Time to go boom!
The Panzer Elite series of action-oriented tank simulators is a pretty decent set of games for anyone interested in riding around in the belly of a great steel beast. Dunes of War is an add-on for Fields of Glory but unfortunately this proves to be a bit of a weak link in the franchise and turns out to be rather too repetitive for its own good. In theory, this promises much, with two all-new campaigns, one for the Americans and one for the Germans and which place you in the role of a tank commander during Rommel's African offensive. If you play the German campaign you're trying to get into the Sahara while the Yanks are attempting to push out the Germans from Africa. The essential gameplay is the same as usual, this being a sort of squad-based sim where you not only control your own tank but can also issue orders to others in your squadron. The mission-based gameplay remains, with several objectives that must be completed but which can also change during the course of a battle, just to keep you on your toes. Dunes of War isn't terrible by any stretch but its appeal probably lies with the dedicated fans of the base game. Although the key elements are still in place, the missions on offer here are lacking in inspiration and which makes them rather uninteresting to play through and it's likely you'll find your attention wandering as you drive around. It's a shame really as the other games in the series don't seem to suffer from this issue as much but ultimately it makes this less than a must play.
