UBOAT

UBOAT combines classic Second World War submarine warfare simulation, similar to the older entries in the Silent Hunter series, with elements of crew management and survival, where the player not only plans voyages and convoy attacks, much like in classic Silent Hunter titles, but also handles the submarine's daily operation — assigning shifts, monitoring the crew's fatigue and morale, repairing damaged systems, and deciding how to use the limited space for supplies, ammunition, and other equipment needed for a long voyage far from the home base. The top-down cutaway view of the submarine, similar to management simulators, gives the player direct control over what's happening in every part of the hull, from the engine room through the torpedo tubes to the galley and crew quarters.

The combat sequences themselves preserve the tension typical of the genre — manually aiming torpedoes, evading depth charges, and having to decide when to risk surfacing and when to stay at a safe depth and wait for a patrol plane or destroyer to lose interest and sail off elsewhere. The crew-survival element, however, gives the game a different dynamic than the older Silent Hunter titles, because even a successful voyage can end badly if the player neglects the crew's rest or training. The game was released gradually in early access, during which it expanded with new mechanics and content before reaching its full release, changing and deepening significantly compared to its early form.

UBOAT was praised specifically for combining two genres that had rarely crossed paths before, and it built its own audience among fans of both submarine simulators and survival management games. Today it represents one of the more modern and accessible alternatives for players who want to experience submarine warfare from an unusual angle, one where keeping the crew strong and in good spirits matters just as much as hitting a convoy.

Why play it: For players wanting to experience submarine warfare from an unusual angle, where hitting a convoy matters just as much as keeping the crew strong and in good spirits, thanks to its blend of simulation with survival management.