Tank Universal

Tron-inspired retro visuals and sound accompany flawed gameplay. Locked 30 fps and poor performance

Slow and clunky but graphics have charm. Average story and below-average gameplay. Old game.

Is barely functional on systems above windows 7. If you do manage to get it to work, it's really not worth the effort. A nice idea, but very rough around the edges.

I've played this game since sometime near it's release when it was on WildTangent, maybe around 2010 or so (I didn't begin using steam until 2014). Picked the game up when I was 7, loved it since, now I'm almost 19 and still playing it. I don't know what keeps bringing me back to this game, but I don't think I'll be dropping it anytime soon, and I sure as hell won't forget it.

See, it's hard to give this a good rating but I give it regardless since I love this game to some extent, I've known it for a long long time ever since I was around 6 years old. Literally one of the many great childhood games I played... but man, please do some re-work around stage 8 so I can actually be able to get the achievement of evacuating every transport without getting them destroyed. One thing is possible, another is almost impossible that it takes too many tries to beat it. Again, I absolutely love this game even till this date and I do recommend it for those old players that have been around in the 2000's era. Game is a Tron type of game aka: Sci-Fy/Fi, you get through some combat mechanics and arenas, you can upgrade your tank and make it stronger, you can upgrade your abilities that can be earned through shards by killing other tanks. Overall the game could take about I'd say 5 hours to beat?
Other than that, 82/100.
What needs to be fixed? Stage 8, make it much more possible. It doesn't even have to change the hard or medium difficulty, just the easy difficulty that needs to change to make this achievement possible, otherwise some people may lose their minds trying to get this.
Any other way I can think of unlocking the achievement would be to use an achievement unlocker.

this game is kinda a classic. i've played it multiple times over from a really young age and never got sick of it.
gameplay is awesome. it's a good mix between action and using your brain and it makes me really get into it. the worlds created here are artificial and bland while being lively and interesting, everything really feels animate. the story is weird and bad and the graphics are kinda yucky but it's an indie game from 2008. really recommend giving it a chance if you have the time or money.

This game was ahead of its time. I played it when it first came out, and again when i turned 16, and it still holds up. Awesome game, i was PSYCHED when Tank Universal 2 came out, and I'm currently playing through that.

I got this game some years ago in a game pack and kept putting off playing it. Honestly, it didn't look very good. But, I tried it out and wow, it was great. Reminded me a lot of Battle Tanx on the 64 (cause of the simplicity of the combat). I really enjoyed it, and it was a pleasant surprise.

Been playing this game since I was 10 and have bought it 3 or 4 times. If that dosn't tell you how good I think it is, then take me at this it's worth your money just know the second game was a disappointment.

Retro style and retro gameplay.
At first when playing the game the I though it was fairly recent...
but its 13 years old.

First off: INSANE PROPS to the SINGLE CREATOR of this game. The outstanding work and dedication is astounding.

Tank Universal: a simple game with a silly 80s-esque plot, 80s-esque style and... well ok, it's basically Tron with tanks. And it's AWESOME; a real chill, tubular time. This game is better than the second version by a long shot. Stay retro ;)

One aspect I personally appreciate is stronger mission and map design--the maps and objectives are more unique and tailor a wider range of experiences, "challenges," and enjoyment, whereas the second's sandbox feeling lacks character.

Another thing accomplished in this is sensible damage output and input. You may gain the sense you're invincible if you play on easy or normal, but you can still get caught off guard if you're not thinking about damage or strategy when necessary.

The aesthetic accomplished in Tank Universal 1 is superior as well. Though graphically inferior, it accomplishes more with simplicity and an imitation Tron texture on people, tanks, environments, weapons, etc. Sound effects fit more in this version. Some crossed over into the second, but all sounds related to tanks were changed, which messes with your memory.

Tank movement is heavier in this version and the upgrade system is simpler. I like some of the faster responses and full 16:9 resolution from the second game, as well as the tank upgrade system. The story in this first version takes itself less seriously as well, yet it has some moments of impact or interest.

Overall, an incredibly memorable game. I actually got Steam as soon as I found out the name of the game--I hadn't played it in over 10 years since my Wild Tangent days, and it's no longer on that. It's just as much fun now, if not more, because I'm an adult with somewhat better motor skills and strategy. A pity there aren't more skirmish options.

