Hi there! This is Alexey Menshikov, I’m Founder and CEO of Beatshapers, a Ukraine based video games developer and digital download publishing company.
This is my first Blog entry, so here is a brief introduction: I’ve started my carrier 12 years ago as audio designer, worked on many games like Carnivores series, Vivisector, Cryostasis, EA’s Black, Battlefield Bad Company 2 and more.
Recently, me and our key team members were responsible for IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Pray for PSP platform, MelodyBloxx (this year IGF Mobile “Honorable mention” awarded), Rhythm of War PSP (IGF Mobile 2009 finalist) and BreakQuest, another PSP minis game which we’ve developed and published around the PSPgo launch.
So what is all this about? NormalTanks is a really old school fast-paced multi-directional top-down arcade shooter in a sci-fi tank universe.
Reminiscent of games from the 8-bit era, NormalTanks features a better look and feel but still retains a classic alone-saves-the-universe gameplay.
There are 8 challenging, dynamic and hazardous environments to tackle: inside enemy bases, outdoor jungles and mountains, every level has own end levels boos to defeat.
The game features more than 30 different enemies including various tanks, heavy gun machines, helicopters, robots and biomechanical creatures, SSM missile sites and heavy cannons.
To destroy enemies more effectively, just like in classic arcades, there are special red-star bonuses that help upgrade your tank abilities: its main cannon, machine gun, armor and movement speed.
On some levels your tank transforms into a tiny mine-bot to stealthily pass by the enemies and deactivate energy fields. Another level turns you into a giant walking robot, which demolishes everything in its way to the end level’s alien hive!
This year, NormalTanks received an honorable mention at the Independent Game Festival, Student showcase.
You can find more information about our PlayStation minis game and new titles on our website
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From time to time we do exclusive download codes giveaways, so make sure you’re following us so you don’t miss out.
9 CommentsAdd Yours
1
Posted on 23 March, 2010 at 3:12 pm by V_Ben
Looks like a lot of fun. Might look into it!
2
Posted on 23 March, 2010 at 3:25 pm by Ursinho
career dude. lets leave carriers for communication techies and aviators. Im really a nice bloke usually… just wasting 3 euros for breakquest drives out a language police
3
Posted on 23 March, 2010 at 4:57 pm by daviina
looks pretty nice to me, any idea about pricing? but loved these sorta games, i remember battle tanks awhile back looks like that with a twist.
4
Posted on 23 March, 2010 at 5:22 pm by Toy_brain
Sort of tempted (My netbook cannot run the PC version as it does not have a 3d GFX card) but it looks like the aspect ratio is off – just like it was in Breakquest!
Seriously, I dig the idea of you guys going through the world of indie PC gaming obscuri and bringing us some choice picks, but you’re going to have to do a better job of converting them to PSP if you want to garner a following like Halfbrick have.
5
Posted on 23 March, 2010 at 7:09 pm by GekooktEi
You worked on the audio of both BLACK ánd BFBC2? Those are two of the best sounding FPSs ever! You must feel proud
But NormalTanks looks fun, I like retro top-down shooters so I might pick this up! I was just about to ask if this would come to Europe too but then I realised I AM on the EU Blog right now :O Sometimes I’m confused, especially because of the new color scheme of the US Blog.
@ #2: Grammar nazi for the win
Beat me to it 
6
Posted on 23 March, 2010 at 7:58 pm by Bonyman
Whoa there! you worked on Black? That’s impressive, and i was just thinking about the audio in Breakquest recently, i like Breakquest (it’s better on ps3) and i think the audio complements the design very well.
I’m not normally into tank games although the addition of different enemy types makes it more interesting…..and i see you got an honourable mention at the IGF….hmm… i’m going to check the price but i think i’ll be adding this to my collection.
7
Posted on 24 March, 2010 at 9:52 am by reakt
“Normal Tanks”. “Normal”. Couldn’t the developer have come up with a more exciting name?
8
Posted on 24 March, 2010 at 10:45 am by Alexey Menshikov
Thanks guys!
You can watch the trailers here http://www.youtube.com/beatshapers
toy_brain: the titles we bringing to minis we really believe in. Unfortunately, the authors, indy developers, never afford bring games to consoles – so they get extra visibility and money to develop new great games, we got great IPs to fill the gap in time when we developing own games.
GekooktEi, Bonyman: I got a producer role for russian voices recording for Black and BFBC2. All Russian voices you hear in Black was managed by me and 2 actors we recorded for BFBC2. That was quite challenging because EA wanted real russian military intercomms, so we hired a consulting guy, ex military, he helped alot.
There is a nice article about Black http://www.criteriongames.com/black/behindthescenes/ussr/ (i’m on bottom photo, most left).
reakt: There are few jokes about the name already: prequel EasyHelicopters and sequel HardSubmarines =)
Cheers,
Alexey Menshikov
Beatshapers
9
Posted on 24 March, 2010 at 1:50 pm by Ursinho
@seven u mean like “super tanks turbo”?
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