Cold Waters

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,260 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Cold Waters Game Cover
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Cold Waters is a submarine simulation game set during the Cold War. Command a nuclear submarine and carry out various missions such as stealth reconnaissance and launching ballistic missile attacks. With realistic naval warfare and a dynamic campaign, the game offers a challenging and immersive experience for fans of submarine sims.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Gog Com
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,260 reviews
story71 positive mentions
stability34 negative mentions
  • Highly replayable with engaging gameplay that balances strategy and action.
  • Realistic submarine mechanics and tactics that provide a sense of immersion.
  • Strong modding community that enhances the game with additional content and features.
  • Steep learning curve that may frustrate new players without prior knowledge of submarine warfare.
  • AI can feel unbalanced, often detecting players too easily and launching counterattacks immediately.
  • Limited content in the base game, with only a few campaigns and missions available without mods.
  • story838 mentions

    The game's story aspect is criticized for its lack of depth and variety, with many players noting that the campaign consists of repetitive missions that often feel disconnected from a cohesive narrative. While there are dynamic elements and some immersion through mission briefings, the overall experience is marred by a limited number of mission types and frustrating mechanics, such as being forced into unwinnable scenarios. Players express a desire for more engaging storylines and mission diversity to enhance the gameplay experience.

    • “The campaign is exciting, and the missions are a lot of fun.”
    • “The graphics are very good and detailed, and the dynamic campaign is interesting in that you'll get different missions (seal insertions, tomahawk strikes on enemy bases, hunting ships, etc).”
    • “The player follows along with the war effort completing the assigned missions, which will add weighting to the overall outcome.”
    • “The campaign just gives you a constant chain of missions to do until you reach a certain victory threshold.”
    • “The missions can be a miss if you are sent to destroy a specific taskforce, but mistake another random taskforce as your objective.”
    • “The 'campaign' is merely free-roam with added fixed missions, and each sub has set missions.”
  • gameplay375 mentions

    The gameplay of this submarine simulator is characterized by a blend of straightforward mechanics and surprising depth, appealing to both casual players and veterans of the genre. While many players find the initial learning curve steep due to complex stealth and detection systems, the game becomes engaging and rewarding once these mechanics are mastered. However, some users express frustration with repetitive mission structures and the need for mods to enhance the experience, indicating that while the core gameplay is solid, it may lack the depth and variety found in other titles.

    • “The core gameplay is pretty straightforward in concept, but in execution there is a surprising depth to everything.”
    • “The gameplay is a blend between simulation and arcade.”
    • “The gameplay is enjoyable, especially when heavily buzzed off.”
    • “Many players become frustrated with this game because they don't understand the stealth/detection mechanics.”
    • “Gameplay loop is pretty linear: grab your torpedoes, sail to the objective, do battle, and repeat.”
    • “The gameplay is not about going to each one of the stations on the sub and mastering each one.”
  • graphics322 mentions

    The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the overall visual quality and detail, particularly in ship and submarine models, as well as atmospheric effects. However, some users note that certain aspects, such as seabed detail and the graphics of explosions, could be improved. While the game is generally considered visually appealing, it does not reach the standards of some contemporary titles, leading to a consensus that while the graphics are good, there is room for enhancement.

    • “The graphics are outstanding and the gameplay is just spot on. I've done the 1984 campaign and the 2000 campaign and I enjoy them a lot.”
    • “Beautiful graphics (without requiring a monster gaming rig), nice sound effects, super immersive!”
    • “The graphics are very good and detailed, and the dynamic campaign is interesting in that you'll get different missions (seal insertions, tomahawk strikes on enemy bases, hunting ships, etc).”
    • “Graphics are dated and 3D models could use some more details, or just more polygons.”
    • “The graphics of exploding surface ships is unimpressive.”
    • “Being a game that's only 4 years old, I would have expected a better graphical experience.”
  • replayability62 mentions

    The game boasts high replayability, largely due to its dynamic campaigns and randomly generated missions that ensure each playthrough feels unique. Players highly recommend utilizing mods, such as the "more playable subs" and "dotmod," which significantly enhance the variety of playable units and scenarios, further increasing replay value. While the base game offers decent replayability, the modding community and ongoing updates promise even more content and engagement for players.

    • “Throughout the campaigns, you'll be given a variety of missions that change each time you play the game, which gives it a lot of replayability.”
    • “What I enjoy a lot (and what adds to the replay value) is that no campaign or any engagement will be the same, so you never know how things will turn out. Plus, there are different tactics that you can try depending on how you like to play, so it's pretty open-ended.”
    • “The various campaigns and playable subs with different playstyles all add to the replayability of the game, and the modding community just keeps on adding to the vast wealth of vessels and scenarios the game already offers.”
    • “Many games are like that, but Cold Waters lacks game progression (leveling up), so replay value is limited.”
    • “The replayability is a joke.”
    • “This game lacks some replayability, but it makes up for it in how fun and graphically pleasing it can be at times.”
  • music48 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its immersive and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack is described as fitting perfectly with the game's themes, particularly evoking the tension of the Cold War, and is considered a standout feature that adds significant value to the gameplay. Overall, the sound design, including both music and sound effects, contributes to a captivating and engaging environment.

    • “The soundtrack alone is worth the price of admission.”
    • “Finally there’s the music which is amazingly well done and fits the game perfectly.”
    • “The music is awesome and sets the tone well.”
    • “I have come to a realization, it would've been nice if the game made it clear that left clicking while on the map mode was comparable to charging right at the Russians, blasting music and screaming 'I'm not here!!'”
    • “Very appropriate music, graphics are okay for the most part, I just don't understand why they used low resolution videos that loop behind the main menu screen.”
    • “But €36 for the game and charging €10 for the alright soundtrack seems a bit much and I am certain will put some people off.”
  • atmosphere38 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and tense qualities, effectively capturing the essence of submarine warfare. Players commend the stunning visuals, dramatic soundtrack, and realistic sound design, which together create a gripping experience reminiscent of Cold War tensions. Overall, the game is considered one of the best in its genre, offering a rich and engaging atmosphere that enhances gameplay.

