SLAM TANK: What If a Tank Fought Like a Samurai?
What if tanks fought like samurai instead of, well, tanks? That's SLAM TANK.
I went into the Steam Next Fest demo with zero expectations and came away impressed by how fun its combo combat feels. Sometimes the weirdest game ideas just work.
A Samurai Tank Against the Machines
The setup is wonderfully strange. AI has taken control of the world's machines, and you're left fighting back in a tank that behaves more like a samurai than the armored vehicle you might expect.
The demo's combat is what sold me on the idea. There's something immediately entertaining about taking an idea that sounds ridiculous on paper and making it feel this good to play.
Combat That Reminds Me of Devil May Cry
SLAM TANK's action reminded me of Devil May Cry, and I mean that as a compliment. The appeal is in stringing together combos and making your way through a level with style. If you enjoy that kind of action game, this demo is worth a look.
The best part is that the combos aren't difficult to pull off. I could get into the fun of fighting without feeling like I needed to memorize a complicated list of inputs first. That accessibility makes the unusual premise easier to appreciate.
A Tutorial That Gets You Into the Action
The demo does a good job of introducing combat. Its tutorial starts with the basics and explains what you need while still letting you get straight into the action.
The controls felt easy to pick up, and the game supports mouse and keyboard, a gamepad, and even a sim racing wheel. I like that there are different ways to approach a game with such an unusual vehicle at its center, although I can't speak for how each setup feels to play.
Three Tank Types, One Playable in the Demo
The demo teases three tank types: Type A is balanced, Type B is agile, and Type C is sturdy. For the Steam Next Fest demo I played, only Type A was available.
That means my impressions are based on the balanced tank. I'm curious how differently the agile and sturdy options will feel, but the demo didn't give me a chance to compare them.
The Train Boss Was a Surprise
The boss fight that stuck with me was against a train. I didn't expect the answer to its attack to involve using the same kind of mechanic against it: trying to slam the train before it slams into me.
It's a fun twist on the encounter and a good example of why the game's action caught my attention. A samurai-like tank facing down a charging train is exactly the kind of absurd showdown I want from a premise like this.
High Scores and Leaderboards
At the end of each level, the demo shows your score, with leaderboards giving you a way to compare it with other players. The leaderboard also has a separate clear-time tab, giving you another way to compare runs.
That gives the action an extra reason to revisit a level: finishing is one thing, but putting together a faster, more stylish run is another. It's a nice fit for a game where pulling off combos is already the fun part.
Final Verdict: Is SLAM TANK Worth Watching?
I went into SLAM TANK with zero expectations and came away impressed. The combination of accessible combos, an effective tutorial and a tank that fights like a samurai makes for a demo with a lot of personality. The train boss was the moment that really made the idea click for me.
✅ Fun, accessible combos with a stylish action-game feel
✅ The tutorial explains everything while getting you into the action
✅ The train boss makes for a memorable showdown
❌ Not a conventional tank game for tank enthusiast!
❌ Combat may be too simple for players looking for a challenge
These are impressions of the Steam Next Fest demo, not a verdict on the full game. As of 9 November 2026, its Steam page lists the release date as “To be announced.” If stylish action games are your thing, this is one to keep an eye on.
Have you tried the demo? Let me know what you thought of the tank combat.
If you're a solo dev or small studio with a demo coming up, this is the kind of hands-on coverage AnnazPlays does. See how to get your game covered.