Aces of the Deep

Aces of the Deep is one of the pinnacles of the submarine simulator genre on DOS, putting the player in the role of the commander of a German U-boat during World War II carrying out patrols in the Atlantic against Allied convoys. Compared to earlier titles, it offers a substantially more detailed model of the submarine, weather and convoy behavior, so every voyage takes place in a differently configured and less predictable environment. The player also has to monitor the state of their own crew and equipment, since damage from a counterattack affects how long the submarine can stay on patrol.

The game combines a strategic map, on which patrols are planned and fuel and torpedo consumption tracked, with an elaborate combat mode in which the player controls diving, sonar, the periscope and even fire from the deck gun. The career mode lets the player follow the commander's progress from the start of the war into later phases, when Allied countermeasures improve significantly and survival becomes much harder - the game thus does a good job simulating the real course of the Battle of the Atlantic, from the successful early years of the German U-boats to their later heavy losses. The sound design, with engine noise, sonar pings and tense silence while evading depth charges, was among the best DOS simulators offered at the time of release, and together with the fairly detailed 3D depiction of the deck, bridge and torpedo tubes it creates a strongly evocative atmosphere of long hours spent below the surface waiting for the right moment to attack.

Aces of the Deep was received after its release as one of the most authentic war simulators of its generation, and for a long time served as a reference point for later submarine games that tried to offer a similar degree of simulation. Even years later, thanks to the depth of its systems and its atmosphere, it remains a title that still holds up as one of the best examples of what the genre achieved at the end of the DOS era, and for fans of submarine war games it remains a mandatory stop.

Why play it: For fans of submarine war games seeking maximum system depth and atmosphere — one of the best examples of what the genre achieved at the end of the DOS era.