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Tank Racer (PS1)

Tank Racer PSX
Genre: Action, Racing / driving
Perspective: Behind view, Top-down
Gameplay: Shooter
Interface: Direct control
Vehicular: Tank
Published by: Grolier Interactive UK Ltd.
Developed by: Glass Ghost
Released: 1998
Platform: PlayStation (PSX, PS1)

Let's start with the fact that the goal of this, like any game of this genre, is to, using the maneuverability of your car and available means, drive three laps and take first place, if possible without breaking the joystick. This is not easy to do, because not only do you need to turn the steering wheel like a madman to fit into sharp turns, but also annoying rivals push, shoot and generally try in every possible way to come first. But it is not clear why: they do not give money for this, without exaggeration to say heroic, deed. And the low-art vases with handles depicted in the cutscene, that is, prizes, do not inspire at all. In short, why - for nothing, but you have to go.

Rivals on the track are represented by a total of eight pieces, each tank is equipped with a cannon, the main and, I must say, ineffective weapon. It is much more effective to destroy all those who get confused under the tracks, with additional funds generously scattered throughout the track. Their selection is quite large. This is a bomb with a wide radius of destruction, similar to a vacuum. And a plate of aliens: if you hit an opponent’s piece of iron with such a thing (which is not easy), then the rainbow beam drags the loser in an unknown direction, and you, accordingly, take his place. There are also different types of mines. There is no need to explain what to do with them: you scatter them where you have to, and run away so as not to undermine yourself. Seeker missiles are also a good thing, they almost always hit the target. Along the way, I warn you with all responsibility: no matter how much you hammer at the enemy’s tanks, not a single one of them can be destroyed. This is understandable: the races, here the weapon is needed only in order to slow down the rivals for a while, and then cheerfully and beautifully overtake them.

The tracks, on which you will have the opportunity to show your ability to drive tanks and shoot accurately, are quite original. Although still the graphic side leaves much to be desired. I especially did not like cows and other animals, and not at all because I do not like wild and domestic nature. On the contrary, it was the unnaturalness of the animals I met on my way that almost plunged me into horror. As if in a backward collective farm, where all the cattle died, they put on plywood figures and casually scattered them along the road to show the authorities. However, I don’t know, maybe this was done specifically so that the Society for the Protection of Animals was not in a claim: they say that it’s you who crush cows with tanks in the game. Be that as it may, it is impossible to believe that even one of these plywood creatures can hum.

There are about nine different tracks in the game. Not to say that a lot, but not a little, I had enough. The tracks themselves are small, and three laps can be easily overcome in a minute and a half. Now we smoothly go directly to the tanks. There are four of them in each level. Oh, yes, I have not yet told how, in fact, the competitions themselves are held. The system here is this: you need to win three cups - silver, bronze and gold. To do this, you need to drive six tracks, if possible, taking first place in each. After passing all six tracks, points are calculated, and if the first place is yours, you get another cup, after which you can try to take the next one. However, back to our sheep, that is, tanks. In each level, there are four models to choose from, which differ in color and supposedly characteristics. For example, gray, according to the technical data, should have the most powerful gun, and yellow should have the highest speed. But here's what's strange: during the game, all these characteristics are somehow not very noticeable. It seems that you choose the fastest tank, but you still lag behind, swallowing dust from under the tracks of your rivals. And the promise of the most powerful gun remains somewhere in the field of propaganda: so to speak, a weapon of retaliation that no one has ever seen. Race-combat vehicles and landscape elements in Tank Racer are extremely durable. Although when a projectile hits the roadway, holes remain, just like on the hulls of tanks, but apart from these dents from the shells, no other changes noticeable to the eye occur.

There is music in this game (where without it), however, it is very boring and not memorable, which cannot be said about the sounds: loud explosions, the whistle of rockets and the rattle of caterpillars when cornering more than replace the inexpressive musical accompaniment. To the delight of those who do not like to play alone, there is a mode for two, of course, on one screen. There are two types of games: the first is an unremarkable race, the same as for one. You just need to drive three laps: whoever came first, he won. Pretty boring. But there is a second option: a tank battle! Here the goal is not just to wind circles, but to "roll" the opponent in the literal and figurative sense, to remove the entire scale from him, for which you need to use a weapon. Although there is a minus here: the battle maps are very small. But in general, you can have fun.

So, perhaps, it's time to give the final verdict to the game Tank Racer.
In the bottom line, we have, on the one hand, average quality graphics, boring music and poor detailing of tanks. At the same time, a variety of weapons, a fairly strong AI of opponents, various bonus games (for example, you can play tennis with the help of tanks, that’s still a joy) and a top-secret model of a tank on which you won’t be able to compete for prizes, but you can, to spite everyone , once again freely rush along the already passed routes. All this, of course, compensates for the disadvantages. And, of course, one cannot remain silent about the undoubted element of fascination, which makes this simple "ride" quite worthy of going through to the end, and then, with a sense of accomplishment, forgotten. However, I know people who are able to endlessly dangle on these pieces of iron along hackneyed tracks and say that they think well at the same time. Yes, and the last statement: I didn’t go through this race to the end either, that is, I didn’t take the most important cup, which I don’t regret at all. I don't like racing, oh I don't. Although I fully admit the existence of other points of view on this matter.