Pacific Storm
A Pacific War RTS that doubles as a first-person shooter.
Pacific Storm (Стальные монстры in Russian) is a real-time strategy game set in the Pacific War. It was created by Lesta Studio and published by Buka Entertainment in 2005, with a Western version following from CDV Software in 2006. Players can take on the role of a supreme commander, overseeing research, ship and aircraft design, production, and troop deployment. The game also allows direct control of individual ships and planes. Additionally, players can switch to a first-person perspective as an ordinary sailor, manning anti-aircraft guns on a ship or serving as a gunner in a heavy or medium bomber.
The game drew criticism from players for historical inaccuracies, mainly due to its limited selection of ships and aircraft. For instance, the game places two US Colorado-class battleships in Singapore on 10 December 1941, instead of the historical HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse.
A standalone expansion, Pacific Storm: Allies, adds Britain as a playable faction. It also includes non-playable nations such as the Netherlands, Germany, and the USSR, though these can be used in the "Battle Planner" mode.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Pacific Storm
- Developer
- Lesta Studio
- Publisher
- CIS · Buka Entertainment · NA · CDV Software
- Engine
- OGRE
- Released
- CIS · 17 November 2005 · NA · 28 September 2006
- Genre
- Real-time strategy
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Pacific Storm is a real-time strategy game set in the Pacific War. Players can act as a supreme commander, handling research, ship and plane design, production, and troop deployment. They can also control individual ships and planes in real time. Additionally, players can act as an ordinary sailor, manning anti-aircraft gun positions on a ship or gunner positions in a heavy/medium bomber plane, turning the game into a first-person shooter. The game has been criticized by many gamers for historical inaccuracies, such as the presence of two US Colorado-class battleships in Singapore at 10 December 1941 instead of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse. The standalone expansion Pacific Storm: Allies introduces Britain as an additional playable faction, as well as non-playable nations such as the Netherlands, Germany, and the USSR, which can be playable in the 'Battle Planner' mode.
Reader's Guide
Pacific Storm's significance lies in its hybrid gameplay, blending real-time strategy with first-person shooter elements, a relatively uncommon combination in the mid-2000s. The game's reception was marred by criticism over historical inaccuracies, particularly the limited types of ships and aircraft and the misplacement of US battleships at Singapore. Its legacy includes the standalone expansion Pacific Storm: Allies, which added Britain as a playable faction and introduced non-playable nations like the Netherlands, Germany, and the USSR, though these could be used in the 'Battle Planner' mode. The game was covered by outlets such as IGN, GameSpot, PC Gamer, and Computer Games Magazine, indicating some industry attention. However, the article does not provide sales figures or long-term impact beyond the expansion.
Did You Know?
- Pacific Storm was released in Russia in 2005 and in the West in 2006.
- Players can man anti-aircraft guns on ships or gunner positions in bombers, turning the game into a first-person shooter.
- The game was criticized for historical inaccuracies, such as placing US Colorado-class battleships in Singapore instead of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse.
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