Cold Waters

Cold Waters for PC was dubbed a spiritual successor of Red Storm Rising, a strategy simulation game about submarines that was released in 1988 for Commodore 64 by Sid Meier and MicroProse which later on became famous thanks to the Civilization series. The production was developed by Killerfish Games, the creators of Atlantic Fleet, a well-received strategy game, and the mobile Pacific Fleet. In Cold Waters for PC, we assume the role of a submarine captain and hunt for enemy air and naval units.

Plot

Plot-wise, Cold Waters for PC bears a resemblance to its predecessor, Red Storm Rising which was based on Tom Clancy’s novel of the same title. In the game, we take part in World War III which the Cold War escalated into after several decades. The Soviets are trying to establish an outpost in Scandinavia, and the task of NATO is to thwart this plan. In Cold Waters, we assume command over an American submarine that was sent as a lone hunter with the mission of stopping enemy military operations.

Mechanics

The gameplay in Cold Waters for PC combines elements of strategy and simulation games. We command a submarine that is equipped with a realistically working sonar, torpedoes and long-range missiles as well as all kinds of defensive means such as decoys, jammers, and the like. Players’ primary tasks include raiding enemy convoys, stopping sea landings, and open combat against naval and air units. Battles take place in real time, and the key to victory is to adopting the right tactic. Since it’s usually the enemy that has us vastly outnumbered, we often have to conduct proper reconnaissance, near the enemy undetected, and choose the right moment to strike in order to deal maximum damage.

In Cold Waters, we have to face over forty kinds of historical ships and submarines as well as airplanes and helicopters of the Cold War period. Moreover, the enemy applies actual military tactics in battle.

Game modes

Cold Waters for PC offers a dynamic single player campaign in which successes and failures in individual missions determine the ultimate outcome of the war.

Technical aspects

Cold Waters is characterized by fully three-dimensional graphics and realistic physics that manifests itself both in the way that ships move and the projectile trajectory. Designing military units and environments, the developers paid great attention to faithful recreation of various details.

Last updated on October 10, 2016