Viveport Review: Panzer Panic

Panzer Panic offers an immersive and arcade-like experience that’s frantic and fun.

By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content

A lot of virtual reality developers choose to focus on immersion and realism above everything else. Sometimes this can lead to experiences that feel forced and unoptimized. For developer HandyGames, though, fun is the most important factor, and Panzer Panic is a fun, yet immersive game that offers an action-packed multiplayer romp in VR.

One of the best things about Panzer Panic is that it doesn’t force you to think too much about what’s going on. The two modes—team deathmatch and capture the flag—are all straightforward, and the controls, while a bit tricky at first, are smooth and simple to navigate once you get used to them. On top of this, getting connected to a game is simple and easy to do, and if for some reason you can’t find real players, you’ll face off against some bots, which aren’t that bad at the game.

What makes Panzer Panic unique, though, is the combination of realism and fun. While the game isn’t that realistic—this isn’t World of Tanks or any type of tank simulator—you still have the option of using a lever control system that reminded me quite a bit of traditional tank controls. You can also swap up and use a joystick method, if you prefer, but the lever controls are really what made the game stand out for me.

On top of the easy gameplay loop, Panzer Panic also has plenty to do. There are achievements in the game for those who enjoy that sort of thing, and you also have plenty of different tanks to pick from and skins to unlock. It’s still pretty bare bones if you compare it to non-virtual reality tank games, but for a game built for VR, Panzer Panic is a lot of fun and works very well.

If you’re looking for realism, though, there isn’t much of it here. The game focuses more on the fun aspect of virtual reality, but it mixes well with the immersive features in-game. It’s a nice balance, and HandyGames have outdone themselves. I’d love to see more modes make their way into the game in the future, as well as some additional arenas, but right now it’s got a ton of content for the price.

Of course, if you’re looking for a single player experience, then Panzer Panic also has that going for it, as you can dive into a single player version of the game that offers the same immersive and fun combat made popular with the multiplayer modes. It is yet another reason why this enjoyable game belongs in your Vive collection.

Panzer Panic is available on Viveport or as part of Viveport Subscription.