*** Subsim's Silent Hunter 4 review ***

[Gizzmoe]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

But according to maths 10/10 means 100%
Consider a 5 star game, or 5 star hotel, there are lots of 5 star hotels, 5/5 is 100% too.

A 5 star hotel in Germany is different from a 5 star hotel in Kasachstan! The same hotel here would only get 3 stars or less...

Of course the graphics are better than in SH2, AOTD or other older games, but following that logic all shooters than came after Quake 1 should automatically get a 10/10 as well. The graphics of a new game need to be compared to games of the same time period, and since there are serious shortcomings, as you´ve pointed out in the review, the game does not deserve 10/10.

"Upon release, it was determined SH4 locked the resolution at 1024x768 and did not allow anti-aliasing, drawing the ire of upscale players with large monitors."

So what would SH4 graphics get after Ubi fixes all that? A 12/10?

[RickC Sniper]

An honest review Neal, thank you.



Perhaps for Neal, on his system, the game graphics ARE great. I would disagree with him on this score, but I only see the game with my equipment, not his.

......salute
Rick

[Banquet]

Difficult review to do but I think you got the comments and score just right.

No one would be in doubt that there are problems, but there is a fantastic sim at the core of it all, after reading the review - which is the way it should be.

[Bum]

Great reveiw and thanks for the easter eggs!!

[CCIP]

I was almost surprised (perhaps pleasantly so) that Neal focused so much on criticism of the bugs and flaws this time. But otherwise a stellar review as always! The scoring, I think, is certainly on the "glass half full" side, but that's really peripheral when you consider the comments which are spot-on and should satisfy both sides of this.

And I'm glad, of course, that we're not forgetting that for all the problems, we still have a beautiful game here :p

[DJSatane]

the FPS monolith will soon be a bad memory

So, you assume this will be fixed instead of reviewing current state. Does this mean you already know this will be fixed in upcoming patch? If so thats great.

[sqk7744]

Bravo Neal!

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

How can you give the game perfect score in graphics?

Well, 10/10 does not mean perfect, it means superb. On my PC, the graphics are better than Silent Service II, better than Aces, Sub Command, SH3, and most other current games I have played. Not perfect, but clearly superb, as good as any "eye candy is not the most important part of a subsim" guy would wish for. (the FPS monolith will soon be a bad memory )

But 100% means perfect for all normal human beings...

Think of it like this:

If you wrote a book or an essay, or a computer game,
and people thought, this is good
or this is great
or this is really superb, better than anything before it,
it still would never be perfect
unless it cured cancer and banished red triangles everywhere.

But according to maths 10/10 means 100%
Consider a 5 star game, or 5 star hotel, there are lots of 5 star hotels,
5/5 is 100% too.
But they are not perfect, they don't have Swedish hookers in every room.

Good topic for debate
cheers!
Neal

I agree 100% with this assessment of the graphics. They are breathtaking if you happen to look at the right moment. PPF put a superb fresh face on this gaming experience IMHO. If you look closely at the small details over the larger picture, yes, the graphics and representation is superb.


Great review and plainly written by someone who took the time spending a lot of time playing and pouring over what SH4 has to offer as a submarine simulation.

[jeff lackey]

Nice review, Neal - very well done!

Jeff

[DragonRR1]

A generally great review Neal.

"If Ubisoft will let the devs finish the job, Silent Hunter 4 could sail to victory."

If they do... then, imo, it will sail to victory!

I have to agree with the graphics ratings comments by others.. If they fix the monolith, the resolution and AA then 10/10. The sim in it's current form is very hard to rate because it looks bloody awful on my screen especially when compared to a high res SH3. Superb.. well only if I take my glasses off

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by DJSatane

So, you assume this will be fixed instead of reviewing current state. Does this mean you already know this will be fixed in upcoming patch? If so thats great.

Neal knows more than you or me ever will about the status of the game and patches. When I loaded torpedoes with him in Galveston at the Cavalla in February, he told me he was already playing the game. I threatened to mug him in the parking lot. That's a true story.

[rulle34]

[Iron Budokan]

I've been looking forward to this review for a long time. Thank you!

[Marko_Ramius]

Good review, good work.

But i agree with the fact that the 10/10 on graphic part is not serious, for me. A 9/10 would be more accurate because of FSAA problem and resolution ...

Things would be different if mentionned in readme file ..

[DJSatane]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Neal knows more than you or me ever will about the status of the game and patches. When I loaded torpedoes with him in Galveston at the Cavalla in February, he told me he was already playing the game. I threatened to mug him in the parking lot. That's a true story.

Good, then I expect this graphic glitch 100% fixed Great news, I wish he would hint on more things that will be fixed or enhanced.