This game is a diamond in the rough. I don't even remember where and how I got it, and after putting the game down for the night, next thing in the morning I was wondering whether I've seen a fever dream.

It is janky, somewhat awkward and buggy, But I have had genuine fun! The story is weird and there are jarring tone leaps here and there, but overall it's a simple enough plot to carry me through. It takes a lot of inspiration from TRON (maybe some other cult classics I am not familiar with), and it works really well!

The writing is somewhat janky as well, though I assume it wasn't written in English originally.

Also the music is an absolute bop.

This is a great game to play, great story-line and just a huge battle against tanks. The graphics are still petty good even for this games old age. The levels are petty good as well and the environment is petty large for some of the missions. There isn't a custom battles that you can create on the map like the second allows that. The A.I in the first game are not that unlike the A.I in the second can give you a real challenge sometimes. I don't know why some people are against this game if it's petty good game series that isn't well know by gamers at all. Overall it's a great game.

Crystal Universal

Full Review at GameDragons.Net

Presentation
Tank Universal is one of the most weird, yet ambitious indies you'll ever play, as it tries to introduce you to a story that's not even defined by the end of the title. Developed by a single person, New Zealand's graphic designer Phil Jones, the game kicks off by introducing you to a terminally ill patient who was prescribed a virtual reality headset in order to help him relax. Inside this virtual reality is where you will take control of Unit8, a soldier finding himself at the beginning of a revolution against the society that rules the virtual world, deciding to join the resistance and help them defeat Gorgon, the ruler and oppressor of their world.

From that point onwards, the game will send you on different snatch and grab missions combined with the occasional open combat against Gorgon's forces, which does get repetitive after a while, even though each chapter has its unique twist. Even though the premise is kind of weird and intriguing in its own way, this first chapter of who knows how many falls short from a story perspective, as we've seen numerous dictators vs resistance stories before, and this one has nothing new to offer. There are only a few characters defined with names, such as the commander of the resistance whose orders you will follow, but there is nothing that will make you attached to his story or the cause you're fighting for, making the entire story feel pointless and boring nonetheless as you will spend most of your time moving from point A to point B without any given purpose.

Gameplay
Even though there are some on-foot sections those are strictly implemented for the sake of the story, leaving the rest of the action to be experienced from inside your tank, the instrument of the only gameplay mechanics you'll get to play with. Aside from simple movements you will have nine different abilities for your tank, ranging from speed boosts to healing and even a nuclear bomb later on in the game. Using each one of those abilities requires shards, which you can acquire by destroying enemy tanks, making it vital to collect each shard if you want to head into the next battle prepared.

While the first abilities you'll earn will also be the ones you'll use the most even by the end of the game, as using speed boost in order to dodge enemy fire is key, the ones unlocked later on will probably be a one time use only, as things such as mines or smoke bombs are less efficient and you wouldn't want to waste shards that can otherwise be used on the traditional, yet efficient weapons. The objectives you'll aim for will quickly become dull as well, even though the game somehow combines them in chapters in order to hide that, but in a slow moving tank across a battlefield filled with objectives such as destroy thing A or reach point B, it's hard to have fun when you're constantly doing the same thing in the same way you did before; there is simply nothing new worth unlocking as you progress through the game, as you will see everything good there is in Tank Universal in the first hour and be disappointed afterwards as you notice that's all there is.

Graphics
The sad truth about Tank Universal is that it looks outdated and ugly; sure, the game wants to look retro, but low resolution textures, limited colors and ugly visual effects are things that cling more to outdated than retro. On top of that, even considering the Tron-like look of the game, the environments look roughly the same, rarely changing colors or a few objects here and there to differentiate levels.

Audio
The tehno beats go in theme with the overall look of the game, but everything else from repetitive and low quality effects to annoying explosion sounds and the lack of dialogue makes the audio part of Tank Universal something you could easily live without, as the sound effects will rapidly get annoying and repetitive.

Extras
It takes around eight hours to finish Tank Universal, and even if there is a multiplayer mode, I couldn't recommend that as it lacks modes and barely works properly at all, and even when it does it still gets boring after 10 minutes. You could try to replay some of the chapters in order to achieve the highest level and earn all achievements, but even with all that you can only squeeze a few more hours.

