Steel Panthers (video game)
Steel Panthers is video game released in 1995, and is the first game of the Steel Panthers video game series.
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Developer(s) | Strategic Simulations |
Publisher(s) | Mindscape |
Producer(s) | Tom Wahl |
Designer(s) | Gary Grigsby |
Programmer(s) | Keith Brors Gary Grigsby |
Composer(s) | Rick Rhodes |
Series | Steel Panthers |
Platform(s) | DOS |
Release | 1995 |
Genre(s) | Tactical wargame Turn-based tactics |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Gameplay
Players control individual tanks and vehicles from a top-down perspective, on a map with a hexagonal overlay. Infantry are mostly in squad/section (8-12 men) sized units, but some units, like snipers, can be controlled individually. The whole force under a player's control would typically be Battalion sized, but may be as small as a Platoon or Company, or as large as a Regiment/Brigade.
The game is turn-based and played against the AI or other humans via email or hotseat.
As with other tactical turn-based wargames, the game features realistic military control, with the smallest common units being squads, up to a brigade sized force. The player takes control of nearly every aspects of warfare around his soldiers, from simple ammunition usage, to the morale, disposition, and command-chain of his troops.
The game features: packed single-battle scenarios and campaigns (either branched or linear), single battle generator, campaign generator, and long campaign generator.
Reception
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A reviewer for Maximum stated that "From the producers of Warlord I and II, Steel Panthers is everything you'd expected, with authentic WWII footage and over 200 digitized photographs of tanks adding an interesting dimension to the proceedings. A must for any war game guru." They gave it 3 out of 5 stars.[2]
Steel Panthers was named the best wargame of 1995 by Computer Gaming World, PC Gamer US and Computer Games Strategy Plus.[3][4][5] It also won Computer Game Review's 1995 "Military Sim of the Year" award, tied with Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness.[6] The editors of PC Gamer US called it "easily one of the best tactical simulations ever developed for the PC."[3]
In 1996, Computer Gaming World declared Steel Panthers the 53rd-best computer game ever released.[7] Steel Panthers and Steel Panthers II were named, collectively, the 62nd best computer game ever by PC Gamer UK in 1997.[8]
Reviews
- PC Gamer Vol. 2 No. 12 (1995 December)
References
- Klett, Steve (December 1995). "Steel Panthers". PC Games. Archived from the original on October 18, 1996.
- "Maximum Reviews: Steel Panthers". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine. Emap International Limited (3): 158. January 1996.
- Editors of PC Gamer (March 1996). "The Year's Best Games". PC Gamer US. 3 (3): 64, 65, 67, 68, 71, 73–75.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
- Staff (June 1996). "The Computer Gaming World 1996 Premier Awards". Computer Gaming World (143): 55, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 67.
- Staff (November 2000). "A Decade of Gaming; Award Winners of 1995". Computer Games Magazine (120): 56–58, 60, 62, 66, 68, 70–76.
- Staff (April 1996). "CGR's Year in Review". Computer Game Review. Archived from the original on October 18, 1996.
- Staff (November 1996). "150 Best (and 50 Worst) Games of All Time". Computer Gaming World (148): 63–65, 68, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 84, 88, 90, 94, 98.
- Flynn, James; Owen, Steve; Pierce, Matthew; Davis, Jonathan; Longhurst, Richard (July 1997). "The PC Gamer Top 100". PC Gamer UK (45): 51–83.