Too few games delve into the bureaucracy of warship management, the signing of forms in triplicate, the rubber stamp of denial, or the filing system that defies logic. Maybe game designers see these tasks as to banal for gamers more used to diving over cars firing two pistols into a crowd of nameless goons, Ubisoft do not fall into this trap of presumption.
No, the latest Silent Hunter Online trailer shows off the numerous little tasks you’ll be entertaining yourself with between undersea scuffles, including shopping for ammo and restocking your subs.
While the combat, of course, will need to be wellconstructedand engaging for Silent Hunter to be an enjoyable game in each round, it’s the meta game – the shipping manifests, the crew training, the micromanagement of a flotilla – that will keep us playing. It will provide a context for the battles and begin to build a bigger picture.
Still, from a two minute trailer, we can glean little of how it will all play out come release day. Ubisoft need to open up a beta soon.