The first game I have ever had to return back to the store! And I've bought some bad games in the past! Be warned!
Horrendous!
This is the definitive proof that the PC gaming industry; needs a governing body to regulate companies like Ubisoft, concerning the quality of their software releases. Let's face it you don't walk into a car showroom and buy a car with no engine or wheels, on the promise that the manufacturer will provide them in 6 months. Likewise your local electronics store can't sell you a TV with a manual that doesn't tell you how to use it properly.
Ubisoft have in essence committed both of the above with Silent Hunter 5! What we have here is a game which is only half finished, and has probably the poorest user manual ever provided for a simulation game. As a long time fan of the Silent Hunter series, this game is an abomination.
The new graphics are nice, especially the underwater lighting and the transition between night and day etc. Also the ability to walk around the sub is a nice little touch and helps to convey the cramped conditions to which you and your men are confined to during your patrol time at sea.
However that's pretty much the only good things about this game! The new user interface, whilst modern, has critical components essential to controlling your submarine missing. For example, the depth under keel button is missing, meaning it's impossible to tell the distance between the ocean floor and your sub. This can be catastrophic when performing a crash dive to avoid an escort, only to hit the ocean floor, completely destroying your sub. The range to contact button and return to course buttons are also missing, more importantly the rudder control allowing you to trim the direction of your sub on the fly. The above simply means you have spend more time in the map screen making course adjustments by plotting and deleting waypoints, just to position your sub 10 degrees starboard! Whilst the new roaming around the sub element does add to the atmosphere, the lack of any shortcut keys to jump to critical stations (deck gun for example) ruin the experience when in actual combat.
To clarify, let's say you're manning the periscope but you want your men to man the deck gun and begin firing at the vessel close by. In order to do this you need to exit the periscope screen, manoeuvre the first person view to point at the ladder in the conning tower, and then press the W key to ascend the ladder to the deck of the conning tower. Then you need to click on the Watch Officer and select man the deck gun. Sounds simple right? Well no actually it isn't, number one be prepared to spend the next 5 minutes looking at the conning tower ladder, apparently the captain must have a fear of heights or something, because he simply just does not want to get up the ladder. It requires exact positioning of the first person view timed perfectly with the press of the W key, otherwise you will find yourself suddenly performing a waltz to the left and right of the ladder, probably for the amusement of the crew (for moral purposes, actually not even going there in this review). Once you have clicked the Watch Officer and selected too man the deck gun, you get a nice "Man the Deck Gun!" cry from the watch officer, and that's it! No more options appear to select a target, or to fire at close range or medium range etc, all of which have been a part of the UI since Silent Hunter 3. Oh wait! The manual that accompanies the game states that I can man and fire the deck gun manually! Great! The manual even tells me how to use the telescopic sight for the deck gun! Fantastic! Ummm no actually, the manual seems to have left out the part which tells me the player, how exactly is it that I can access the deck gun in the first place! Hell there ain't no quick access button in the UI, like previous Silent Hunters. No instead you have to walk around the deck of the conning tower, until you come across a ladder at the side of the conning tower. Which incidentally, is located on the floor of the conning tower and not at all obvious or mentioned, or even hinted at in the manual. Then you can walk around the outside of the sub and click the deck gun to begin manually firing with it. It's sad to say but the only way I knew how to do this, was too literally spend an hour searching through internet forums for the answer.
Seriously, I mean the list is endless, the sheer unfinished quality and poor production of this game is incredible. The Silent Hunter series has always had its problems on release, what with various elements not working correctly etc. These generally get patched, and Silent Hunter 4 after several patches became an absolute classic. Silent Hunter 5 though, well let's just say, you would be lucky if this game is anywhere near playable 6 months from now.
And how the hell can a software company create a game like Silent Hunter 4. Fix all of the errors and problems that the game came with on release, through months of patches. And then release Silent Hunter 5, which is basically the same game with better graphics, only for it to be released with even more problems than the previous game.
Well I'm sorry Ubi, but I'd rather keep my $30 now and buy the game in 6 months for $10. At least then, it may be worth it! Maybe!
If this was a console release, there would be a consumer and industry uproar. Again, because this is a pc game, they will no doubt justify the next six months worth of patches, as a result of compatibility with peoples differing hardware and software setups. Well I'm sorry but this is just poor!
Avoid this game! If you are thinking of buying this game, or indeed have already bought this game! Then my advice to you! Do what I did! And follow the rats, as this ship is well and truly sinking!