Written by Alexander O. Cuaycong and Anthony L. Cuaycong
Title: Girls und Panzer: Dream Tank Match
Developer: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Price: $59.99
Genre: Action
For those who aren’t steeped in anime, Girls und Panzer: Dream Tank Match may be difficult to comprehend. The Bandai Namco Entertainment release is rooted in the series that took Japan by storm in 2012. At first glance, the combination seemed absurd. Cute girls and tanks in episodic doses? Fortunately, convention was wrong, and it proved to be engrossing with its light-hearted tone and polished absurdity. In this regard, gamers will be pleased to know that Dream Tank Match is just as compelling as its eponymous source material.
Following the exploits of Miho Nishizumi at Öarai Girls High School, Girls und Panzer is a classic sports story, but with tanks. Involving armored vehicle treads, friendship, and the typical ups and downs of any underdog story, it is ridiculous but amusing, featuring a vast array of characters from different schools and nationalities, all with their own quirks and style. Dream Tank Match expands on this premise and follows the series’ canon, rehashing key fights and stringing them together in a story mode alongside long but admittedly captivating introductory segments.
For the impatient, these moments can overstay their welcome; still, they’re integral to fleshing out the characters and the premise of the series, as well as to setting the tone of Dream Tank Match overall. To be sure, the latter likewise benefits from the memorable music (lifted from its origins), the bantering between characters (even during combat), and the campy but stylistic environments (a nod to the show's many locations).
Certainly, Dream Tank Match doesn't hold back when it comes to establishing its setting. It also doesn't take itself too seriously and benefits from its humor. As for the game mechanics, it takes a loose approach to combat; it eschews the slow-paced, methodical crawl of other tank simulators and instead injects a pseudo-run-and-gun arcade feel. Tanks take more damage when hit from the sides or the rear, and given how the armor shells curve and drop with distance, aggressive positioning and movement are keys to covering weak spots and, conversely, exposing the enemies' own vulnerable points. Seemingly simplistic at a glance, it provides surprising depth in the face of the tanks’ maneuverability and capacity to drift, turn, and move. And there’s ample variety, too, with over 40 tanks to unlock and customize, all offering distinct handling and playing styles.
Admittedly, Dream Tank Match presents tradeoffs. Players can get lost in the sheer amount of customization on offer, only to then proceed to story missions that can be straightforward and relatively shallow. Thankfully, the side modes overcome the main story’s simplistic designs. The Free Mode, in particular, allows for matchup variety and customization, with a pleasantly competent multiplayer option to boot.
In sum, Dream Tank Match is a welcome addition to the Girls und Panzer lineage, paying homage to its roots while exhibiting the polish and depth expected of a modern-day video game. The combats may be unrealistic, but gamers would do well to remember that they’re from a title about cute girls driving tanks and shooting at each other in the name of fair play and good sportsmanship. It strikes a good, if delicate, balance between fan service and original content, and, on the whole, provides a good avenue to introduce otherwise-averse quarters to the show. And while longtime fans will likely pick it up from store shelves on sight, they’ll revel in its familiar humor and dialogue, and then delight in its gameplay.
THE GOOD
- Fast-paced, interesting combat
- High amount of customization and replay value
- Good balance between familiar and inventive content
THE BAD
- Story segments cannot be skipped and may overstay their welcome
- Straightforward story mode
- Simplistic
RATING: 8/10
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