Verdict
Tank Universal is quite impressive considering the fact that it's all been done by one single person, but leaving his congratulations aside, this is still a pretty bad game, as the story is barely an introduction to what may possibly happen in a future sequel and the gameplay becomes boring quickly enough, not to mention the outdated graphics and sound design.

Rating: 5.3

If you're of that age where you watched Tron on the big screen and marvelled at the visual style, then you've come to the right place.

Of all the Tron-related games and sequel movies (and I include Tron 2.0 in this!), I think this game comes the closest to replicating the "feel" of the world of the first Tron movie. The only thing missing are the discs and the clank-clank as you walk around (which Tron 2.0 got so so right for me)..

So, what is Tank Universal? Well, it's a Tron-homage-labour-of-love. It's clearly an indie game. The lack of voice-overs, and very simplistic animation marks it out as a small-team (one man?) effort. Also, the story is very similar to Tron (Bad Guy taking over the system, User logs in to kick ass, and all other programs are amazed at how the User has more skills and powers)...

Tank Universal packs so much in. There's a little bit of wandering-around on foot, and a lot of time spent in a tank. While in the tank, you can traverse mazes, explore the beautiful world they created, play domination, and so on. Everything under the 'umbrella' of being a good dude fighting in a world of bad dudes, and needing to travel around it to stay ahead of the 'bad dudes', while getting closer to the 'big bad dude' for the final fight... There's really quite a lot of variety, and stuff isn't repeated to death, like they would be in a AAA game, where they have to milk every last cent out of an expensive asset (for example).

I was impressed by pretty much everything in this game. The ship/tank models are lush. The world design is stunning. The sounds/music are very very close to Tron, and the visuals are 100% spot-on (They even replicate the irregular 'flashing' of the poor rotoscoping in the movie by pulsing the brightness.. So ingenous..)..

Is there anything which makes me unhappy? That the game ended. Playing domination was great fun (I was playing in easy mode, which may explain it).

So, if you love Tron, and want to play a tron-like classic good vs. evil game, and aren't too hung up over spoken voiceovers, or FMV, then this game is for you!.

Highly Recommended

This is TRON, 1990's style.

I say this with love for this game, Tank Universal, that without directly infringing on copyright the authors have adapted the game style around our favorite classic movie in an impressive way! Tank Universal sticks to just the tank battles rather than all the different gaming styles it's obvious inspiration, the movie TRON, taught us about. This indie developer hit the mark with a sweet blend of tank simulation that is fun to play. It really feels like you are another human wandering the computer plains in a parallel story to the original TRON movie.

The game only has one real weakness, it wasn't an officially licenses TRON game. Because of this it doesn't have the strongest story line in terms of dialog and has to makes up for it in presentation. It does this in spades however and can keep you engrossed as you truly feel like you are alive in the original TRON world. Most of the time, in game, I felt as though a greater story line could have come about if only the author wasn't skirting copyright. There is an epic sense of why you are playing that feels like it needs stated outright. This is obvious, for those of us who have seen the original TRON. Without being able to state the complete and rather epic story that is hidden within Tank Universals premise, the story comes off shallow and lacking. It feels like we missed the main plot line of something truly epic. Despite this flaw, the game is incredibly fun.

This game is great in what it does, it does WELL! The tank battles are fun, and can be quite challenging! The battlefield is a living environment and there are some decent physics at play. There is even a small amount of strategy in how you attack directly affects the results of battles. Watch as the enemy rebuilds his fortress if you slack off on the attack; beware indirect fire, and call in a Titan to literally tear down your enemies walls.

I only wish that Tank Universal had been a licensed TRON game as this is what the first 3D TRON game should have been. The licensed official game should have been the sequel to this one! All fans of the movie and or tank battles should try this game out!

Tanks / Simulator combat / indie / simple strategy / retro style

A great game about tank skirmishing in 80's-version-of-the-future-worlds. The player goes up against a giant eyeball overlord along with men from a resistance movement. Together they fight past vast amounts of enemy vehicles such as tanks, artillery, and even goddamn bombers.
The story is more or less just there so people won't complain about lack of a story, and the read-only dialogue is laughably bad at times, but the game contains a lot of fun to be had and some really unexpected twists.
Once you beat the campaign, you can test your strength in the "skirmish" mode, where you have 20 minutes to kill as many enemies, of all types, as possible, and try not to die in the process.

