Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter
- December 6, 2023
- Iron Wolf Studio S.A.
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter" is a realistic navy simulation game that puts you in command of a World War II destroyer. Hunt down enemy submarines using historical weapons and tactics, and manage your crew and ship's systems to ensure survival in challenging sea battles. With a focus on authenticity and attention to detail, this game offers a thrilling and immersive experience for fans of naval warfare.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique perspective as players take on the role of a destroyer captain hunting U-boats, providing a refreshing change from traditional submarine games.
- The atmosphere and immersion are highly praised, with realistic sound design and engaging gameplay that captures the tension of naval warfare.
- The developers are actively working on updates and improvements, showing commitment to enhancing the game based on player feedback.
- U-boats are often criticized for their unrealistic speed and maneuverability, making them difficult to engage effectively during gameplay.
- The game suffers from various bugs and glitches, including issues with AI pathfinding and the accuracy of depth charge attacks.
- The tutorial is considered inadequate by some players, as it does not sufficiently explain the game's mechanics, leading to a steep learning curve.
- gameplay127 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of challenging mechanics and action-oriented missions, appealing to both novice and experienced players, though it may not suit everyone due to its complexity and steep learning curve. While the core gameplay loop is satisfying and offers hours of engagement, it suffers from repetitive elements and lacks certain features that could enhance realism and variety. Overall, it provides a solid foundation for submarine warfare simulation, but improvements in mechanics and additional content are needed for a more immersive experience.
“The pace and music of the game pair well, and there are hours of gameplay here for novice and seasoned ship captains alike.”
“The basic gameplay loop is pretty satisfying, and the now-completed career mode is a good way to put it all together.”
“Overall, I can recommend the game to simulation players with a keen interest in ASW and submarine warfare who like a 'bathtub simulation' with instant immersion into action-rich, and time-limited gameplay.”
“While the core game loop is complete, it's too bad that it is missing things like usable secondary weapons, working guns on u-boats and merchants, collision mechanics (ramming u-boats, a very common tactic historically, is not possible--and even touching a friendly ship means instant mission failure), damaged subs choosing to fight it out on the surface, and a few other things.”
“There is only so much variety one can squeeze from this gameplay loop, and I certainly would not come into this expecting something on the level of depth and variety one might get from the best of the Silent Hunter games.”
“The gameplay can get tedious, even for someone like me who appreciates slow-paced combat.”
- story105 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 87 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is primarily conveyed through cutscenes and a series of randomized missions that lack interconnectivity, leading to a sense of repetitiveness and minimal narrative progression. While the cutscenes attempt to enhance the storytelling experience, they are often criticized for being glitchy and historically inaccurate, leaving players feeling that the campaign mode is underdeveloped. Overall, the narrative aspect struggles to engage players beyond the initial missions, with many expressing a desire for a more cohesive and immersive campaign experience.
“Even though you don't really get to upgrade your ship or manage the crew or convoy, there is enough variety of scenarios and progression to have a good experience playing the career mode, with cut scenes to tell the story.”
“That is the essence of the story being told here about what it may have felt like to be escorting a World War II convoy through dangerous, U-boat infested waters.”
“Cinema - they really tried with the story and the cutscenes, despite the budget voice acting it really feels like quality.”
“There is no sense of accomplishment for the war effort; every mission, campaign, or single is just 3ish u-boats going from the surface to deep running (in less than 30 seconds mind you) with you running around as a lone wolf dropping an unlimited number of depth charges.”
“The career is just non-existent; they're literally the equivalent of playing missions, but one after the other.”
“The campaign looks like it was just thrown together in a day with a mixture of glitchy cut scenes and just some random missions that are no different than the pre-release gameplay.”
- graphics59 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising them as decent or even very good, likening them to modern titles like Battlefield 3, while others criticize them for feeling dated or reminiscent of PS2-era visuals. Technical issues, such as compatibility with certain graphics cards and low-resolution elements, detract from the overall experience for some users. Despite these criticisms, many agree that the gameplay compensates for any graphical shortcomings, making the game enjoyable overall.
“Graphics - very good, honestly it feels like Battlefield 3 graphics but obviously more modern.”
“The graphics, 3D modeling, pretty much everything is first rate.”
“Great game, very realistic with excellent graphics!”
“I had hopes for this game; while the gameplay might be there, the graphics are just PS2, which kills the experience for me.”
“The graphics are still dated; the audio is terrible, the speech is great until numbers are being read, sounding wooden and disjointed. Although there are other changes, icebergs and such, they feel kind of meaningless while the game is still so badly done.”
“For some reason, the skybox is incredibly low resolution for me, and none of the graphics settings change that.”
- atmosphere26 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its intense and immersive qualities, effectively capturing the tension of naval warfare through a compelling soundtrack and cinematic cutscenes. Players appreciate the attention to detail in creating a realistic environment, with moments that build suspense and engage the player, reminiscent of the film "Greyhound." While some cutscenes are noted as wooden, the overall atmosphere is considered top-notch, enhancing the gameplay experience significantly.
