Silent Storm

About

"Silent Storm" is a turn-based tactical RPG set in World War II, featuring a complex physics engine and destructible environments. Players control a squad of soldiers from various nations, completing missions and managing resources in a non-linear campaign. The game is known for its realism and deep customization options.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 760 reviews

story36 positive mentions

stability18 negative mentions

Silent Storm offers a unique blend of turn-based strategy and RPG elements, allowing for deep tactical gameplay with a variety of character classes and skills.
The game features fully destructible environments, enabling players to creatively approach missions by blowing up walls or collapsing buildings on enemies.
The character progression system is engaging, with soldiers gaining experience and skills based on their actions, making each playthrough feel rewarding and dynamic.

The AI can be inconsistent, sometimes failing to react logically during combat, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The voice acting and dialogue are often considered poor and cheesy, detracting from the overall immersion of the game.
Some players have reported bugs and crashes, particularly in later missions, which can hinder progress and enjoyment.

story
393 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
86%
5%
The story in the game is generally considered weak and forgettable, with many reviewers noting its deviation into sci-fi elements that detracts from the WWII setting. While some find the premise of a spy thriller intriguing, the execution often feels disjointed and lacks depth, leading to a narrative that is more of a backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling experience. Additionally, technical issues, such as bugs in critical missions, further diminish the overall enjoyment of the story.
- “The story deviates far from actual WWII into a kind of sci-fi direction, which is interesting.”
- “You have a fascinating WWII setting, an amazing upgradable team that you can pick and choose for what the mission demands, and a beautiful addition of science fiction elements.”
- “The plot takes you from scenario to scenario, trying to uncover this fascinating mystery.”
- “The story is an ok spy thriller until it gets to the end where it goes off the rails.”
- “The game's story is pretty bland and forgettable.”
- “First off, the story is lame, voice acting is laughable, and graphics haven't aged well... those are the only real downsides.”
gameplay
175 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
53%
8%
The gameplay of this title is characterized by a unique blend of real-time and turn-based mechanics, offering deep tactical choices and a variety of character classes and weapons. While many players appreciate the destructible environments and strategic depth, some criticize the clunky systems and occasional bugs that can disrupt the experience. Overall, the game is seen as a classic with solid mechanics that, despite its age, still provides engaging and addictive gameplay.
- “The combination of a physics-based world combined with a turn-based mechanic makes this one of the most unique squad combat games you'll ever play.”
- “Absolutely brilliant and intense gameplay that requires strategy rather than spray and pray tactics.”
- “The gameplay is what matters, and that's what excels here.”
- “Tried to enjoy this game but it's janky as hell and seems unfinished with a lot of basic gameplay issues.”
- “The gameplay itself, while okay, did nothing to keep my attention like it once did.”
- “The gameplay can be tedious at times.”
graphics
131 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
60%
12%
The graphics of the game are generally considered mediocre and somewhat dated, with many users noting that they have not aged well since release. However, some players appreciate the old-school aesthetic and the game's destructible environments, which add to the overall enjoyment despite the visual shortcomings. While there are reports of graphical bugs and issues with resolution, many agree that the gameplay remains engaging enough to overshadow these graphical limitations.
- “Even with its age, it holds up graphically and the destruction engine makes it great fun (if a bit overpowered) in later game once you can start destroying whole buildings.”
- “Despite its age, the gameplay, as well as its visuals, has aged pretty well.”
- “This game has good combat mechanics, a strategic level-up system, and graphics that still hold up even today, which outweigh the cons, in my opinion.”
- “The reason I don't recommend the Steam version is that it is lacking some files, making it impossible to finish the game, but also has graphical issues like no shadows and proper lighting.”
- “Meanwhile, the S2 doesn't support widescreen and the resolution is very bad; if you try to run it in full screen, the graphics will tear and pixelate everywhere.”
- “First off, the graphics haven't aged well, and if that is really that important to you, then don't buy it.”
replayability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
32%
9%
The game boasts high replayability due to its random encounters, variable mission layouts, and diverse tactical options, allowing players to approach challenges in multiple ways. With features like axis/allies campaigns, adaptable character builds, and a wealth of mods available, players can enjoy a fresh experience with each playthrough. While some reviewers noted that replayability could be improved, the overall consensus is that the game's engaging mechanics and extensive content make it highly addictive and worth revisiting.
- “This game has a high replay value because it features random encounters that appear on the world map, allowing for diverse experiences each time you play. The locations of enemies and objectives change with each replay, making every session feel unique.”
- “Great graphics, fully destructible environments, ragdoll physics, RPG-lite elements, tons of guns, and replayability due to various characters, two sides with different missions, and semi-random story missions that are influenced by mission clues from previous playthroughs.”
- “Some playthroughs may include missions that you have never seen before depending on the intel you are provided with, which provides a very solid amount of replayability.”
- “Basic skill trees, adaptable load-outs for six classes, re-playable campaign as either Axis or Allies.”
- “I'd say the replay value here is medium; after you have played both sides, the longer I waited, the more I forgot and found it interesting again.”
humor
