SUBSIM: Silent Hunter 5 review (17/03/10)

I have not bought the game, but I know that I will do one day.

That is the best 15 minutes reading I have had in weeks. It told me everything I wanted to know about the game. I consider this review to have real value as the author gains no advantage from it either way.

Well written..thanks Neal.

Maverick

[CybrSlydr]

That was a great review, Neal.

I kept waiting for Subsim to do the review because I knew it would more reflect the things I want to know than the typical sites like IGN or Gamespot - or even the aggregate Metacritic.

However...

I don't know if it was a case of "not biting the hand that feeds you" or something... But I was surprised and a little disappointed you didn't come off more strongly against their absurd DRM.

And that's all I'll say about that.

Again, great review - thanks for the read.

[Onkel Neal]

Thanks all for reading and commenting.

Originally Posted by Safe-Keeper

The review states several times that the game doesn't come with a printed manual. Now, I don't know anything about the US version, but the copy I bought from a Norwegian store features both the manual and a four-page Quick Start (you know, "put DVD in drive and do this and that if autorun is off", etc.) leaflet in Scandinavian and Finnish.

My US version did not have a printed manual, only a slip of paper with the product code and a note saying the manual was on the disk. BTW, I removed one of your images, it shows your product code, which you probably do not want the world to see.

Originally Posted by ReFaN

exelent review, liked the picture with the different campaigns the most, ahem.

Thanks for the campaign image, I did post your credit at the end of the review.

Originally Posted by Faamecanic

Good review Neil.... but you left a few things out (that Im sure others have already pointed out)

1. Morale system is broke. My crew's morale was at 1 dot the minute I left Keil Harbor on my first patrol.
2. TDC is broke. If you use any ability that increases your torp speed or warhead effectivness, the TDC does not take this into account and your torps MISS their targets.
3. Rudder control is 1 deg at a time or 35 deg with automtic Amazing/ludicrous/Insane/Holy S*&t speed (what ever ubi named it) ahead.
4. Rediculous mission requirements (sink 150,000 tons by June 1940...really? in 8 months?)
5. Germany had Sonar in 1939?
6. Germnay had Radar in 1939?
7. American Liberty Cargo ships in 1939?
8. Only half the war is available to play.

Dont get me wrong... I think the review is spot on. There is so much promise with this SH release. But at the same time this is the most incomplete release to date. As if Ubi fully expects modders to finish the sim for them. to Ubi and to the review.

Yes, I left out a lot of things. My first draft was almost twice as long, but like I said, it's a review, not a buglist But I did mention #1, 3, 4, and 8 in my review, check again.

Originally Posted by Letum

A well written review.
Generous, perhaps, but that is to be expected and it wasn't unfair.

Than manual was news to me.

ed: I am very surprised it got a better rating than AOTD!

Eh? Aces received a 90 from me on the original review. Check the curve, it takes 7 points away for age. I probably should restate that, I no longer think it's practical to curve old scores.

Originally Posted by CybrSlydr

That was a great review, Neal.

I kept waiting for Subsim to do the review because I knew it would more reflect the things I want to know than the typical sites like IGN or Gamespot - or even the aggregate Metacritic.

However...

I don't know if it was a case of "not biting the hand that feeds you" or something... But I was surprised and a little disappointed you didn't come off more strongly against their absurd DRM.

And that's all I'll say about that.

Again, great review - thanks for the read.

Thanks, appreciate your thoughts. I had more material about the DRM in my notes, but I decided that it did not add anything to the review of the game. And that's what this is, a review of the game. In my playing experience with SH5, there was only one instance where the Ubi servers were not responding. Other than that, the DRM did not make the sub dive deeper, make the crew smarter, did not affect the AI, etc. If you think I should write an editorial about the DRM, that's another thing. Thanks

PS: thanks for spotting that typo, flakmonkey

[slikster]

About popping out of time compression to instant death, you can fix that by editing a file in your documents folder, SH5/data/cfg/main.cfg

[TIME COMPRESSION]
; The first value is the default one, the second value is used when 'travel mode' is activated.
; The two values should be separated by a comma.
; If only one value is specified, that value is used for both default and travel mode.
LandProximity=1,8192
CriticalDamage=1,1024
AirEnemyDetected=1,8

I think that's what I changed. When in high time compression, it will drop me to 1x and I have enough time to do something before catastrophe strikes.

[CaptainNemo12]

SH5 has broken new ground with the full boat access and amazing graphics, but it's not the best U-boat sim ever made. That title still belongs to Silent Hunter III.

[jdkbph]

Good review, but I really think we should dispense with the number rating system. I know what you're trying to show there, but I think the review itself, broken down along the same lines as the numbers categories and weighted by the print given to that game aspect, speaks for itself.

For instance, as I was reading the body of the review I was totally with you every step of the way. But then at the end I was left wondering how it managed anywhere near a 77/100 score. I interpret that as a rating of nearly 80% to the good on overall game play experience. However, keeping in mind that I agree with just about everything you wrote, I would rate the game play experience - out of the box, no mods - at somewhat less than 50% to the good.

Just goes to show how subjective, and potentially misleading, the interpretation of number scores can be.

