Sub Command

List Price: $14.99 Discount Price: $9.99

Accessories:
PC Gamer (1-year)	Games for Windows: The Official Magazine

Customer Reviews:

Untitled [Posted on 2002-10-31]
Fun but complicated. Be prepared to devote a lot of free-time to figure this out. After that, it kicks some. Be sure to watch your keel also.

DON'T "TRY" THIS GAME! [Posted on 2003-04-23]
This game "is bad"! You have to be a submarine captain to figure it out. I thought it would be cool, but it's not at all. Please don't get it. Just a warning.

If you can handle a hardcore sub sim, this is for you [Posted on 2003-08-18]
The packaging and name are different, but once you get into it, "Sub Command" is a prettier sequel to EA's "Jane's 688(i)". Both games are elaborate nuclear submarine warfare simulations. The interface and look of the game remain unchanged, though SC obviously looks nicer. Whereas 688(i) only simulated the latter classes of the Los Angeles class attack submarine (with its bow-mounted diving planes and vertical launch tubes), SC adds on the newer Seawolf attack sub (quieter, more torpedo tubes, pump-jet propulsor) and - with war being an equal-opportunity offense - the Russian Akula class sub. (I've also discovered an on-line community, ala "Falcon Super-Pak" which has crafted elaborate mods, one allowing you to command virtually any sub, though I have yet to fully explore that option.) SC avoids some of 688(i)'s realism lapses (unrealistically short weapon-reload times and turn rates) by making them part of the game's novice settings. As in the older game, there's a 3D external "spot" view allowing you to gaze admiringly at your sub, targets, torpedoes, what have you. SC incorporates spot view without allowing it to harm the game's demanding realism - you can only spot targets that you've actually detected using your boat's sensor suite, and even then, a target's appearance depends on the information you've provided (i.e. - when you've determined that target "Sierra-01" is a neutral freighter half-a-mile away from your bow, you'll see an innocuous freighter in spot view, even though the target is actually a submerged and hostile Kilo Class submarine that's a whole lot closer). Although spot view is irrelevant to the science of submarine warfare, it's priceless to enhancing the spirit of submarines by reminding you that you're playing a game involving steel-plated, nuclear-powered leviathans prowling the blue-black depths. (Spot view here is more versatile than the one in "Tom Clancy's SSN", a game which was essentially one-big spot view). In SC, spot alternates with map-view (a handy smaller window is always kept open, so that you can have your view of choice on, without closing the other completely). Otherwise, the game brings back the complex weapons and sensor suite of the last game - you use various sonar sensors to find targets, and rely on TMA to locate them (using Target Motion Analysis you can determine a target's distance using the bearings you get from it at two different locations, and then cross-referencing the two). You also use noise demodulation (called "DEMON") to tell you how many blades there are on any of your target's propeller, which you'll need to determine the unlucky target's turn count and therefore speed. Targeting information is then pre-set into your weapons, (Unfortunately, Americans are limited to torpedoes when fighting enemy subs, while the clunkier Akula sub has more exotic toys - like the Shkval rocket-propelled topedo), and then, anything goes. AI crewmen are included for those who hate micro-management - though TMA is something you'll have to do yourself. The look of the different subs is also satisfying - from the 1970's-looking switches on the Russian subs, to the "Star Trek" style touch-sensor controls on the Seawolf, you seldom feel like you're driving a computer.

Most of your early gaming, however, won't make you feel like you're really doing anything right. The science of submarine warfare is pretty counterintuitive, so you won't be able to jump in and simply learn your way around like you had in any of the innumerable flight sims you've doubtlessly played. The game comes with an on-CD manual that prints pretty poorly (and runs something like 200 pages -the table of contents is longer than the manuals of some simpler games) and doesn't really put the disparate elements of your playable subs into context (okay - you've got an enemy torpedo in acquisition, how can it find me, and what can I do to avoid that?). There's some tutorial missions - only three, though. I guess we're expected to use trial and error playing the missions, which is sadly typical of hardcore sims - they're demanding and chock full of intriguing details, but can't teach you their secrets w/o sending you off on countless kill-or-be-killed missions which (in the case of naval simulations) take forever. Personally, I never got deep enough into 688(i) to determine whether SC rises high enough above it to make it a worthwhile buy for those who already have 688(i). However, with its lovely graphics and compelling gameplay, SC is going to be patrolling the deep places of my hard drive for the foreseeable future. This game ran smoothly on my P4 (2ghz)/WinXP system - with the exception of sound. Though I installed a patch, sound effects become non-existent soon after a mission is begun.

Not bad. [Posted on 2003-11-02]
I think that if you want to learn the details of sub marines and how they work, you would love this game. If you just want to jump in the seat, and start playing, this game probably isn't for you. I for one love it, but there's only one problem. After I fire about eleven weapons, it won't let me fire any more. I can't even finish the mission. I don't know if this is a software problem, or if my particular game is just messed up. If anyone can help me, please e-mail me at Schematic7@aol.com. All in all, this is one of the hardest, and funnest games I've ever played

Adam's Review [Posted on 2005-03-14]
This game piqued my interest/liking in the navy. I like how you can create your own missions. (You do this by pressing mission editor)The game is 33%

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