A budget-priced game that adopts some of today's hottest technologies--in this case, Unreal's graphics engine and MathEngine's vaunted Karma physics modeling--is not something you see every day. It's especially rare when it's blended with a storyline that's not only contemporary but also downright pertinent to current headlines. Nevertheless, this is precisely the formula behind Groove Games' Desert Thunder, a shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later tank-based orgy of ordnance. The good news is that Desert Thunder is a sensory overload of explosive, destructive good times that'll cost less than a family outing at the local fast-food joint. The bad news is that the game is so easy to learn and so very arcade-oriented that anyone who appreciates longevity, tactics, and even a modicum of authenticity will inevitably be disappointed.
Designed by first-time developer Brainbox Games, Desert Thunder is a rough-and-tumble affair that puts you in the role of a tank commander who is stationed in an unnamed Middle Eastern hot spot. As is customary for most games of this ilk, you are the only remaining representative of the "forces of good." Everyone else has been permanently wiped from the map, and scheduled reinforcements are nowhere to be found. As a result, you and you alone must now battle hordes of unidentified terrorists.
As the game opens, you'll find yourself looking down upon your vehicle from a slightly elevated rear-chase perspective. You may raise or lower this vantage point and adjust the camera so that it follows either your swiveling turret or your tank, but otherwise, this is the only camera in Desert Thunder. Zooming is not permitted at any time, neither in the main window nor in the miniature topographical map/radar located in the lower left of the screen. You cannot access enemy views, weapons views, or binocular views, nor can you look freely about the countryside. And you can't jump inside your machine for a first-person perspective, either.
Minimum:
OS: Windows XP SP3
Processor: 2 GHz Intel Dual Core Processor
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8800/ATI Radeon HD 2600 (256MB minimum)
DirectX «: 9.0c
Hard Drive: 10 GB HD space
Sound: DirectX 9.0c compatible
Recommended:
OS: Windows XP SP3/Vista/Windows 7
Processor: 2.3 GHz Intel Quad Core Processor
Memory: 3 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX460/ATI Radeon HD 5850 (512MB minimum)
DirectX «: 9.0c
Hard Drive: 10 GB HD space
Sound: DirectX 9.0c compatible
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