C&VG


Silent Service
By Microprose
Commodore 64

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #69

Silent Service

Sonar reports distant explosions. Hmmm. OK, up periscope and give me bow torpedoes one and two. We're gonna put this sucker under once and for all.

Hold her steady... Fire! ... and another goes to meet Davy Jones.

That could have been a scene from a John Wayne epic, but it was actually a true experience from Silent Service.

Silent Service

What's the "silent service"? Well, it's what the Americans used to call the people who fought in submarines, those relentless old sea dogs who went up against the Japanese navy.

And, it's also the name of this truly wonderful simulation game, by hose clever Microprose people. The simulation enables the player to become a WWII US sub Capt., and to fight some of the deadly battles that went on at that time.

Unlike most simulations I've come across, Silent Service is very easy to operate. It's icon-controlled, and, although very complex, is explained very clearly in the accompanying documentation.

Silent Service

When you start, you can choose what sort of thing you'd like to try. There's Torpedo practice, Convoy actions and the main one, War Patrols. Each section is well presented and can be made extremely difficult, depending on the reality levels.

The reality levels are just one of the special features making the game very playable indeed. But what do they do? Well, one of the options is visibility, another Dud Torpedoes.

If you set visibility to limited, you can only see enemy targets in your area. This is more realistic than knowing where they are all the time, and as for dud torpedoes it speaks for itself.

Silent Service

Once you've completed several Convoys, you should attempt a war patrol. This involves following one of the accompanying maps, and patrolling the waters for Japanese war fleets.

The maps are vital as they show the path taken by various types of enemy craft, and they also enhance the excitement. When playing the game, you use various Battlestations screens, which consist of a periscope, maps, a damage screen, a dial and a gauges screen and of course the bridge. The bridge is the least important really, but where would you be without a periscope?

Once you've found the enemy, you will wish to give him an early retirement. When he is in range, you can do this with either Torpedoes, the main weapon, or a four inch deck gun which is used for destroying already damaged craft.

Silent Service is extremely playable and fun, whilst giving an accurate account of submarine warfare, a must for every simulation addict.

Gunship, another excellent simulation, is being converted at this very mo, and I can't wait.