Tank Operations: European Campaign
- November 22, 2013
- Linked Dimensions
Get on Steam"Tank Operations: European Campaign" is a turn-based strategy game set in World War II. Players command either Axis or Allied forces in various campaigns across Europe, with a focus on tank warfare. The game offers different levels of difficulty, historical accuracy, and various units and upgrades to utilize in battle.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has an addictive nature and can provide hours of strategic gameplay.
- Some players appreciate the interesting gameplay mechanics, such as naval warfare and supply management.
- The graphics and unit textures are visually appealing, contributing to an engaging experience.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs, crashes, and performance issues, making it frustrating to play.
- Gameplay is unbalanced, with overpowered enemy units and a lack of strategic depth, leading to repetitive and grindy experiences.
- Controls are unintuitive, and the interface is poorly designed, making it difficult for players to understand unit strengths and game mechanics.
- gameplay16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay is heavily inspired by Panzer General but struggles to establish its own identity, with many reviewers noting unbalanced mechanics and a frustrating supply system. While some players appreciate the added complexity of movement and resupply, others find it detracts from the overall experience, leading to a grindy and repetitive cycle. Overall, the game has potential but suffers from poor design choices and a lack of difficulty options.
“Very Panzer General-like but stands out with its own gameplay elements.”
“Overall, the gameplay seems interesting and I'll continue to play.”
“It also has some interesting gameplay mechanics, like carriers, naval warfare, and supplies.”
“Movement and resupply are elements I felt detracted from gameplay, but others may like the extra planning considerations when it comes to protecting and keeping ammo and fuel nearby.”
“A real bad clone of Panzer General with some lacking mechanics (infantry does a ridiculous amount of damage against fortifications even when attacking from behind, meaning that a close assault is not counted by the game).”
“There are a host of poor game mechanics that are just mind-bogglingly dumb, like ships that don't move and a lousy supply system.”
- story13 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Reviewers express significant frustration with the game's story progression, citing poor mission balance and unclear objectives that hinder enjoyment. Many players report frequent crashes and stalemates, particularly in early missions, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction and confusion about gameplay mechanics. Overall, the narrative experience is marred by technical issues and a lack of clarity, detracting from the intended strategic depth.
“I thought it would be the spiritual successor to games like Panzer General, but it suffers from terrible balancing and missions that take way too long to complete.”
“The mission objectives and tutorials are not clear (possibly a bad translation).”
“Horribly unbalanced, not fun and once you actually do muddle through a mission it crashes!”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users describing them as poor and reminiscent of amateur art projects. While some appreciate the retro art style and find it nostalgic, others criticize the execution and overall quality, suggesting that it detracts from the gameplay experience. Overall, the graphics seem to be a significant drawback for many players.
“If you like games like Panzer General, this is similar but with a bit more modern graphics.”
“Sure, the graphics aren't truly perfect; they look like Civil War generals, which is actually not a bad thing though.”
“I personally don't mind the art style in these kinds of games.”
“Graphics are a blurry mess, looks like something kids would have made in 6th grade art class.”
“Graphics were poor and overall game quality was antiquated.”
“Graphics 6”
- music5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been widely criticized as subpar and forgettable, with some reviewers likening it to "elevator music." While the sound effects received a mixed response, many players felt that the overall audio experience lacked depth and ambiance, detracting from the game's enjoyment.
“SFX 6-10 (the sound is okay, but some more ambient music would make it more enjoyable)”
“An interesting take on WW2 combat, but the music is atrocious; it sounds like elevator music.”
“Music is forgettable.”
“The sound and music are subpar; as a wargamer, I think you can probably find something better with very little effort.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and frequent freezing issues that hinder gameplay. Many feel it was released prematurely, resulting in an unbalanced experience and frustrating AI, making it difficult to progress through missions. Overall, players advise against purchasing the game due to its unfinished state and lack of developer support.
“So first and foremost, this game was not ready for a full release. The AI is terrible and the game is not balanced for a fair fight. I found myself outnumbered and on the losing end more times than I can count. The game unlocks after certain campaigns are completed, so if you're stuck on one, you will have to beat it to progress at all. The game is decently fun, but many bugs, glitches, freezing, and other issues make it not worth it in my opinion. The sound and music are subpar. As a wargamer who loves Panzer Corps and Order of Battle, I think you can probably find something better with very little effort, but if you're just wanting it, there is a game here; you just have to dig to find it.”
“Curiously, while the devs don't maintain the game, they seem able to jump on Steam and adjust the price every now and then, keeping it at a ludicrously high $28.95 for a buggy, unfinished mess.”
“I can't get through the 4th mission because it freezes every time when I have only about 2 rounds left to win.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users indicate that the fifteen-year-old version of the game offers improved playability, with some even finding older games to have better balance and replay value. Overall, the replayability is rated positively, with a score of 8.
“Replay value: 8”
“The fifteen-year-old version is more playable.”
“I have games that are 20+ years old that are more playable and certainly better balanced.”
“Replay value is only 8.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a rushed cash grab, leading to numerous flaws and game-breaking bugs that remain unaddressed due to a lack of post-launch support from the developers.
“Unfortunately, the game was rushed out by the developers in a quick and dirty cash grab, containing numerous flaws and game-breaking bugs that were never fixed because they stopped maintaining the game after launch.”
“The monetization system feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy basic features that should have been included in the game from the start.”
“It's frustrating to see that the game prioritizes profit over player experience, with constant prompts to purchase in-game currency and items.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, as it quickly devolves into a repetitive cycle of building stacks, attacking, and facing counter-attacks, contrasting unfavorably with more streamlined mechanics in similar games.
“It gets very grindy, very quickly, as you build a mess of new stacks, hurl them at the enemy's airbase (which is apparently located in a bunker, as opposed to the nice neat mechanic of Panzer Corps where you roll a tank in and capture it), do a little damage, wipe out the enemy nearby, get wiped out by their counter-attack, lather, rinse, repeat.”
