It doesn’t matter what medium you choose, you have to be very careful how you handle matters when it comes to the field of history. This is one of those sub-genres in gaming that treads a very fine line because you have to keep your title historically correct while still making it fun. In the pursuit of an enjoyable experience, it’s relatively easy to step away from the facts and end up with something enjoyable but inaccurate at best and fictional at worst. Of course, it’s just as easy to suck all the fun out of what you’re doing and end up with a very enjoyable documentary but not something that really stands out as a game. This being said, this is one of those genres that when reflected well introduces some brilliant offerings and the game we’re looking at today is hoping to become one of the happy few. The title we’re looking at today is Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter and it looks quite promising.
Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter is a naval-warfare sim, which if you hadn’t already guessed, is historically accurate. This title is coming from the talented individuals at Iron Wolf Studio and as it’s in conjunction with Daedalic Entertainment it’s very definitely worthy of note. It’s due to set sail onto your screens on December 6th. As always, if you want to get your copy on your wishlist early you can head over to Steam and do that here.
In Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter you’ll be taking the helm of a warship tasked with protecting supply convoys from assault by Nazi Germany’s feared submarines. The developers have gone to great lengths to ensure that the battles that take place are as historically accurate as possible. More specifically these battles will be pitched in the Atlantic between the US and Canadian Naval forces and the dreaded German U-boats as the allies escorted convoys during the siege of the United Kingdom. To meet your goal you’ll be taking control of a realistically recreated Fletcher-class Destroyer, using its authentic instruments to seek out and eliminate the U-boat wolfpacks.
If you’re questioning just how accurate this title is going to be you can rest assured that the Iron Wolf team went the extra mile to ensure every nut and bolt on your vessel is in the correct place. Not only did they travel to America to photograph and study the original Fletcher-class Destroyer, but also to interview veterans who worked on similar vessels. All of the gathered information was then taken back to their base in Katowice, Poland, and used to create the assets for the game.
On top of a battle mode, Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter also features a career mode that will see you stepping into the shoes of an aspiring young captain. This mode adds a level of narrative depth to the naval-warfare simulation gameplay with the addition of hand-crafted missions. You’ll also get to see some talented voice-over work and motion-capture cut scenes in between missions to add that extra layer of historical depth.
In Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter you won’t be able to rest on your laurels and expect every battle to play out in a similar fashion. You’ll have to deal with procedural battle generation that will affect the weather and time of day, but more importantly, randomize the enemy attack patterns. On top of this, you’ll find your enemy is just as diverse as the field of battle itself. U-boat captains aren’t just going to throw their forces against you without thought. Some will definitely favor an aggressive approach, but others will be patient, sneaky, or just cold-bloodedly professional. Each of these profiles will present you with its own array of pitfalls and force you to change your tactics accordingly.
If history, especially World War 2 history, is something that really floats your boat, (no pun intended,) Destroyer: The U-boat Hunter may well be right up your alley. Those of you with a fondness for the Strategy and Sim genres might do well to take a closer look here too. If this title is as historically accurate as it makes out, it’ll be as informative and interesting as it is action-packed. If you’re itching to enlist, you only have a week or so to wait.
