By Joseph Luster

Many World War II games have you donning your best virtual general garb, but not all of them let you take on the role of actual historical generals. True to its name, Total Tank Generals does just that, tasking players with taking command of an army and leading them to victory through real historical military campaigns that were overseen by the likes of Patton, Zhukov, Rommel and other notable figures at the forefront.

That historical approach is a major focus for developer Noobz From Poland, who are anything but newbies if the first taste of this upcoming strategy-RPG is anything to go by. Hardcore WWII enthusiasts will find the documentary-style presentation particularly appealing, and there’s something here for both veterans of the genre and those just now dipping their toes into tactical gameplay.

Battles in Total Tank Generals allow you to compose your forces as you choose, taking your pick from dozens of units and strategically positioning them on the battlefield. One of the game’s most interesting features is the ability to stack units and mix their features and abilities, adding another layer of strategy to an already deep system. The in-game stats of each unit are indicative of the way their historical counterparts performed, so there are plenty of ways to figure out the best strategy to make the most out of what each army has at its disposal.

Beyond the main game, Total Tank Generals aims to offer plenty of support for modding and map-making through Steam Workshop. If you fancy yourself a creator of any level, you can dive into the map editor and take advantage of what the developers hope to be an easy and intuitive means of creating new missions and scenarios of your own to share with all the other players around the world. The campaign has us excited enough, but we also can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with as the game grows and expands past its planned March launch.

Publisher: 505 Games
Genre: Strategy
System: PC

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