Codename: Panzers - Phase One | Game Brain

Codename: Panzers - Phase One Game Cover

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"Codename: Panzers - Phase One" is a real-time strategy game set in World War II, with both single-player and multiplayer modes. As a tank commander, you must make tough decisions to win battles, earn prestige points for upgrades, and survive devastating attacks. The game offers training mode for new players to practice with various units, bombers, and planes.

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Codename: Panzers - Phase One screenshot

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 95 reviews

story8 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

A classic WW2 RTS game that still holds up well after many years, providing enjoyable gameplay and nostalgia for fans.
The game features a variety of units and mechanics, allowing for strategic gameplay without base building, which many players appreciate.
Graphics and sound design are commendable for its time, and the game offers a good mix of challenging missions and replay value.

The game suffers from poor pathfinding and AI issues, making unit control frustrating at times.
There are occasional bugs and crashes, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to a negative experience for some players.
The tutorial is lacking, leaving new players without adequate guidance on controls and game mechanics.

story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
54%
13%
The game's story is characterized by a humorous and engaging narrative, with players appreciating its charm over other titles in the genre. While the missions allow for varied approaches and feature a persistent army system, some players noted a lack of complexity compared to modern RTS games. Overall, the story is well-received, with enjoyable missions and a sense of progression, despite some predictability.
- “The story is very well written, and the panzers themselves are well realized.”
- “It's a top quality military WWII-themed RTS with no resource management or control points to worry about, yet it lets you play out fun missions from start to finish.”
- “Nice little story to the game.”
- “I played for a few hours and suddenly, after the first few missions of the German campaign, I had 'Panzerlied' stuck in my head and wanted to spearhead the assault around the Maginot Line.”
- “As funny as it sounds, you have a fixed force at the beginning of missions and if you do poorly, people... die!”
- “The missions are predictable but not silly.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
9%
18%
The graphics of this older title, while showing their age, are generally praised for their quality and immersive effects, particularly in the context of its 2004 release. Users highlight the impressive physics, such as destructible environments, and commend the game's interface. Overall, the visuals are considered good for their time, with some noting that they still hold up well even in modern settings.
- “For an older title, the graphics held up really well and the interface to the game is well thought out.”
- “The graphics in this 2004 RTS game are incredible, and the gameplay is absolutely magnificent. It's from the real golden age of RTS games, so why be surprised?”
- “Even though its graphics show their old age, DirectX 9 is the correct term; they still dazzle on an NVIDIA laptop.”
- “Even though its graphics show their old age, DirectX 9 is the correct term; it still dazzles on an NVIDIA laptop.”
- “The graphics are bumped up to 1920 x 1080 at 144 Hz.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
The gameplay is praised for its replay value, sophisticated mechanics, and variety of units, particularly in the campaign mode, which encourages multiple playthroughs. While the overall design is considered excellent, some users noted issues with AI pathfinding. The combination of smooth mechanics, a good soundtrack, and simplicity contributes to its status as a standout RTS title.
- “The gameplay during the campaign has a lot of replay value because you have a point system.”
- “There are quite a few mechanics for infantry and vehicles, which gives the game a lot of replay value.”
- “Many ways to win, combined with a good soundtrack and simplicity of gameplay, make this one of the best RTS games that I can remember.”
- “Game mechanics and AI route finding are terrible.”
- “On the first hand, we see very sophisticated mechanics, variety of the units, specifically different tanks and infantry.”
- “There are quite a bit of mechanics for infantry and vehicles which gives the game a lot of replay value.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as predominantly funny, with some moments leaning towards cringe-worthy. Players find amusement in the absurdity of the situations, particularly the consequences of their actions during missions, which adds a darkly comedic twist to the gameplay experience.
- “The story is mostly funny, maybe even cringe.”
- “It's funny.”
- “As funny as it sounds, you have a fixed force at the beginning of missions and if you do something wrong, people... die!”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some users report minor bugs and occasional crashes, others experience smooth performance with no significant issues. The Steam version is noted for being fun despite its bugs, but modders may face more challenges due to stability concerns.
- “Good game, but it can be a bit too buggy and prone to crashing for modders.”
- “The Steam version, although a little buggy, still keeps the fun intact.”
- “I know it's about scale, but it just seems far too close. Apart from not running the opening scene unless you click, there have been no problems, glitches, slow load times, or crashes.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The music in the game is generally praised for complementing the gameplay, with some reviewers highlighting a great soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. However, others feel that the music lacks memorability, making it less impactful in the long run.
- “Many ways to win, combined with a great soundtrack and the simplicity of gameplay, make this one of the best RTS games I can remember.”
- “Great soundtrack.”
- “The music, as part of the package, is not very stirring because I can't recall any of it at all.”
- “The soundtrack is forgettable and lacks any memorable tunes.”
- “The music feels generic and fails to enhance the overall experience.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers significant replayability due to its point system and diverse mechanics for both infantry and vehicles, encouraging players to revisit the campaign for varied experiences.
- “The gameplay during the campaign has a lot of replay value because of the point system.”
- “There are quite a few mechanics for infantry and vehicles, which gives the game a lot of replay value.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's optimization has been criticized for causing stuttering issues during missions, leading some players to refund the game despite initially enjoying it.
- “The game keeps stuttering for me during missions, so I had to refund it, which is unfortunate since I was really enjoying it.”
- “The optimization is terrible; I experience constant frame drops that ruin the gameplay experience.”
- “Despite having a powerful PC, the game runs poorly and often crashes, making it unplayable.”