“If you watched the film Greyhound and wanted a PC game that was exactly that, well here you are because this game has all the action and atmosphere you saw and felt watching that movie.”
“The battle starts in cinematic cut scenes all done in 3D with relevant real-time information pertaining to your current detected submarine contact, adding much to the immersion and atmosphere.”
“Ironwolf captures the atmosphere incredibly well, as the alarm bell rings out, crew hurry to battle stations and you're updated by the radar or sonar stations of unknown contacts closing in around the convoy.”
“I hope when the campaign does arrive you get enough downtime/quiet moments to drink in the atmosphere and just savor the environment, because it's that good; all you'd need is a spray bottle with some salt water in and jobs sorted.”
- optimization20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some players report excellent performance with no bugs or stuttering on high-end systems, others experience issues, particularly with the uboat's underwater performance and sonar functionality. A few users noted that adjusting CPU performance settings was necessary for optimal gameplay, indicating that optimization may vary significantly across different hardware configurations.
“I haven't experienced any bugs, and the performance is excellent.”
“The game looks pretty, plays pretty decently with little to no performance issues (running a Ryzen 5 2600, 32GB of DDR4 RAM, a GTX 970, and it was installed on a pretty new SSD on Windows 10).”
“The game runs faultless so far with no adjustment needed (i9, RTX 2080 Ti, 32GB) no stuttering, frame drops, or glitching to report.”
“In gameplay, I could not note any difference in sonar performance cruising at 8 or at 24 knots.”
“The biggest drawback in the game so far is the uboat's cracked performance underwater.”
“In regards to acceleration and turn rate, the uboats appear to have the exact same performance underwater as they do while surfaced, which is what's causing a lot of issues during the final moments before dropping the depth charges.”
- music14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and build tension, particularly during intense gameplay moments like chasing unseen enemies. Reviewers note that the soundtrack effectively complements the game's pace and decision-making challenges, creating an immersive experience reminiscent of the film "Greyhound." Additionally, a supporter pack DLC offers the soundtrack along with other content, further appealing to fans of the game's audio design.
“It does a great job of capturing the nail-biting tension of tough, in-the-moment decision making, with special props to the soundtrack for really creating the atmosphere.”
“The immersion is a+++, the chatter, the music is amazing too.”
“It is good, it's intense when chasing a U-boat you can't see with the music and the atmosphere it creates.”
“Reminds me of the movie 'Greyhound', and the radio chatter/voice overlays, plus the music, really adds to tension and the urgency when your sonar locks onto a contact.”
- stability9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by numerous glitches, including problematic auto-targeting in combat and inconsistent voice lines, which detract from the overall experience. Visual issues, ranging from extreme brightness to darkness, can make the game unplayable for some users, particularly those with epilepsy, as there are no warnings for flashing visuals. While the game can run on lower-end equipment, it still suffers from stability concerns that need addressing.
“The visual glitches in this game are either so bright it's blinding or so dark you can't see the game, making it literally unplayable. God forbid you have epilepsy because if you do, there's no warning and the visual glitches do flash from time to time.”
“There are glitches that need to be fixed and mechanics that need to be improved.”
“The only real downsides to the game so far, aside from the fact that it's not complete and doesn't have more content, are some glitches.”
- humor6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the game's humor as a key element, noting that it adds enjoyment to gameplay, particularly through amusing interactions and scenarios, such as navigating with a destroyer and using sonar. The humor is seen as essential to the overall experience, making the game feel engaging and entertaining despite moments of solitude.
“I really like the main idea, the way you can give orders to others, the air support, and battle stations which you really need to spend time to learn to use... the game is funny, which, in my opinion, is the main goal for every game.”
“It can be quite funny at times.”
“Oh, and sonar is funny too; it doesn't feel like a boat with a crew, you are all alone, surrounded by brain-dead zombies.”
“Who says that sailing with the DD is not funny?”
“Who says that sailing with the DD is not funny?”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game capable of evoking strong emotions, as it effectively captures historical naval warfare's intensity and nostalgia. However, the lack of certain mechanics detracts from the overall experience, preventing it from fully realizing its emotional potential.
“🔵 It is so good it can almost become emotional... makes you remember.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with some noting that even those who enjoy slow-paced combat can feel overwhelmed by the repetitive nature of gameplay. Additionally, the menuing system is criticized for being cumbersome, particularly when managing multiple tasks simultaneously.
“The gameplay can get tedious, even for someone like me who appreciates slow-paced combat.”
“The menuing can get kind of tedious or annoying, especially when you're having to jump between several stations at once to keep track of things.”
“The gameplay can get tedious, even for someone like me who appreciates slow-paced combat.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the game lacks significant replayability, comparing it to a mobile game experience, which suggests a limited incentive to revisit after the initial playthrough.
“But it's just missing a certain replayability... it feels almost like a mobile game.”
