Silent Hunter 5: Battle of the Atlantic
- March 1, 2010
- Ubisoft Bucharest
- 13h median play time
Get on Steam"Silent Hunter 5: Battle of the Atlantic" is a submarine simulation game set in World War II. Command a Type VII U-boat and engage in tactical combat against Allied convoys. Experience dynamic campaign missions, customizable submersibles, and realistic graphics as you navigate the treacherous waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
PC
Windows
Uplay
Reviews
- The game offers a detailed and immersive experience of commanding a German U-boat during WWII, with stunning graphics and atmospheric sound design.
- With the 'Wolves of Steel' mod, the game becomes much more enjoyable and fixes many of the bugs present in the vanilla version.
- The ability to walk around the submarine and interact with crew members adds a unique layer of immersion not found in previous titles.
- The game is plagued with bugs and glitches, making it difficult to progress through missions and often resulting in crashes.
- Uplay's mandatory login and DRM requirements create additional frustration, as many players experience issues connecting to the servers.
- The gameplay mechanics have been simplified compared to earlier entries in the series, leading to a less satisfying experience for long-time fans.
- story147 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 87 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is set against a World War II backdrop, providing a potentially immersive experience with historical missions and character backstories. However, players report significant issues with mission progression due to numerous bugs, such as the game failing to recognize sunk ships towards mission objectives, which severely hampers the overall narrative experience. While some users appreciate the atmosphere and initial storyline, the overwhelming technical problems detract from the enjoyment and completion of the game's story.
“The atmosphere is palpable, and the historical context adds layers of authenticity that make every mission feel like a true adventure under the waves.”
“In the Wolves of Steel modset, there are historical events added in via received radio messages, which actually happened during the war, such as Operation Wikinger, or during Operation Weserübung, which is an in-game mission, but had a lot happen during the operation to take over Norway, while you are tasked to sink tonnage in the area.”
“That being said, I would recommend at least starting a game without the WOS mod just so you can experience the beginning storyline of being promoted from first officer to captain of the boat.”
“Winning missions is nearly impossible, for whatever stupid reason kills are not contributed to mission objectives.”
“The game is rubbish, can't complete missions because the game does not save tonnage, stay away from this dung pile.”
“Some missions can't be completed because of the bugs.”
- stability125 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The stability of Silent Hunter 5 is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting it as a "buggy mess" that is often unplayable without extensive modding. Many players express frustration over game-breaking glitches, frequent crashes, and a lack of support from Ubisoft, leading to a consensus that the game is unfinished and requires third-party mods to be enjoyable. While some users have managed to play without significant issues, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game's stability is severely lacking.
“It runs great on my AMD 6-core with 8GB of DDR3 and a GTX 750.”
“This game is a buggy unplayable disaster and I would not recommend it to anybody.”
“The game itself is broken and buggy to the point of being unplayable.”
“Ubisoft pushed this game out in a complete mess, like a lot of their other games from the time period that are notorious for being buggy.”
- graphics115 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many users noting that they are impressive for a title released over a decade ago. While some players appreciate the visual enhancements and immersive environments, others point out that the graphics can’t fully compensate for gameplay issues and bugs. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, especially when enhanced with mods, but they are sometimes overshadowed by gameplay shortcomings.
“For a game that's more than ten years old, the graphics look darned good.”
“The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is seamless, and it functions like Ubisoft should have made it function.”
“This game is really cool; you can walk around the U-boat and the graphics are so beautiful, and the ship explosions feel so real.”
“Though Silent Hunter 3 is probably the most realistic of the bunch, the graphics are very dated, and it's tough to play on high-resolution screens.”
“The graphics have also not aged particularly well and the gameplay can feel a little too unrealistic at times.”
“While the graphics are somewhat improved, the joy of better graphics is more than offset by the bugs you'll encounter.”
- gameplay73 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Silent Hunter 5 has received mixed reviews, with many players highlighting significant issues related to bugs, user interface, and overall mechanics that detract from the experience. While some appreciate the graphics and the potential for immersive gameplay, particularly with the use of mods like "Wolves of Steel," others find the game frustratingly unpolished and inferior to its predecessors. Overall, extensive modding is often necessary to enhance gameplay and fix numerous issues, leading to a divided opinion on its playability and enjoyment.
“With the right mods, you get a subsim with amazing gameplay, and for a 2010 game, it has amazing graphics.”
“The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is seamless, and it functions like Ubisoft should have made it function.”
“I love this game; I don't know why people hate it. Maybe it's because I'm not 'born' with the earlier games, but this game rocks. The graphics are amazing and the gameplay is fabulous.”
“Horrible gameplay.”
“The graphics have never been better and the gameplay has never been worse.”
“The worst thing about this game, however, is that they took the game mechanics from the previous titles and botched them up to such a degree that you wouldn't want this game to be playable anyway.”
