Silent Hunter II

Pros • Solid simulation of submarine warfare. • The World War II Atlantic ocean is THE place for submarine simulators.	Cons • Linear, do-or-die campaign. • Mediocre graphics.
Bottom Line Although Silent Hunter II is a solid simulator of submarine combat, its linear campaign and mediocre graphics make it but a shadow of what was promised 18 months ago. It's cold thirty fathoms down. Cold and dark. But in the mid-nineties that darkness shone a light on Strategic Simulations Incorporated's (SSI) sales. It was in that dark water that the submarines depicted by SSI's popular submarine simulation, Silent Hunter, plied their trade. Although submarines have always made good gaming, few simulations have hit the sweet spot mined by Silent Hunter. Part of the original's popularity was due to the Pacific Theater of operations and American submarines. It seems Americans like gaming American. Go figure. But SSI has switched locales and sides in this sequel. Fans of the movie Das Boot should be in for a real treat. The submarines of Silent Hunter II ply the icy waters of the North Atlantic, and the submarine captains speak German, vice American.

Unfortunately, the promise of Silent Hunter II and the hope of reliving epic scenes from Das Boot (among other movies and books) is unfulfilled. Although a solid simulation, the game lacks the flexibility, beauty, and creativity to be more than a mid-range title.

Let’s start with the graphics. If the game had released in 2000 when originally intended, the ship models would have certainly looked impressive. The game’s 800 X 600-screen resolution makes distant surface escorts distinct entities...dark cigar-things, and stations within the U-boat are modeled on actual boats, and most of the knobs, switches and dials work. But this isn’t 2000 and “distinct” just won’t cut it in 2001/2002. We want details, highlights, lush water, and menacing submarines. Silent Hunter II doesn’t deliver. There’s nothing repulsive here, but neither is there anything beautiful.

Let’s continue with the campaign. SSI repeatedly promised gamers a dynamic affair. One that would hinge on each of the player’s decisions. What was released was a stilted, linear string of missions. In each you must succeed or play again. That’s fair enough. Silent Hunter II isn’t the first game designed with a linear campaign, but frequently events beyond your control--such as dud torpedoes--conspire to defeat you. But whether it be dud torpedoes or stupid mistakes, you must play the mission over. That’s not only unrealistic, but a poor design decision.

Silent Hunter II provides eight stand alone missions and a mission editor--which only sets up single skirmish encounters--in addition to the campaign. That’s a good thing for those wishing a brief sojourn to the Atlantic, or for others wishing to recreate a battle not shipped with the game. It’s too bad, however, that there is no random element in either the stand alone or scripted missions. The ships will be just where you placed/encountered them each time you play the mission. This is by no means a crippling flaw, but a certain degree of uncertainty would have been welcome.

The game plays well. There’s no doubt that Silent Hunter II captures the feel of sliding beneath the water, stalking your prey, and then downing them with a pair of well-placed torpedoes. The sound effects are excellent. The sub creaks and groans when under pressure, underwater explosions have a dull bass-thump that is spot on, and the sound of destroyer screws (propellers) passing overhead brings sweat to my palms. In fact the cat and mouse game of submarine tactics is the software’s strong point.

However, you’d better like playing the computer. There is no multiplayer option. At least not yet. When Destroyer Command releases in 2002 players will then be able to go head to head in the Atlantic.

Silent Hunter II isn’t a bad game, but it could have been so much more. Mediocre graphics, a lock-step campaign, and tightly scripted stand-alone missions bury Silent Hunter II in the waters of mediocrity.

Info & Screenshots