Aktion

User Score
7.0

Presentation - 7.0
Gameplay - 9.0
Value - 6.0

The gameplay is simple enough — NormalTanks is a top-down multi-directional tank shooter in strange tanks universe with fantasy injections, where you just kills eveything that moves (and eveything attacks you for unknown reason). You play as lonely tank, fully armored and can change between your machine gun (infinite ammo) and your canon (limited ammo), and you can pick up upgrades for both weapon types (plus armor and speed after get pump weapons enough), as well as your armor, as you shoot your way through 8 different environments, each with about 3 stages. Enemies include other tanks, of course, but you’ll also encounter some weirder types, such as suicidal bio-mechanical cave bats and spiders that explode upon impact with your tank.

There are 3 difficulty levels and the game saves your progress after each stage, so whether you’re casually playing through the game or looking for a serious challenge, the game feels welcoming. As for graphics, NormalTanks has some nice looking pre-rendered models and lighting/shading effects, but it certainly doesn’t put any strain on the PSP’s hardware. PS3 looks is bit better, both PS3 and PSP feature nice realtime-shadows-wannabe effect which defenitely adds some beauty to picture.

The controls is an important part - as its been adopted from the mouse controls, its quite complicated to make it buttons but guys at Beatshapers seems found solution which require some skill but you adapt to it in few minutes.

The game has some - alone-save-universe-plot and even ending movie. The gameplay and especially bosses recalls me NES's Contra (remember red buttons!) and in general is energyzing and alive.

I highly recommend this game - its not perfect game but the most action games avalable on PSN as minis.