- optimization11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users reporting significant performance improvements through mods like "Wolves of Steel" and "Twos," while others experience severe lag and frame rate drops even on high-end systems. Issues such as unclear text can be resolved by adjusting settings like "half-rate shading," but overall, many players feel the game is poorly optimized, leading to a frustrating experience. Despite its potential, the game's performance issues detract from its enjoyment, making it feel unfinished.
“Turning off 'half-rate shading' made unreadable text perfectly clear; on Steam Deck, it's a toggle in the quick performance settings menu on the right side of the screen.”
“Twos mod improves performance, overhauls the UI, improves the sound, gives the game more tools, and drastically expands the game's content.”
“Wolves of Steel fixes the majority of issues the game has and it runs smoothly without crashing.”
“Poorly optimized; I have an i7 and GTX 1070, and it struggles with frequent big frame rate drops.”
“This game has a bazillion problems... -1000%... the game itself is amazing, but the realization and optimization are just horrible, making it impossible to play.”
“Not only is this the biggest pile of crap in the franchise (I have played every single one), it actually flickers with the performance of my PC.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its authenticity and immersive quality, enhanced by historical context and impressive graphics. Players find it intense and engaging, particularly when complemented by thematic soundtracks, creating a vivid experience that stands out from other simulations. However, some users note that modding can impact this atmosphere, suggesting a need for careful handling to maintain the game's immersive qualities.
“The atmosphere is palpable, and the historical context adds layers of authenticity that make every mission feel like a true adventure under the waves.”
“The game looked fantastic and had the atmosphere spot on; coupled with my 'Das Boot' soundtrack running in the background, nothing could stop me as I plundered allied convoys and watched them burn while they sank into the Atlantic Ocean.”
“It's very atmospheric and intense, unlike a lot of cold and sterile sims.”
“If you are going to mod this game out of the atmosphere (subsim forums is the place to go, by the way), then by all means get it. Remember, you need to be patient and careful with the modding.”
“Oddly enough, with all this, the game will not give up in the atmosphere.”
- music7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for enhancing the atmosphere, with players enjoying the addition of historical broadcasts and 1930s tunes that complement the gameplay. However, some users experienced technical issues, such as the game not progressing past the musical intro. Overall, the soundtrack significantly contributes to the immersive experience of the game.
“The music and sounds are really enjoyable to listen to as well.”
“With some of the radio and music mods that you can add, you can hear BBC broadcasts that happened during the war in the years that they occurred.”
“☑ No music that I'm aware of.”
“It won't open past the musical intro.”
“The game looked fantastic and had the atmosphere bang on, coupled with my Das Boot soundtrack running in the background; nothing could stop me as I plundered allied convoys and watched them burn whilst they sunk into the Atlantic Ocean.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often feeling that the complex mechanics and poor user interface detract from the overall experience. While engaging in battles is enjoyable, the lengthy and cumbersome preparation process can diminish the excitement. Many reviewers express a desire for improvements to streamline gameplay and reduce the grind.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Took out all the things that worked well in SH3 and added many great new features that, however, make the game tedious and do not allow players to focus on the actual battles.”
“This process is sometimes very tedious, and here comes to the aid of the ability to accelerate.”
“Wreaking havoc amongst enemy convoys is incredibly satisfying, but getting to the battle in the first place is a very tedious process.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Users indicate that the game offers high replayability, with playtime ranging from 61 to 100 hours, although some express disappointment in the limited variety of playable submarines and occasional crashes that detract from the experience. Overall, while the game is considered more playable than its predecessor, there are still areas for improvement.
“Very long (61-100 hours) [high replayability]”
“You'd think with it being on Steam that they'd have some regard for having games that are playable to the extent that you aren't crashing every so often without having done anything to 'upset' the game.”
“I only wish there were more playable subs other than just the Type VII.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted to be amusing, particularly in the context of its quirky mechanics and bugs, which some players find ironically entertaining. However, the frequent crashes and issues, especially when using certain features, detract from the overall experience, leading to a mixed reception regarding the game's comedic elements. Players suggest that the game is more enjoyable with mods, which ironically seem to resolve many of the developer's bugs.
“Funny actions ^^”
“All this is quite funny.”
“Isn't that funny... so I hear this game is the best with mods.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a low-effort cash grab, with promotional content from Ubisoft perceived as overly promotional. However, players appreciate the absence of microtransactions, which is seen as a positive aspect.
“At least there aren't any microtransactions in it.”
“The monetization model is fair and doesn't pressure players to spend money.”
“I appreciate that the game offers plenty of content without requiring additional purchases.”
“Looks like a final cut-rate cash grab.”
“The few YouTube videos I found made by Ubisoft were nothing short of shameless advertisements.”
“Heck, at least there aren't any microtransactions in it.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional response from users reflects frustration and disappointment, particularly regarding the lack of improvements and ongoing issues with the game, leading to a sense of disillusionment and a decision to abandon it altogether.
