Silent Hunter®: Wolves of the Pacific
- August 27, 2009
- Ubisoft Romania
- 36h median play time
Get on Steam"Silent Hunter: Wolves of the Pacific" is a submarine simulation game set in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. Players command a US submarine and must complete missions such as destroying enemy ships and bases. The game features realistic naval combat and ship behavior, as well as a dynamic campaign that changes based on player decisions.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Highly addictive gameplay that keeps players engaged for hours.
- Offers a realistic submarine simulation experience with detailed mechanics and strategic gameplay.
- Strong modding community that enhances the game and adds replayability.
- Frequent technical issues and bugs, especially on modern systems, leading to crashes and unplayable states.
- Lack of proper tutorials and guidance for new players, making it difficult to learn the game mechanics.
- The base game is outdated and requires additional purchases for patches and expansions to be fully functional.
- story89 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 91 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally viewed as minimal, with players emphasizing that the focus is more on gameplay mechanics and mission execution rather than a narrative-driven experience. While there are various mission types, including patrols and reconnaissance, many users feel that the missions can become repetitive and lack depth. The addition of the U-Boat Missions DLC is often recommended for a more complete experience, as it enhances gameplay and is necessary for most mods, but the overall consensus is that the game prioritizes simulation over storytelling.
“The tenseness when invading Midway in the U-boat missions campaign, sinking an aircraft carrier, a light cruiser, and a battleship, all while being shot at by torpedo boats and having bombers pass over me was a very interesting experience.”
“Each submarine performs differently and the missions you receive can have very tense moments that had me sweating.”
“The missions and campaigns require a real dedication to this game as they are not kid stuff - navigating and attacking convoys will really test your skills.”
“This game isn't about the story; it's more about the experience.”
“In SH5, you're sent down a storyline and have little to no freedom to roam.”
“Then when you finally complete the mission, it just repeats the same mission again in a slightly different location.”
- graphics44 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered decent for its release in 2007, with some players appreciating the realistic water effects and overall visual quality, especially when enhanced with mods. However, many reviews note that the graphics have aged poorly, with various bugs and clunky camera angles detracting from the experience. While not up to modern standards, the visuals still provide an enjoyable experience for those willing to overlook their dated appearance.
“The graphics are very good and even epic for 2007.”
“Awesome graphics and plenty of gameplay.”
“Great game, very realistic, and eye-pleasing graphics.”
“How about water that moves independently from the ship, graphics blacking out entirely, or not even causing damage when hitting a ship?”
“It's tone is all off, feeling more like a tropical adventure than anything, the difficulty is pathetic, it's more confusing than Silent Hunter 3 with no obvious answer, it's buggier than Silent Hunter 3, its graphics are okay for the time, but by God, they have aged so terribly it's not even funny.”
“The graphics are low and not preferable.”
- gameplay29 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
Gameplay in the reviewed game is noted for its depth and immersive mechanics, allowing players to adjust difficulty levels for a tailored experience. While many appreciate the realistic submarine simulation and improved graphics, some users report bugs and a clunky user interface that can detract from the experience. Overall, the game offers a mix of rewarding challenges and frustrating elements, particularly for new players.
“Gameplay is more in-depth and feels less janky.”
“Full difficulty brings an intensely immersive experience that can be extremely rewarding once you learn the mechanics.”
“Gameplay is smooth; and the experience feels realistic.”
“But the gameplay really drives me up a wall.”
“The UI is clunky, the gameplay is buggy, and there is little to no information for a new player to understand the various complexities that are ultimately unfinished with the game.”
“Also, after hours of gameplay all of my save files suddenly became corrupt and I am completely unable to play the game now.”
- stability27 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with many users reporting it as a "buggy mess" that often freezes or crashes, making it nearly unplayable in its base version. Comparisons to previous titles in the series, particularly Silent Hunter III, highlight that while it may be less buggy than Silent Hunter V, it still suffers from numerous glitches and stability issues. Players recommend using mods to improve the experience, as the vanilla game is plagued by significant technical problems.
