Silent Hunter (video game)

Lore & Background

Silent Hunter is a submarine combat simulation set in the Pacific War during World War II, developed by Aeon Electronic Entertainment and published by Strategic Simulations in 1996. The player commands a United States Navy submarine, with most contemporary US submarines and Japanese warships featured, along with generic merchant ships. The standard mode of play is career mode, where the player must patrol behind enemy lines to search for and destroy enemy shipping, concentrating on shipping lanes deduced from contact reports. Special missions include beach reconnaissance via periscope photography and rescue of downed airmen, both historically performed by fleet submarines.

Reader's Guide

Silent Hunter was a noteworthy hit in the simulation genre, according to Bruce Geryk of GameSpot, at a time when the genre's era had passed. It was nominated as Computer Games Strategy Plus's 1996 simulation of the year and was a finalist for Computer Gaming World's 1996 Simulation Game of the Year award, though both awards went to Jane's AH-64D Longbow. The game's career mode ends if the player's captain is relieved of command after two consecutive patrols with no sinkings, reflecting historical practices in the Silent Service. Its commercial success, with 350,000 copies sold by 1999, and favorable reviews on GameRankings underscore its significance as a late-era simulation title.

Did You Know?

• The game begins when war against Japan is declared and continues until August 15, 1945, when CINCPAC orders a cease of offensive operations.
• Two consecutive patrols with no sinkings result in the captain being relieved of command, ending the game.
• Japanese destroyers can sink a submarine by gunfire on the surface or by depth charge attack while submerged.
• The game features torpedoes ranging from the Mark X to the anti-escort 'Cutie' acoustic homing torpedo.