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.
PC
Reviews
- The game offers a unique perspective by allowing players to command a destroyer in WWII naval combat, providing a refreshing change from traditional submarine simulations.
- The atmosphere is immersive, with engaging voice acting and realistic sound effects that enhance the gameplay experience.
- The game has a solid foundation with potential for growth, as it is actively being developed and improved based on player feedback.
- U-boats exhibit unrealistic speed and maneuverability, making them difficult to engage effectively, which detracts from the realism of the gameplay.
- The AI for friendly escorts can be frustrating, as they may collide with the player's ship or fail to engage effectively with enemy submarines.
- The game currently lacks a comprehensive campaign mode, limiting the overall content and replayability for players.
- gameplay64 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as engaging and rewarding, particularly for those interested in submarine warfare and action-rich scenarios, though it can be challenging and repetitive. While the core mechanics are solid, there are notable gaps in realism and variety, with some players finding the tutorial lacking and the overall experience somewhat clunky. Despite its early development stage, many reviewers appreciate the potential for depth and strategy, recommending it for simulation enthusiasts willing to invest time in mastering its systems.
“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.”
“Despite being billed as a simulation, it's an action game at heart, with the few realism-evoking mechanics keeping the focus on the tension of battle, split up into set-piece missions rather than giving you an open world.”
“Below an at first glance good looking UI and nice stations lie terrible clunky mechanics and very simplified gameplay. Everything is condensed into the pure 'action' ASW perspective, no docking, no air defense, just instant action on the convoy.”
“The gameplay can get tedious, even for someone like me who appreciates slow-paced combat.”
- story53 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 85 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is primarily conveyed through cutscenes and mission briefings, but many players find the narrative lacking depth and cohesion, as missions feel disjointed and repetitive. While the cutscenes attempt to provide historical context, they often fall short, leading to a sense of monotony in the gameplay, which consists mainly of randomized missions without significant progression or player impact. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the unique naval warfare experience and the effort put into the storytelling elements, hoping for future updates to enhance the campaign's depth and immersion.
“Despite being billed as a simulation, it's an action game at heart, with the few realism-evoking mechanics keeping the focus on the tension of battle, split up into set-piece missions rather than giving you an open world.”
“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.”
“And we now have a full career mode, with fully voiced cut-scenes telling your character's story as captain.”
“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.”
“This game lacks any details that make you want to continue playing once you've beaten one or two missions.”
“Unless I'm missing something, the career mode is basically the same set of 3 back-to-back missions of escorting cargo from the US to England (no return trip) with a ranking at the end of each one from your commanding officer.”
- graphics30 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players noting that while they are not AAA quality, they are decent and do not detract from the overall gameplay experience. However, several users criticize certain aspects as feeling dated or reminiscent of older consoles, particularly in specific scenes and elements like the skybox. Overall, the graphics are considered good for an early access title, with potential for improvement, especially in areas like readability and technical performance on various hardware.
“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-level, 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.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 23 % 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 combination of a compelling soundtrack, cinematic cutscenes, and real-time updates. Players appreciate the balance of action and moments that allow them to savor the environment, likening the experience to the film "Greyhound." Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as top-notch, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
“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 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.”
“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.”
“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.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed feedback from users. While some players report excellent performance with no bugs or stuttering on high-end systems, others have experienced issues with specific gameplay mechanics, such as the uboat's underwater performance and the lack of impact from damage on speed. Additionally, some users had to adjust their CPU settings to achieve stable performance, 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.”
“In regards to acceleration and turn rate, the U-boats 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.”
“U-boat damage also doesn't appear to impact its performance, so you will encounter heavily damaged U-boats that can dive deep and move at flank speed despite having oil ruptures.”
- music7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and build tension during gameplay, effectively complementing the pacing and decision-making moments. Players appreciate the soundtrack's immersive qualities, likening it to cinematic experiences and noting how it intensifies the urgency of in-game scenarios. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's engaging and 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.”
“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.”
“Reminds me of the movie 'Greyhound', and the radio chatter/voice overlays, plus the music, really adds to the tension and urgency when your sonar locks onto a contact.”
“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 the tension and the urgency when your sonar locks onto a contact.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by significant visual glitches that can be disorienting or even hazardous for players with epilepsy, rendering it nearly unplayable at times. Additionally, combat mechanics exhibit bugs, such as auto-switching targets unexpectedly, and overall performance suffers from various glitches despite running on suboptimal hardware. While the game shows potential, it requires substantial fixes and improvements to enhance stability.
“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's a lot of 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 and the U-boat maneuvering is kind of overpowered.”
- humor4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted to be quite effective, with players finding it amusing, particularly in the context of navigating challenges like dealing with "brain dead zombies" and the quirky dynamics of commanding a crew. Overall, the humor is seen as a key element that enhances the gaming experience.
“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.”
“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.”
“Who says that sailing with the DD is not funny?”
“The jokes fell flat and felt forced, lacking any real wit.”
“I expected more clever humor, but it was mostly just cringe-worthy puns.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally impactful, evoking nostalgia and strong memories despite its mechanical shortcomings. The absence of certain historical tactics and features detracts from the overall experience, yet the game's emotional resonance remains a highlight.
“🔵 It is so good it can almost become emotional... makes you remember.”
- grinding2 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 may feel the gameplay becomes repetitive. Additionally, the menu navigation can be 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.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users feel that the game lacks significant replayability, comparing it to a mobile game experience that may not encourage repeated playthroughs.
“But it's just missing a certain replayability; it feels almost like a mobile game.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to dive back in.”
“The lack of varied outcomes makes it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