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of intentionally and unintentionally funny elements, particularly through the voice acting, which many players find hilariously bad yet entertaining. While some appreciate the dry and subtle humor in squad member dialogues, others note that the awkward accents and repetitive lines can become grating. Overall, the game's bizarre storyline and comedic moments contribute to a unique, if chaotic, comedic experience that resonates with players.
- “The only thing holding it back is its bizarre storyline (at one point in the expansion you start to use Ironman-style power armor even though it's the 1950s), hilariously bad voice acting (the dialogue is one of the funniest things I've ever heard in my entire life) and the fact that shotguns do not exist in the game.”
- “The voice acting sucks, but the cheesy quips the soldiers (both friendly and enemy) say are so funny, you wind up almost liking it better that way.”
- “If you can ignore the hilarious attempt at accents (especially the Scottish one), this game is worth every penny twice over.”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
28%
17%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with a nice selection of scores that enhance the atmosphere and engagement, particularly impressive for a title from 2003. However, some players note issues with the soundtrack being sparse and occasionally cutting out during gameplay, which can be distracting. Overall, while the music may not be universally appealing, it has the potential to either annoy or charm players.
- “The sound effects and the music are really nice, and help get you engaged.”
- “Good selection of musical scores that adds to the game's atmosphere.”
- “In terms of other things, the soundtrack for this game is surprisingly good, especially for a 2003 game.”
- “The music is almost nonexistent.”
- “The only slight issue I’ve encountered is that the music will sometimes randomly cut out during combat and then replay itself 30 seconds later, which is kinda annoying but not the end of the world.”
- “However, it has less soundtrack and more linear and shorter campaign.”
stability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent glitches, crashes to desktop, and problematic mission scripts, particularly in the Steam version compared to the original CD release. Users report that the game can behave erratically, with some items being unusable and persistent background processes complicating uninstallation. Overall, the stability problems make it difficult to recommend, as they detract from the gameplay experience.
- “Not only does it run like a virus in the background (when you try to uninstall it claims the application is still running even though you exited it and nothing is in the task management), but it's also a buggy crapshoot of a title that has multiple bugs, crashes to desktop, and is clunky all around.”
- “Mission scripts are so buggy that I'm uninstalling now without finishing the game.”
- “The game is buggy as hell (though game-breaking/crashing bugs are rare), and many of the gear items (especially for engineers and medics) are completely unusable (check for guides and unofficial patches online).”
grinding
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game has been criticized for its tediousness and lack of depth, with players finding the manual training and currency system frustrating. Many feel that these elements detract from the overall experience, turning gameplay into a repetitive grind rather than an engaging challenge. Overall, the game is seen as having potential, but the grinding mechanics significantly hinder enjoyment.
- “The gameplay can be tedious at times.”
- “I got sick of it fairly quickly as there really isn't much depth and the gameplay is tedious.”
- “Lastly, they added a currency system that just proves why currency should not be a thing in a tactical strategy game with RPG elements since it ultimately just turns the game into farming 'random encounters' that aren't at all random.”
optimization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
50%
29%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with reports of significant performance issues even on modern hardware, particularly when running at high settings or using mods. While some improvements have been made since its initial release, players still experience frequent frame rate drops and minor performance hiccups, largely attributed to the game's outdated engine and heavy physics calculations. Overall, the optimization is considered very poor, affecting gameplay experience across various systems.
- “A lot of new stuff and new features have been added since the Sentinels release, resulting in significant improvements in both gameplay and performance.”
- “The only drawbacks are some slight video quality limitations due to the games being made in 2003 and 2004, along with very minor performance hiccups that seem to recover in a few seconds, likely due to heavy physics calculations.”
- “You've got a meticulous turn-based tactical simulation, complete with ammo management, multiple firing modes that balance speed and accuracy, and wounds that impair soldier performance.”
- “Performance: because it was made for older GPUs, the highest settings can oddly enough drop your FPS to near 0.”
- “Very poorly optimized.”
- “The game runs like crap on a mystery engine so unoptimized that my modern i7 sometimes chugs with it; this is true of all rigs, so don't think yours is too good or too bad for it.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game effectively captures a compelling World War II atmosphere, enhanced by a strong selection of musical scores that complement the visuals and storytelling. Players appreciate the balance of tactical depth and immersive environments, with a notable shift to an epic dieselpunk atmosphere midway through the game. Overall, the atmosphere is described as engaging and well-crafted, contributing significantly to the gameplay experience.
- “This game has a good blend of tactical depth, good visuals, atmosphere, and story.”
- “It’s not too overpowering, yet still provides a boost to the atmosphere as you fight through buildings searching for intel.”
- “In the middle of the game (warning: spoiler!) it takes on a dieselpunk atmosphere that tends to be epic.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact of the game is mixed, with some players feeling a sense of closure after completing it, while others find the voice acting to be a jarring experience that oscillates between being comically poor and genuinely affecting. Overall, the emotional resonance may vary significantly depending on the player's familiarity with the language and cultural nuances.
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development is facilitated through a skill tree system, allowing players to allocate points and customize their characters' abilities. This feature provides a degree of personalization and progression, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- “You have some character development options such as a skill tree you can put points into.”