    • “One of the best naval combat games I’ve ever played; in terms of atmosphere, amount of control, immersion, and technical depth, Cold Waters surpasses almost all others.”
    • “The atmosphere is just right, and I feel satisfaction when completing missions, since I feel like I've earned my victories and my defeats.”
    • “Awesome visuals even on my old rig, suspenseful mood/atmosphere, dramatic soundtrack, excellent playability, striking a great balance between accessibility and complexity -- it's like playing a Tom Clancy novel or movie with yourself being cast as the protagonist.”
    • “Not a real sub sim but it has incredible atmosphere and action.”
    • “Creepy atmosphere (something sub sims should always have).”
    • “"Cold Waters" captures the atmosphere of the Cold War, and visuals as well as audio are superb compared to genre competition.”
  • stability35 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting a smooth experience with no major glitches, while others have encountered frequent freezes, crashes, and various bugs that hinder gameplay. Although some users note improvements since launch, many still describe the game as buggy and incomplete, suggesting that it may not be ready for a full release. Overall, the game's stability appears to vary significantly among players, with a notable divide between those who have had a positive experience and those who have faced persistent issues.

    • “Finally, a submarine simulation that runs great from the get-go without needing a bunch of mods to get it to work (I'm looking at you, SH5)!”
    • “The game is incredibly stable, allowing for an immersive experience without constant crashes or bugs.”
    • “I appreciate how smooth the gameplay is; it feels polished and reliable right from the start.”
    • “Upon loading those files, the game just freezes up.”
    • “This game is buggy, and not as advertised.”
    • “It is an incomplete game still in development with many glitches/issues yet to be resolved.”
  • grinding25 mentions

    Reviews highlight that grinding in the game can be excessively tedious, with players often feeling overwhelmed by repetitive missions and slow loading screens. While some appreciate the balance of realism and gameplay that mitigates tedium, many express frustration over the lengthy and monotonous nature of certain tasks, suggesting that a significant time investment is required to progress. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a double-edged sword, offering both challenge and frustration.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Those missions, while engaging and challenging every now and then, are incredibly tedious if you get three of them back-to-back.”
    • “On certain missions you can spend hours slowly approaching a target with no way of really speeding it up or saving so you can quit and carry on later; it gets tedious.”
    • “With the campaign using solely a 2D map for strategic movement and only spawning the player into the 3D world when encountering enemies, you escape the issues that would pop up in Silent Hunter where you might run aground and sink, get sniped with a depth charge by a passing plane, or constantly getting the fast forwarding interrupted for trivial reasons, considerably dragging out the non-essential gameplay and making for more tedious long-range travel.”
  • optimization24 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on most systems without crashes and features a dynamic campaign that reacts to player performance, some users have noted that it lacks polish and feels unoptimized in certain areas. The graphics are adequate, striking a balance between performance and visual appeal, but there are calls for better optimization of ship models and overall game mechanics. Despite these issues, the game offers a detailed simulation experience, particularly in sonar and torpedo performance, which enhances its hardcore simulator appeal.

    • “The PC version runs smoothly and has yet to crash to desktop (a welcomed change from some of the other sub sims out there... I'm looking at you, SH series!).”
    • “The performance specs seem bang on consistent with even the most hard-to-dig-up OSINT for 90 percent of the subs and torpedoes in the game.”
    • “Performance is high even with minimally capable computers.”
    • “Game optimization isn't great.”
    • “Terribly unoptimized game, I thought it was an early access game with more features to come.”
    • “Killerfish have modelled sonar performance and environmental effects, it's just the AI interprets it all and presents you with its interpretation on the 2D display instead of having the user mark contacts on the broadband waterfall, classify them on the narrowband and work out turns per knot, etc. Acoustic layers, convergence zones, surface ducts... it's all there.”
  • humor13 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as hit-or-miss, with some players finding it genuinely funny, particularly in unexpected scenarios like misidentifying targets. While the game includes amusing moments, such as quirky mission orders and absurd AI behavior, the overall comedic impact is often overshadowed by repetitive gameplay and stagnant campaign dynamics. Players appreciate the humor but note that it doesn't significantly enhance the gaming experience.

    • “Nothing more funny than launching a torpedo at what you think is an Akula only to find out after the computer finally gets the signature complete, it's a whale.”
    • “Game has a sense of humor: after going through some of the tutorial, and completing a couple of single missions, I finally dared to head into the dynamic campaign.”
    • “It's possible in-game, I've managed it a few times now, but the scenario is hilarious each time.”
    • “The dynamic campaign is cool, but it feels so stagnant that it's not funny, with a map that requires you to just hold the mouse button down instead of plotting courses.”
    • “The humor in the game falls flat, relying on tired clichés that fail to elicit any genuine laughter.”
    • “I expected a lot more from the comedic elements, but they often miss the mark and feel forced rather than funny.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Players find the game emotionally engaging, particularly due to the impactful enemy AI that enhances situational tension. However, some technical issues, such as camera views and control difficulties during intense moments, can detract from the overall emotional experience.

    • “The gameplay is engaging enough to keep going; the controls are a tiny bit difficult to remember in the spur of a particularly emotional event.”
    • “Enemy AI brings a lot of situational pace, which creates a really emotional reaction and delivers the best from this kind of game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

22hMedian play time
36hAverage play time
10-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 27 analyzed playthroughs

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