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'''''Steel Beasts''''' is the name for a family of [[Vehicle simulation game|tank simulators]] created by [[eSim Games]] for [[Microsoft Windows]].

Its subject is contemporary [[combined arms]] [[military tactics|tactics]] (with emphasis on modern [[armoured fighting vehicle]]s) at a [[company (military unit)|company]] scale. As a consumer game, it is a genre mix of strategy game, action game, simulation game, and wargame of fairly complex [[gameplay]].

''Steel Beasts'' (more colloquially known as ''SB'' to its fans) is distinguished from other simulators by a faithful reproduction of tactical maneuvers and Fire Control Systems as well as various other military facets than when compared to other simulators. The sound samples are mostly authentic, having been recorded from some of the actual armored fighting vehicles depicted in the sim.

Customized versions of ''Steel Beasts'' have been adopted by the armies of Australia, Austria, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Greece, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and USA for training purposes.

== Steel Beasts ==

{{Infobox video game
| title = Steel Beasts
| image = 
| developer = eSim Games
| publisher = Shrapnel Games
| series = Steel Beasts
| platforms = Microsoft Windows XP/2000/ME/98/95
| released = August 25th, 2000
| genre = Tank simulator
}}

'''Steel Beasts''' is a modern tank simulator that focuses on the US [[M1 Abrams|M1A1 Abrams]] and German [[Leopard 2|Leopard 2A4]] main battle tanks. Both machines are fully drivable and are reproduced in painstaking detail in the game. In addition to these tanks, Steel Beasts models a number of modern armored vehicles such as the Russian [[T-80]], the German [[Marder (IFV)|Marder]], and a variety of armored personnel carriers. Steel Beasts allows the player assume the tank commander's or gunner's seat in the Abrams and Leopard 2, as well as move to an external camera view in each vehicle. The variety of units in the game (including infantry) allows for a wide range of different scenarios.

The game was announced in March 2000, and was published exclusively through Shrapnel's website.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-3932,00.html |title=GAMECENTER.COM - Game News - Shrapnel's Steel Beasts |website=www.gamecenter.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817100847/http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-3932,00.html |archive-date=17 August 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Critical reception ===

On the review aggregator [[GameRankings]], the game had an average score of 87% based on 21 reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/914278.asp |title=Steel Beasts Reviews |accessdate=2008-03-03 |publisher=[[GameRankings]]}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the game had an average score of 86 out of 100, based on 13 reviews.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/steellbeasts |title=Steel Beasts (PC: 2000): Reviews |accessdate=2008-03-03 |website=[[Metacritic]] |archive-date=2008-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080305221327/http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/steellbeasts |url-status=live }}</ref>

Critical response to the original ''Steel Beasts'' was quite consistent. Reviewers were initially put off by the substandard 640×480 graphics, then highly impressed by the gameplay, immersion and the intelligent-seeming behaviors exhibited by the computerized units.{{Citation needed|date=March 2008}}

Bruce Geryk of [[GameSpot]] gave the game a rating of 8.8 out 10.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/sim/steelbeasts/review.html |title=Steel Beasts for PC Review |accessdate=2008-03-03 |author=Bruce Geryk |date=2000-10-04 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref>

''[[PC Gamer|PC Gamer US]]'' named ''Steel Beasts'' the best simulation game of 2000.<ref name=pcgseventh>{{cite magazine | title=The Seventh Annual PC Gamer Awards | magazine=PC Gamer | publisher=[[Imagine Media]] | issn=1080-4471 | volume=3 | issue=8 | date=March 2001 }}</ref> The editors of ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' nominated ''Steel Beasts'' as the best simulation game of 2000, although it lost to ''[[Enemy Engaged: RAH-66 Comanche vs. KA-52 Hokum|Comanche vs. Hokum]]''.<ref name=cgwpremier2000>{{cite magazine | author=Staff | magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] | title=The 2001 Premier Awards; Games of the Year |date=April 2001 | issue=201 | pages=72–80, 82, 83 }}</ref> The editors of ''[[Computer Games Magazine]]'' also nominated ''Steel Beasts'' for their 2000 "Simulation of the Year" award.<ref name=cgmnominees>{{cite web |author=Staff |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050209070529/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/031/125/010208-07.html |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/031/125/010208-07.html |title=''Computer Games Magazine'' announces nominees for annual best in computer gaming awards |date=February 8, 2001 |work=[[Computer Games Magazine]] |archive-date=February 9, 2005 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Steel Beasts Pro PE ==

{{Infobox video game
| title = Steel Beasts Pro PE
| image = 
| developer = eSim Games
| series = Steel Beasts
| platforms = Microsoft Windows
| released = March 2006
| genre = Tank simulator
| modes = [[Single-player]], [[multiplayer]]
}}

'''Steel Beasts Pro Personal Edition''', abbreviated '''SB Pro PE''', is the commercial version of the tank simulator '''Steel Beasts Pro''' made by eSim Games for Microsoft Windows. It is an armored fighting vehicle-focused game of combined arms combat tactics at the battalion level and below. Players can directly control a vehicle, and also control multiple vehicles through a map view. Many vehicles, such as the classic M1A1 Abrams and Leopard 2A4, are fully crew-able, have realistic representations of their actual fire control systems and allow players to aim and fire their weapons. More recently, vehicles such as the Leopard 2A6 and M1A2 SEP have been added and are fully crew-able. Other armored fighting vehicles, such as the [[Bradley Fighting Vehicle|M2/M3 Bradley]], [[Combat Vehicle 90|CV90]] and Marder are also fully crewable. Crewable vehicles are usually added as a result of military contracts.

As a tactical simulation, [[artillery]] is modelled in the sim and the player can call in various types of artillery, from conventional smoke and high-explosive rounds, to [[Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition|DPICM]] and the [[Family of Scatterable Mines|FASCAM]] minefield system.
[[File:Leo2A4 GPS Steel Beasts.jpg|thumb|360x360px|The interior view of the Leopard 2A4 gunners position in-game.]]
''SB'' also includes a [[Level editor|scenario editor]], which allows for programming of random or condition-based behavior in the computer-controlled units. Well-designed SB scenarios therefore have a high degree of [[replayability]]. In addition to the scenario editor, SB also contains a map editor for creating custom maps depicting different terrain types. In the Fall of 2011, eSim Games announced that they were using [[Xaitment]]'s AI software for [[pathfinding]], movement and behavior modeling.

===Reception===
''[[Pelit]]'' magazine rated the game 85/100.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pelit.fi/artikkelit/steel-beasts-pro-personal-edition-pc/|title=Steel Beasts Pro Personal Edition (PC) – Pedon jäljillä|website=[[Pelit]]|date=June 2009 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.esimgames.com eSim Games] - Company site

[[Category:2000 video games]]
[[Category:Cooperative video games]]
[[Category:Tank simulation video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Windows-only games]]
[[Category:Strategy First games]]