Panzer Front was an old PlayStation and Sega Dreamcast (the Dreamcast version was No Export for You) game released way back in 2000; it is not a particularly well known game but some of the lucky few who have played it will remember it very well. The game revolves around the tank battles in Europe, from Kursk to the last days of Nazi Germany in 1945. And unlike most dumbed down Tank games these days, most of it was depicted realistically and utilized every last ounce of power the PSX had back then to produce one of the best looking games of it's time.
As the Title suggests it's Exactly What It Says on the Tin, this was a realistic tank simulator where you were entrusted with the role of a tank commander; that tank could be anything from a Stuart Light Tank to a Tiger II...
A Japan-only Updated Re-release, Panzer Front bis, was released in 2001. It adds a mission editor, voice acting, and a story mode focusing on a German tank crew.
In addition, a sequel, Panzer Front Ausf. B was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2004. It focused on the North African front in 1941 and briefly, the German invasion of France in 1940.
This game has examples of...
- Anachronism Stew: Can be invoked in bis and Ausf. B if you replaced certain vehicles in a level with those from a later timeline (eg. a mission set in 1941 involving Germany usually has at least one Panzer III. You can replace them with Jagdpanthers/Tiger tanks, etc.)
- Artificial Stupidity: Averted, the AI knows how and when to flank you during an attack.
- Crippling Overspecialization: Averted and Subverted depending on the vehicle, Though most do have High-Explosive rounds to deal with other threats like buildings or infantry.
- Cutscene: happens everytime you hit an enemy tank if you don't disable the cutscene option. The story mode has lots of 'em, too.
- Do Not Run with a Gun: justified in that trying to hit anything with your tanks cannon bouncing around is very difficult.
- Fragile Speedster: the game's fictional T69E3 counts. It’s a M 8 A 1 Scott with even better mobility.
- Garrisonable Structures: though you can't occupy anything yourself, you'll be assigned to wreck those in some missions, particularly Pillboxes.
- Glass Cannon: Any open-top Tank Destroyer that has a BFG mounted on the front of it counts.
- Infinity +1 Sword: Or Tank in this case, the heavier Panzers and most of the fictional ones count.
- Kill It with Fire: Although most of the time not directly, though the HEAT rounds (High Explosive Anti Tank) certainly counts as one of them.
- Lightning Bruiser: The AUREOLE has this written all over it, besides being a Jagdpanther with more armor on the front of it as well as some cool looking side-skirts, it's got JET ENGINES strapped behind it.
- Mind Screw: Just what the hell is going on with the story mode?
- More Dakka: Averted, though there are some fast-firing weapons in game, they won't be much use against the vehicles you go up against.
- Nazi Protagonist: As usual like other Japanese WW2 games.
- No Campaign for the Wicked: Averted.
- Translation Convention: The story mode, where everyone speaks Japanese. Averted in any other mode.
- Truth in Television: Almost all of the missions were based on real tank battles during the war. Both the German and Soviet campaigns, not to mention the story mode, featured many missions that take place during the Battle of Kursk.
