impossible clashes and you will always be the spectators and active participants of such fights.
Finally shadow mode is dedicated to players who are looking for a real challenge. If in the other two modes you find yourself facing direct clashes against the AI, the the real enemy will be the player himself. In each game you will have to face the troops fielded by you in the previous match, a sort of Fibonacci sequence made into a video game which could be difficult from the first clashes, but we absolutely recommend trying it together with the whole package of modes offered by Total Tank Simulator.
Strategic at the right point
The objective in the battles of Total Tank Simulator is only one: to win the battle using the resources available to be able to buy units to be deployed and respecting some requests imposed by the game, such as eliminating all enemy troops, defending a strategic position or eliminating a VIP.
The positioning of the troops is the crucial part of the experience of this battle simulator, as according to our dispositions and orders we could obtain winning results or not. With the budget made available it is possible to purchase several units such as tanks, artillery, missile launchers, and even structures such as airports or protective bunkers. There is also the presence of '' neutral '' units, that is militias that will join the clash of the faction that will conquer this area first.
However, what differentiates Total Tank Simulator from the rest of the competition is the ability to actively join the battle. By selecting any troop you will be able to take control of them and play like in any first person shooter. You will be free to command a tank and try to destroy as many enemy tanks, or you can choose to fight as the infantry to eliminate as many soldiers as possible.
However, it must be specified, it will not be like playing on Call of Duty, the shooting is acceptable and must also be contextualized for the genre of game in which it is located, underlining how for the purposes of gameplay it is very enjoyable. The freedom of play offered by Noobz From Poland certainly represents the strength of this game, allowing you to switch between active and passive gameplay at any time, thus satisfying the most disparate desires of those who want to impersonate a military strategist or who wants to throw themselves in first person action.
Technical sector
As regards the technical sector of Total Tank Simulator, it must be made clear right away that the writer loves the low-poly graphic style. Taking this into account, the game is very enjoyable, taking advantage of just how the strong point is the polygonal simplicity of all the elements on the screen, lightening the proposed situations, aiming in different ways at a comic streak, unpretentious but with that slight touch of realism for fans of the genre. Finally, we report some small audio bugs found in the closure of the missions that can be safely solved with updates.
Total Tank Simulator is a fun indie that rigorously fulfills its purpose: to offer fun and interaction in a battle simulator. The inclusion of different modes including a campaign based on the Second World War was a great move to diversify the Noobz from Poland stock from other similar titles. Net of some bugs and a margin of repetitiveness due to a not too varied roster of mission types, Total Tank Simulator proves to be a valid title that tries to change the standards of battle simulators.
