PC Games

BZ Flag

3D tank battle game with futuristic weapons.

4.33 / 5 from 6 player ratings

Freeware

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6.0MediocreDFG score

DFG Exclusive Review Summary

Better than average but has some noticeable flaws.

Pros

Free download.
3 styles of play: Capture-the-Flag, Rabbit Chase, and Free-for-All.
Multiplayer network tank battles.

Cons

Controlling and aiming your tank is hard to do.
No campaign mode.
Online connection is hard to connect to.
Older game has dwindling online community.

Read Full BZ Flag Review

About this game

Take Command of a Tank and See if You Can Survive

Fight tank battles in a complete 3D environment. Connect to a network of other players online and join a battle. You can then use a host of weapons like guided missles, lasers, shockwave, and machine guns.

Don't want to be seen? Use cloaking technology to disguise your presence from enemy tanks. Download and have a blast. Freeware.

BZ Flag Review

Review by Dylan

BZ Flag is a multiplayer tank battle game that will have you competing either online against people from around the world, or through a closed LAN network. The game has three styles of play and competing against others keeps the game exciting and competitive. Not having a single-player mode limits this game, taking it from good to just mediocre. Fans of action shooters might like this game, however, it is not the best in its class by any means.

Multiplayer Only

Since this game lacks a single-player mode it puts all its efforts into creating a strong multiplayer mode. The multiplayer setting is divided into 3 styles of play: Capture-the-flag, Rabbit Chase, and Free-for-All. In Free-for-All the object of the game is simply to get the highest score by shooting opponents. There are five teams in each game and destroying another team scores a win, while being destroyed or destroying a teammate scores a loss. Individual scores and aggregate team scores are tallied.

The object of Rabbit Chase is to be the player with the highest score so that you can capture all the white flags. Flags come in two varieties, team and super, and hold a lot of importance throughout the game.

The final style of play is Capture-the-Flag. In this mode your goal is to capture the enemy flags while preventing your opponents from capturing yours. All five teams have a base in this mode, complete with a flag of their color. To capture an enemy flag you must infiltrate their base and grab the flag. Successfully bringing it back to your base destroys all the players on the captured team and gives your team's score a bonus. You can also take your flag to an enemy base in this game, which counts as a capture for your team if successfully executed. In this, the opposing team is not penalized.

Tank is Difficult to Control

As far as gameplay is concerned, BZ Flag ranks on the lower part of the action-shooter spectrum. Your tank is surprisingly difficult to control, and has random buttons. Unlike most action-shooter games that have you controlling movements through the use of the WASD keys and aiming through the mouse, this game has you moving forward and backward with the arrows and side to side with the mouse. The mouse can also be used to move your tank forward and backward so you will probably experience a lot of conflicting movements when trying to master the movements. Not having the mouse control aiming makes it really hard to fire and blow-up your opponent tanks. The movements and controls are really hard to figure out.

Conclusion - Probably Not Worth Your Time

All in all BZ Flag is just a mediocre game because of its poor gameplay and limited playing modes. If a campaign or single-player mode was available this would certainly be better; however, with the dwindling online population and difficult controls this game is certainly limited. If you are interested player looking for an action-shooter game know that there are better games on the market. However, if the tank action and multiplayer capabilities seem too enticing to pass on, download this free game and give it a try.

Player Reviews

A Great Environment
What has really stuck out to me when i play this game is how clean it is. It's really nice when you can play without getting made fun of your skill level. There's rarely someone that comes on trying to cause trouble and they are banned shortly after. There is a great variety of ages that play this all the way from fathers playing with their sons. Download it and have fun.
by button on Jul 1, 2011
BZflag is fun, and easy to play.
BZflag is a wonderful game. The original reviewer does not really represent actual bzflag game play accurately. Some points to clarify: 1) Tank movement (forward, backward, left, right, aiming) control is (by default) with the arrow keys OR by mouse, not as the reviewer stated. All keys and mouse buttons are assignable, so if you want to use WASD for control, you can easily do so. 2) The object of rabbit hunt game is to kill the rabbit, not to capture flags. If you are the rabbit, everyone is trying to kill you, if you kill the rabbit, you BECOME the rabbit. Flags are 'power-ups' and give you different weapons. Its fast moving and fun! 3) There are so many other ommissions, distortions, and inaccuracies, I don't have time to address them all. One reviewer even said it wasn't worth the money... IT'S A FREE GAME! Come play and see for yourself! BZflag's greatness is in that it is easy to play, but hard to master. The bzflag community is always there to help new players with answers to questions.
by War Pig on May 7, 2011
This doesn't really have anything to do with how good the game is.
I've recently downloaded a map editor for this game (BZedit). It works excusing one problem: I can't seem to make the map work when I start my own server, it always says 'random map' no matter what I do. My game version is 2.0.10, while my editor version is 1.6.5 . If this is a factor, I would truly appreciate the help. If you can't tell me what's wrong, I would still appreciate it if you know where to find more information. If you can do niether, then I thank you for taking time to read this. Thank you. As for the game and how good it is, it is ledgendary. It gets better as you play it. I for one are not the best player in the world, (in fact I may quite possibly be in the worst ten). This game is highly worth the download and installation time, if you are put down by being killed often, (which may be the case for first time players) DON'T GIVE UP! Giving up is, besides war, the least productive thing in the universe. I give this game 5/5. Yours truly, Zac Foster. Worst player at BZflag. Best player at Halo 3.
by Zac Foster (I HAS ROFLCOPTER) on Mar 17, 2009
cool
this game is cool.got strategy, accuracy,got to plan and work.its a good game.you should try it.....
by howrung on Jul 21, 2008
adam
this game is good but not that good it is fun to be a tank and blast enemies the full game is not worth the price although it was fun. most Kidd's would like the game. on a scale of 1-10 this one is 6. in a conclusion it is fun
by adam on Feb 15, 2008
Simple and enjoyable LAN game
I've been playing bz flag for the last 7 years at school, at home and on the net and i really adore this game. It's simple and really enjoyable when you play as a team. It's really good...
by Cliford Melin on Sep 14, 2007