Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter

Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter is a sim adventure game made in the style of a war thriller. It was developed by the indie Polish team Iron Wolf Studio, known for such projects as 911 Operator: Interactive Movie and the board game U-Boot: The Board Game.

Plot

The action of Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter takes place during World War II, more precisely - during the Battle of the Atlantic, which lasted from September 3, 1939 to May 1945. We take on the role of the commander of a squadron of American destroyers, serving aboard a Fletcher-class ship. As the game's title suggests, our primary task is to hunt down Nazi submarines called U-Boats. We make decisions that affect not only the results of subsequent battles, but also the course of the story.

Game mechanics

Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter offers two game modes.

In simulation mode, all issues related to the operations carried out by our squadron rest on our shoulders. So we listen to reports about detected enemy units and, using authentic equipment, plan and carry out subsequent attacks. The title allows us to operate with our own hands the complex apparatus mounted on board our Fletcher; so we have to control the readings from the sonar and radar, independently plot the coordinates of the enemies on the map and on this basis determine the course and speed of the ship. At the same time, it is necessary to coordinate the actions of our ship with the orders we give to our allies; this is the only way to avoid falling into the snares of the so-called wolf packs, which are just waiting for one of our units to break away from the rest of the squadron. As we do not control a light and fast motorboat, but a heavy and rather slow ship, the game allows us to speed up the passage of time (which comes in handy, among other things, when we are just sailing to meet U-Boats).

The second game mode is the tactical mode, intended for less seasoned players. It contains a number of simplifications, although, true to its name, it still requires us to demonstrate our tactical sense.

For most of the game we observe the action from a first-person perspective (FPP). The game does not allow us to move freely around the ship; instead, we move between the various devices installed on board, and we operate them using the point & click system.

Technical aspects

Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter features high-quality graphics. Especially noteworthy is the faithfully reproduced interior of the Fletcher and all the apparatus mounted on it.