Silent Hunter

1996 retro games PC games

simulator gamessubmarine simulators

Silent Service and Silent Service 2 created a standard for submarine simulators that did not changed to... well, so far 25 years and counting. But after Silent Service 2 there was a significant gap - no one was actually trying to move that kind of games to a new level. At least until Silent Hunter was born. Again we were put in charge of the American submarine operating on Pacific during World War 2, but this time the graphics were much improved, so we would not have to guess what kind of ship we are currently shooting at.

We had option to take part in the encounter with enemy (single mission), historical mission or take up a career starting on December 7, 1941 when Japanese have attacked US Navy on Pacific. Of course we start with completely inexperienced crew and on rather obsolete submarine, but if we survive few war patrols we can be promoted to newer (and better) submarine with modern equipment (like radar) and more torpedo tubes. Just like in real war you have to change your home base as Japanese advance through the Pacific islands and attack different parts of the theatre to stop them.

The game had some weak points, f.e. AI of the destroyer crews wasn’t great, your actions had no real influence on the war or you could have sunk more ships that Japanese ever had (like there were only 2 Yamato class super-battleships ever built, but you can sink much more than just two), but the level of simulation was rather good and included influence of weather, time of the day, the damages to the sub, missions in different regions of Pacific. Overall it was a very good game that later turned into 4 other games that gave us long hours and days of entertainment.

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