JD

[Safe-Keeper]

The time compression insta-death is pretty much my biggest gripe with the game at the moment. I like to plot a course, yank TC up to 1024, and then Alt+Tab to Firefox (I play in windowed mode) to post on forums, watch films, check on my Facebook profile, study or whatever.

I'd very much like it if the crew got better at calling out contacts, and the sound of SH5 was still audible even after you'd Alt-Tab'd out, so that I could get back in and take command.

As it is, I guess I can always tweak the game so that it pauses when an enemy contact is sighted.

[Letum]

Ahh, thanks for clearing that up Neal.

Originally Posted by jdkbph

For instance, as I was reading the body of the review I was totally with you every step of the way. But then at the end I was left wondering how it managed anywhere near a 77/100 score. I interpret that as a rating of nearly 80% to the good on overall game play experience. However, keeping in mind that I agree with just about everything you wrote, I would rate the game play experience - out of the box, no mods - at somewhat less than 50% to the good.

Yes, I agree.
I'm not sure how you can not recommend purchase of the game until it is fixed, but still give it a score higher than a game you do recommend purchasing.

[The Enigma]

Thanx for the review Neal.

After reading it, I'm not sure if SH5 (besides the DRM) is my kinda game.
I'm not into chatting with the crew, before they will obey orders.
Also, the price is way to high for what you get (I don't wonna buy it only for the looks).

For the moment, I ill stick to SH3/Sh4 and see what the future will bring.

[L_DOG]

I beleive ill take ur advice Neil and wait for a couple patch's to come out.
Meanwhile ill be playing the U-Boot add-on for SH4 which so far has been interesting.
Thx for the Excellent Review !
Cheers

[ndvsky]

Holy Sub Batman, that's a excellent review, good work Neal.

[Safe-Keeper]

My US version did not have a printed manual, only a slip of paper with the product code and a note saying the manual was on the disk. BTW, I removed one of your images, it shows your product code, which you probably do not want the world to see.

Sigh... was thinking as I took the picture how I needed to remove that in Paint, and how idiotic it'd be if I forgot or didn't think to do it in the first place.

Now removed from Photobucket, too.

[Safe-Keeper]

Regarding the "stalker AI"...

That's the bug where this lone destroyer will latch onto you and follow you around just out of firing range like an insecure teen girl with a crush on you, then every now and then get all shy about it and try to look innocent by pretending to be very interested in some random patch of sea and then start following you again when she thinks you've forgotten about her? I keep wanting to send a radio message for the Luftwaffe to get her off me. Or her dean. Or her dad.

Major annoyance, but at the same time, it's another one of those problems I like to call "promising bugs" -- think of the potential here. You could have a system where you take damage and request escort from a friendly ship, which will then stick close to you for a while. Or you can send a "Level 13 U-Boot Kaleun LFG" message and have friendly subs form on you -- volia, wolfpack!

Not to mention enemy airplanes or, when someone adds them, MTB's, actually keeping track of you you instead of just buzzing right past you! No more "ah, yes, we see a u-boat here, and she'll be gone by the time you get there but by all means, try to intercept her anyway". No more will you see a plane and think "oh, damn, now I have to set TC back to 1024" -- you'll think, "oh, damnit, now I have to dive and get away from them, or enemy destroyers will hunt me down!".

[Myxale]

I think it was a very good and through and through solid Review.

A bit on the optimistic side IMO, but it was true to the facts most of us Kaleuns encountered in the game!

Although stressing that modders are gonna fix it, was a rather likely joke.

But we do know what a finished games is like, and we also know that SH5 ain't!

[Faamecanic]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Thanks all for reading and commenting.



My US version did not have a printed manual, only a slip of paper with the product code and a note saying the manual was on the disk. BTW, I removed one of your images, it shows your product code, which you probably do not want the world to see.




Thanks for the campaign image, I did post your credit at the end of the review.



Yes, I left out a lot of things. My first draft was almost twice as long, but like I said, it's a review, not a buglist But I did mention #1, 3, 4, and 8 in my review, check again.




Eh? Aces received a 90 from me on the original review. Check the curve, it takes 7 points away for age. I probably should restate that, I no longer think it's practical to curve old scores.



Thanks, appreciate your thoughts. I had more material about the DRM in my notes, but I decided that it did not add anything to the review of the game. And that's what this is, a review of the game. In my playing experience with SH5, there was only one instance where the Ubi servers were not responding. Other than that, the DRM did not make the sub dive deeper, make the crew smarter, did not affect the AI, etc. If you think I should write an editorial about the DRM, that's another thing. Thanks

PS: thanks for spotting that typo, flakmonkey

Neal.... I did see you mentioned these but felt it was only in passing. I do agree that is you would have listed all the MAJOR faults with the sim your review would have been 20 pages long...lol. This is actually a sad state of the game if this is the fact (and it is).

I also meant to say with those items PLUS yours ....I disagree with your 7/10 rating. IF UBI fixes these issues I would give SH5 a 8/10... but as the game stands now (espeically with 2 weekends that I couldnt play the game due to DRM) I give it a 3/10.

I do like your editorial Idea about the DRM....