However, there are a few downsides to this game:

• no multiplayer whatsoever
  
• capped at 30fps
  
[*]you don't have a reliable way to deal with swarms of enemies

This game is one of a two-part series, and there is a Tank Universal 2 in the works. Hopefully we see some modernization in it, I would absolutely love to skirmish with real players.

Overall, I really like this game, and definately recommend it, but know that replayability is extremely limited and there is no multiplayer.
56/64 bits

Wow. This game surprised me. Very fun game & very unique in some aspects, the game gives off a neat Tron like feel, if Tron was a complete warzone anyway.

Story wise Tank Universal delivers, I'm only a few hours into the main story but it's pretty fun, the only dissapointment is that they set it up that you're some old guy using a simulation helmet.. ruins a bit of immersion, but oh well! The actual story is pretty fun to play but so far I've realised there's a lot of empty parts of the game where you're just driving endlessly to get to your next objective which can be a bit drab.

When you're actually in a battle though the game is very exciting to play, alongside a ranking up system with Steam achievements to match your rank the game can make it feel rewarding to excel in combat.

Overall? Great game but the level design needs to be worked on, and there's a lack of a proper skirmish mode (Maybe you unlock it when you complete the game?) -Also the music they have in the game.. perfect, well suited to it's theme. 8/10

I would love to see these developers have a kickstarter to make a much more advanced version of the game too.

Damn good fun. Tron style tank warfare, and digital sheep riding simulator. Also one of the very first indie games to feature on steam. Paid full price back in the day and don't regret it.

You're probably reading this because you liked the tank scenes in the movie Tron.
Not coincidentally, Meridian4 made Tank Universal because THEY liked the tank scenes in Tron.
And I bought it because I like the... well, you know. And it definitely has a certain Tron vibe, only instead of Jeff Bridges, the protagonist is a bored, incapacitated old man. Compelling!

Am I glad I bought it? Yes, because now I don't have to wonder if I was missing out on something great. So IS Tank Universal great? No. Is it worth your time as a die-hard Tron fan? Possibly. And if you've never seen Tron? Less, um... possibly.

Ask yourself:
"Do I enjoy Tron-inspired games where the primary mechanic is mentally calculating how to hit moving targets from a moving vehicle on sloped sufaces with a relatively slow-moving projectile that is affected by gravity (even though the existance of gravity in a digital world makes no sense)?"
If the answer is "yes" and you have $5 to spare, buy Tank Universal.

But also ask yourself:
"Am I deeply annoyed by incoherent/irrelevant storylines, especially when I'm forced to endure them in lengthy, unskippable cinematics?"
"Do my eyes roll back into my head during tedious, unnecessary travel sequences through static environments with no interaction?"
"Do I have a hard time letting go of my nagging sensation that a game, for some unknown reason, isn't as good as it could have been?"
"Did I hate Tron?"
If the answer is "yes" to any of these, consider passing over Tank Universal. Maybe the tank moved a little too slugishly, or maybe the upgrading & leveling system lacked the right incentives or rewards. I could never figure it out. The game always felt like off-brand Legos: that kind that fit together, though not quite right, and never with that secure, satisfying "click" of precision. Don't get me wrong, it's still fun, but why didn't Grandma just buy EXACTLY what I WROTE on my *** **** LIST!?!?

Sorry, I'm thinking of my 9th birthday. What were we talking about again?

A highly sopisticated Tron like game where you alternate between controlling a 65 year old man, and a 65 year old man driving a vehicle with all the handling of a refrigerator precariously perched atop a unicycle.

I really love this little indie game!

As the description says you drive a tank in a TRON-like computer system. The missions you have to fullfill have a very wide spectrum, so you will not get bored with always the same routine like in other games. You can also upgrade your tank with very cool new weapons.

I recommend everyone to try at least the demo!

Btw there is a Tank Universal 2 in developement, but because the Team behind this game is only one person it will take a while until you see a sequel. More sales might shorten the time for release. ;-)