“Honestly, if you want to play a Silent Hunter game, buy the third one. I have had almost no glitches while playing it, and it wasn't as frustrating.”
“This game is somehow more unstable and buggy than Silent Hunter 3; you think not getting 'torpedo impact' in SH3 is bad?”
“However, this is the base game v1.3 version which is completely broken and an unplayable buggy mess.”
“Too many glitches in the game which force you to restart, and all progress is lost.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some users report it runs smoothly on modern PCs with specific settings adjusted (like disabling fullscreen optimizations), others experience significant performance issues, including crashes and erratic behavior during time acceleration. Despite these drawbacks, the game shows better performance compared to its predecessor, Silent Hunter 3.
“Check the box for 'disable fullscreen optimizations'.”
“Honestly, this game would have been awesome if it didn't crash or seize up and drop in performance.”
“I was worried about the negative reviews saying that it doesn't work anymore on modern PCs, but the game works flawlessly in Windows 10 with the U-boot missions DLC, Windows Vista compatibility mode, and fullscreen optimization disabled.”
“The Balao is great, but what I'm getting at here is that you don't see the same disparity of performance that you saw in Silent Hunter 3.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised, particularly during intense moments like being hunted by destroyers, which enhances the overall experience. However, some users feel that the atmosphere in the previous installment, "3," remains the best. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature.
“The atmosphere is amazing.”
“Great game, and the atmosphere is great when being hunted by destroyers.”
“I still feel the atmosphere of the third game was the best.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, particularly the main theme and credits, which enhance the overall experience. The inclusion of a radio mechanic adds to immersion, especially when using mods that incorporate period-specific news and music, creating a rich atmospheric backdrop.
“The soundtrack is great, especially the main theme and credits.”
“There is a mechanic that allows you to listen to the radio while surfaced - that really helps with immersion, especially if you load the Captain Midnight CBS Radio mod, as it will interrupt the musical interludes with war news on appropriate dates.”
“There is a mechanic that allows you to listen to the radio while surfaced - that really helps with immersion if you load the Captain Midnight CBS radio mod, as it will interrupt the musical interludes with war news on appropriate dates.”
“Immersion is assisted by the introduction of period radio news and music.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as inconsistent, with some players finding it amusing due to its quirky features like real-time travel, while others feel the overall tone is off and the experience is marred by confusion and technical issues. The mixed reviews suggest that while there are moments of humor, they are overshadowed by frustrations with gameplay and graphics.
“A fantastic game, which allows you to do so many things; the nice feature may be the real-time travel, which makes it so funny to play.”
“Funny way to start recommending a product but I am still in the hospital drying my wet clothes.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect tedious, noting that it often requires excessive effort, such as needing a second life to manage it effectively. The repetitive nature of tasks, like sending status reports, contributes to a frustrating experience, especially with unfiltered old news cluttering the interface.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The message clipboard is tedious, even after you send your status reports, and old news just sits there unfiltered.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that while the game offers some emotional engagement through crew interactions, it falls short compared to Silent Hunter V, which allows for deeper character connections. Additionally, the emotional outbursts from the crew during critical moments are seen as unrealistic and detract from the overall immersion.
“The crew shout or yell orders emotionally, which no skipper I am sure would tolerate, especially during the critical phases of battle.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
While some users feel that the game could benefit from tuning to enhance its replayability, many agree that it remains enjoyable for a title over a decade old. Overall, it offers a decent level of replay value despite some room for improvement.
“This game offers a surprising amount of replayability, with different paths and choices that keep each playthrough fresh.”
“The variety of character builds and strategies means I can play this game multiple times without getting bored.”
“Every time I revisit this game, I discover new secrets and challenges that make it feel like a completely different experience.”
“This could be tuned a bit to make the game even more replayable, but for a game that's over a decade old, it's not half bad.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to dive back in.”
“The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying feel tedious and uninteresting.”
