Silent Hunter III

Lore & Background

Silent Hunter III features a dynamic campaign that assigns the player a patrol grid, with appropriate naval traffic such as convoys, destroyer escorts, and task forces automatically generated by the simulation engine. The player decides how the mission proceeds and what targets to attack. The game also offers historically-inspired missions, such as an operation to save the German battleship Bismarck or the sinking of HMS Royal Oak in Scapa Flow. German World War II veteran and sub commander Jürgen Oesten served as a technical advisor.

Reader's Guide

The game received 'universal acclaim' according to Metacritic, and sold 26,600 copies by June 2005 according to NPD Group. It won the 'Best Simulation' award from Computer Games Magazine in 2005, which also named it the year's third-best computer game, stating 'Are sims dead? Not when they're this good.' PC Gamer US awarded it 'Best Simulation 2005', calling the game 'simply an amazing voyage.' The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Silent Hunter III for 'Simulation Game of the Year' during the 9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. The game's dynamic campaign and manual targeting options, including the ability to set torpedo depth and spread shot, contributed to its recognition. The simulation engine generates coastal and port cities like Portsmouth, Scapa Flow, New York City, Norfolk, and Tampa, though traffic and port cities are not generated for South America or the Pacific.

Did You Know?

• German World War II veteran and sub commander Jürgen Oesten was a technical advisor for the game.
• The game features a fully 3D U-boat control room where the player can see and interact with crew members, tracking individual stats like rank, experience, morale, and decorations.
• The most difficult realism setting requires the player to manually target torpedoes by calculating speed, angle on the bow, and gyro angle.
• The simulation engine generates port cities such as Portsmouth, Scapa Flow, New York City, Norfolk, and Tampa, but not for South America or the Pacific.