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Title Silent Service
Game Type 3D Combat Sim
Players 1
Compatibility All
Submission Angus Manwaring Profiled Reviewer

Review
Silent Service is a submarine warfare simulation based in the Pacific
theatre during World War Two. The game actually appears very similar to
the C64 version, but that`s not such a bad thing because there wasn`t much
wrong with that version of the game. It certainly is a relief not to have
to load from cassette though. As I recall Silent Service was one of
Microprose`s first games on the Amiga so that probably explains why
they`ve taken a pretty basic approach with the game, and have apparently
not messed with something that is already essentially a winner.

The game is controlled from several different screens, like the Engine
room, the Map room, the Torpedo room and the Periscope screen. Initially
though, you`ll plot your course on the variable resolution map screen, and
commence your patrol. Obviously, there is an advanced time feature and the
computer will drop you out of this at the first sign of shipping. At this
point, you`ll assess your target, it`s course, and decide whether it is
viable to attack it. There`s a variety of ships available, ranging from
Troop ships, cargo ships, the dreaded Destroyers, and even the occasional
Carrier. You can attack in a variety of ways, waiting for nightfall and
making a surface attack, or lying in wait at periscope depth for your
quarry to cross your path, then frantically diving to evade the frequent
counterattacks. You can also play the game in a variety of ways, changing
to different campaigns at different stages of the war, with different
technical innovations to become accustomed to. You also have plenty of
control of the difficulty level, so you might choose a game where you must
input the Angle on the Bow of your target, and you are facing expert
Destroyers.

You`re not going to have a demonstration of your computer`s capabilities
with this game, it didn`t even push a 512K A500, but nevertheless, it is
unpretentious fun, with some nice simulation detail as well. Give me flank
speed, number one!