Silent Storm...a must play!!!

It's been awhile, so I have to talk up Silent Storm and it's expansion Sentinels again.  I'm playing it a third time through as the Axis side and just continued to be wowed by the game.  For those of you not aware of Silent Storm, it's a turn-based and squad based strategy game with some quasi role-playing elements, and set in WWII. You play as either Allies or Axis soldiers with up to 6 different squad members of different class - soldier, scout, grenadier, engineer, medic and sniper.  I played through twice as the Allies, but thought I'd give the Axis side a try - I felt my heart wouldn't be in it though.  On the contrary, the storyline twists into more of espionage and somewhat sci-fi type scenario. The Allies and Axis forces fight each other but ultimately the plot takes you to a fight against a third fictional force called Thor's Hammer.  I'm really enjoying playing the Axis side as it plays out as an alternate view of the same storyline with a different starting point and objectives.

Silent Storm didn't sell well initially due to poor marketing but has gradually approached cult classic status. I can't recommend this game enough. It tends to be compared to the old XCOM series, which I never played.  I can't begin to tell you how satisfying this game is and the turn-based aspect just works so well for the gameplay.  The graphic engine is incredible with fully destructable environments and no deteriotion when zooming in and out.  You can pretty much blow everything up to smithereens. The game can run slow on older computers unless you do some custom config. It runs great now on my new PC all maxed out.

As for Sentinels, this expansion pack not only matches it's predecessor but exceeds it, improving on Silent Storm and proving to be twice the challenge.

This is a game that will last you a long time. A single mission can keep you up most of the night with great satisfaction as you destroy your enemies in detail with grenedes, rifles, machine guns, sniper shots, knifes, mines - you name it. There's a buttload of different weapons from the era plus some unique ones as well.  The best is using silencer machine guns with your scout in which you can sneak up on an enemy and blow him away without him or others seeing you.  In fact, the scout character just rocks in this game and is vital.

 Anyway, I had to come on here an give some props to this game. Every time I play it, I just get pumped up.   I really feel that more gamers should be aware of this treasure and give it a try, especially with out the crap out now.  I recommend buying Silent Storm Gold since it has Sentinels and this collection costs less the 20 bucks now - plus I don't believe Sentinels is available in the US outside the Gold version.  Trust me - you'll want to play Sentinels.

Silent Storm a was nice TBS game but I don't like the expansion.thusaha

Interesting....I thought the expansion absolutely rocked and improved on almost every aspect of the original.  The consensus reviews of the expansion were better than Silent Storms. Anyway, they are great companion pieces. I recommend trying out the expansion again if you didn't finish it. There are some great battles in that game including what basically is a straight-on battle that you get to plan before starting it. Sentinels is also a wicked challenge.  You may not have liked it as they upped the rpg elements a tad in Sentinels.

Is it anything like Soldiers at War? Soldiers at War was a turn based game like x-com, that had a clunky interface, but I played a lot. I always wanted to try Silent Storm -does the gameplay ever get tedious or frustrating (I don't have the patience I once had)?Deltaforce-

 I haven't played Soldiers at War. I looked it up on Gamespot and the reviewer called it XCOM in WWII.   That's a pretty fair description Silent Storm too. However, SS set the bar a whole lot higher with a great graphics engine, excellent interface, some role-playing and fully destructable environments.  As for tedious, I never gave that a thought as I was so absorbed by the gameplay.  The only thing that could be a problem is if you don't have good PC and graphics card - the engine is pretty demanding, but works fine on newer PCs with decent video cards  The game is challenging and gets harder as the game progresses, but your characters get better as well as you.  Sounds like you would really enjoyed this game - it lasts forever and has great replay value.  Play as the Allies first and then play the Axis side.

I liked Silent Storm a lot until the mechs. Aside from being buggy, it ruined the game for me. juggernaut8419

I never encountered any bugs in Silent Storm - maybe you didn't have the patches installed. The Panzerkliens and the SciFi element bothered even the most diehard of fans, including myself.  However, I enjoyed fighting them as it proved challenging.  I think most people just didn't like playing with the suits on. The panzerkliens can be defeated using conventional weapons and some of the high powered weapons. In Sentinels, you will have to use the suits a bit toward the end. However, in Sentinels the developers let you know which weapons have a higher penetration factor.  I found it freakin' awesome to snipe several rounds into a panzerklien enemy and watch his suit explode.

 Note: To those who haven't played Silent Storm, the fighting stays fairly conventional until the second half.  The game and plot itself, although set in WWII, doesn't follow the main WWII events and plotlines. I found this refreshing actually.

[QUOTE="juggernaut8419"]I liked Silent Storm a lot until the mechs. Aside from being buggy, it ruined the game for me. eclarkdog

I never encountered any bugs in Silent Storm - maybe you didn't have the patches installed. The Panzerkliens and the SciFi element bothered even the most diehard of fans, including myself. However, I enjoyed fighting them as it proved challenging. I think most people just didn't like playing with the suits on. The panzerkliens can be defeated using conventional weapons and some of the high powered weapons. In Sentinels, you will have to use the suits a bit toward the end. However, in Sentinels the developers let you know which weapons have a higher penetration factor. I found it freakin' awesome to snipe several rounds into a panzerklien enemy and watch his suit explode.

Note: To those who haven't played Silent Storm, the fighting stays fairly conventional until the second half. The game and plot itself, although set in WWII, doesn't follow the main WWII events and plotlines. I found this refreshing actually.

