Steel Reign

Imagine: The new PlayStation Analog Controller is in your hands. Under your right thumb: the ability to control an incredibly powerful supertank. Under your left: said tank's awesome engine of destruction, the turret cannon. Firepower is at your fingertips; annihilation the goal. Full steam ahead, right?

Right...into annoying mazes that block your every move, as well as boxing you in against repetitive, boring enemies. If you didn't just slouch your shoulders, you should have--very few games fumble this badly with such potential. Steel Reign takes a great setup, combines it with highly intuitive control, impressive tank design, and abundant weaponry, then puts you into terribly disappointing levels, making it nothing less than a chore to play.

The two-player mode saves Steel Reign from total worthlessness, but a best-of-three function would've avoided loading times that nearly outspan the matches. Every time a bright side to this game pops up, it's pummeled by four problems. This one's a rental at best.

Graphics

The impressive 3D terrain moves from desert to urban to arctic to jungle without missing a beat Unfortunately, your tanks, though intimidating, don't reflect the damage you've taken, and the enemies are fairly bland.

Sound

Everything's high quality, but the superb shrieks of war don't overcome the boring tank whines and interminable silences. Meanwhile, the between-level narrator is one snore short of a snooze.

Control

Using the analog controller to move your tank and aim its turret is really cool, and you can select autoaim if that's too complicated. The standard PlayStation controller handles fine, too, just not as smoothly.

Fun Factor

Why in the world do the levels have to be mazes, and what good are supertanks that can't blow down the occasional cement barrier? Promising at first, Steel Reign's lame enemies and level design self-destruct this tank shooter.

Onee again we are at war. Your mission: Destroy the enemy. You are put behind the treads of a fully loaded killing machine in the form of a tank as you set out to obliterate everything and anything that crosses your path. But beware, enemy fire comes from all directions, so stay alert for the ambush.

Steel Reign offers an incredible number of tanks and all-terrain vehicles you can use to combat the enemy. The 11 tanks you can choose from differ in speed, armor, shields and shells, so it's up to you to choose which one you are most comfortable with. The big burly tanks are more for beginners, because they offer more firepower along with the security of thicker shields. The smaller, quicker tanks are for advanced gunners and allow you to strike fast and get the hell out before you get blown to smithereens.

Each tank offers you different weapons, including ion cannons, massive machine guns, smart bombs, heat-seeking missiles, high-tech laser blasts and an array of other ammunition which blast Buick-size holes in enemies. The most unique weapon is a guided missile that you can actually fly to the target yourself. But don't think you can just maul through the enemies with guns and missiles blazing, because you can run out of just about every weapon except your puny little machine gun. And don't expect to blow up too many tanks with bullets. This adds strategy to the game, so think wisely and don't use your heavy weaponry until absolutely necessary.

One key to success in Steel Reign is your ability to target and destroy the enemy without losing maneuverability. You can do this by turning the tank's turret, which can be rotated 360 degrees and elevated up and down. Sure, driving and shooting in two different directions takes some getting used to but it's a skill worth mastering.

Battles take place in 3-D deserts, mountains, cities and forests, and the battlegrounds are full of hidden bases, radar installations, fuel refineries and intelligence buildings. There's also a two-player. Split-Screen Mode for some tank-busting deathmatch mayhem.

Gamer's EDGE

Before you even start playing the game you have a very important decision to make: which tank to choose. Steel Reign offers 11 different tanks, all of which are equally adept at annihilating the enemy. It's up to you to decide which tank you think will get you past the enemy. Most of these tanks are actually named after poisonous snakes, such as the Venom, Viper, Copperhead, Diamond Back, etc. Different methods of terminating the enemy come with each tank.

For instance, the Copperhead is a big. heavy tank that provides you with a load of ammunition and protection. This is an in-your-face kinda tank that bowls over anything in its path. Maneuverability is slow, so you can't duck enemy crossfire very well. The Venom is more of an elusive tank that almost hovers above the terrain and is as fast as they get. With this comes less artillery and less armor for safety. So choose your tank wisely and operate it to its fullest.

Not only do you get the chance to complete demanding missions in Steel Reign, but you can also choose your vehicle of destruction. SR features great graphics and smart-moving enemies who don't think twice about teaming up and using their numbers against you. Tank movement is accomplished with the keypad while the turret is controlled by using the top buttons for barrel-pitch and rotational movement. Besides the gang-based enemies, there are also buildings, radar stations as well as ammo stores to be found, gathered or destroyed. Steel Reign is prime for couch tank gunners everywhere.

As Black Dawn put you in the cockpit of a heavily armed attack chopper. Steel Reign sets you up to commandeer a tank. Reign features four tanks and 10 missions to test your tank-commanding skills. There's also a two-player head-to-head mode where you take on a friend using a split-screen view. One of the best aspects of Reign is that the turret moves independently of the tank, so you can fire in one direction while moving in another.