I played some of SS2 and liked it till another game distracted me. Thought about getting back into it and buying the expansion after seeing this thread. Then thought about getting the gold edition and noticed PC Gamer giving it a 65% in April 06 issue. Anyone know why? They gave the original game 80%. Samduhman

 I always thought PCGamer review was odd It's the only one listed on the SS Gold page.  I could not find the review in the PCGamer archive.  I seriously question the validity and existence of that review.  Anyway, if you take compilations as a whole, you find that they don't receive many reviews, even from readers.  I recommend taking the individual reviews of S2 and S3 from Gamespot and googling for reviews from sites like IGN and Worth Playing.  The Worth Playing review is pretty insightful and gives some detail into the gameplay.  I think you'l find that a high majority of reviews for Silent Storm are highly positive.

By the way, I own both Silent Storm and Gold. Had to by Gold to get Sentinels and it was worth it, heck you can get Gold for ten bucks now. It's basically the two games straight up with all the patches.  There's no bonus stuff.

Sorry you had those problems.  I probably ran into a couple of anomalies, but dont' recall.  My biggest issue was running the game when I first played it on my old computer - the game is demanding.  The game runs fine on my newer PC, although I still don't fully max it out.  Sentinels has some incredible conventional warefare against enemies much tougher than in S2. Also, you get a "penentration" factor on your weapons; that is, each weapon's penetration factor improves the chance of going through armor, obstacles and damaging a mech.  A high powered weapon or grenade may have a lower penetration factor than something else, which may have had an effect in S2, but you had nothing to gauge it by.  Nival made a lot of little tweaks to Sentinels that improved things, even the AI. The AI will kick your ass in S3. One last note, I save like the beejeesus in this game - quicksaves and then hardsaves at different milestones.

I have this game, but I never played it. Turn-Based games are something I am just not very good at. They have high learning curve (or maybe I am just a slow learner). Either way, if the game is really that good, maybe I should try it. chandu83

 I noticed your Desperados review recently, which is one of my favorite games. Although it was not TBS, I think you will like Silent Storm. It offers you a chance to really sit back and strategize your moves and attacks.  For anyone, it was worth a try, since Gold can be had for around 10 bucks. If you like it gives you just tons of gameplay.

Silent Storm is a great TBS no doubt...... One of my favorite features would be the physics and the interaction with the almost 100% destructible enviroments.... There's nothing quite like shooting your way through a floor and jumping down behind an enemy while he waits for you to go down the stairs~ Also making people fly through windows looks pretty amazing :) Overall I'd say it's a definite "must buy" for any TBS fan.... There are mods out that get rid of the mechs later in the game since a lot of people didn't like them. SuperBeast

 Good point on the mods.  Nival and a fan site have mods to adjust certain aspect of the game including the mech suits and balancing in gameplay and AI - even making it harder. I found it was hard enough, especially Sentinels.  The modding tools allow one to create their own games. Although there are some small mods out, SS game mods have not really taken off. One guy is working on one and put out a demo which I enjoyed.   I heard that Hammer & Sickle started out as a mod (not rated well but grossly misunderstood - there are some good reviews of that game. I enjoyed it and it's tough as nails)

Instead of playing SS for the third time, do yourself a favor and get Jagged Alliance2. although 5 years older, it surpasses SS in every aspect. give it a try.Ark123

 I do have it. It's a great game. I actually got it cause I was looking for something like SS. I have to certainly say that SS was inspired by this game as well as XCOM.  I wouldn't necessarily say it surpasses SS in every aspect, but know that's just my opinion. In it's time it was truly an exceptional game and is still playable today even though the graphics are obviously dated.  Sentinels plays a bit more like Jagged Alliance.

Jagged Alliance 3 will be using a modified Silent Storm engine. It will be interesting to see how that works out...provided the cheap Russian studio Strategy First has working on it doesn't completely screw the game up.Decado_basic

It is an excellent game...but am I the only one who experiences crashes every few turns?Planeforger

Occassionally it would crash every 2-3 turns. Sometimes it wouldn't crash for a few missions at a time.

This was without the patch. Now, after installing the patch, the game doesn't run at all. I'll try re-installing it.

 *Update* It's fine now. :P

Did they ever fix the leveling problem?? I seem to remember that the characters in your team progressed slower than those at the base. This was a confirmed bug but never got officially patched, AFAIK. It ruined the game for me.

P.S. Jagged Alliance 3 won't be made, there is however a project called "JAZZ: Hired Guns", which used to be the upcoming JA3.
 http://www.gfi.su/index1.php?langid=2&idt=675&categ_id=39&men_id=11

I have it, and it's with another 50 or so 'must play' games I have in a box in the store room. I do intend to play before I shuffle off to wherever people eventually shuffle off to, but it is a game that always seems to go further down the 'must play' list.

It may well be a cruel world. But I don't think the business side of the Silent Storm developers care if I haven't played it, they only care that I actually brought it.

8)

I have it, and it's with another 50 or so 'must play' games I have in a box in the store room. I do intend to play before I shuffle off to wherever people eventually shuffle off to, but it is a game that always seems to go further down the 'must play' list.

It may well be a cruel world. But I don't think the business side of the Silent Storm developers care if I haven't played it, they only care that I actually brought it.

8)

nightharvest

You're thinking of the publishers, they couldn't care less if you play it.....so long as you bought it.    A lot of developers actually *do* care about their work.   Saying they don't care would be like saying an artist who spent over a year on a painting doesn't care if nobody likes/understands it, they just care about the money.    The art gallery who sold it for the artist wouldn't care if nobody looked at it, so long as it sold.    

 You can tell the guys at Nival really took their time on this game with putting in minor details...   I just got done playing a few missions and still get amazed by something every mission.   For example:  Just finished a missions with a bunch of Germans hiding out in a house...  One opened the door and I decided to take him out~ My shot was a just a little bit off and the bullet was just a little bit off and ended up ricocheting off the wall and into the door, slamming it shut and leaving a german stuck outside with no chance of running back in for cover.  

 Goddamn I love this game...LOL