UBOAT is a very interesting idea of a downloadable game. This is a strategy game that is set on the high seas. What is rather interesting though is that while UBOAT is a strategy game, it is also set in a large sandbox. If you like your strategy games to be very in-depth and pose a real challenge, UBOAT is worth checking out.
How to Download UBOAT
To get UBOAT, click on the Download button located below the review. The game can be found on Steam. And if you like games with submarines, check out also the adventure game Kursk and the underwater survival games Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero.
The Game Review
It is worth noting that so far, UBOAT is still in early access so there are sure to be many changes coming to the game in the coming weeks. You are the person in charge of a WWII era submarine and you need to do what you can in order to make sure that your sub not only survives but your crew as well.
You will sail along the high seas looking for people to fight with. However, I found that the majority of my time was actually spent keeping the crew happy and healthy. You need to make sure that they are fed, getting enough rest, are ultimately happy and healthy. If you have a healthy and happy crew, your sub will function much better.
The seas are yours to explore as you wish and you can do this in a rather cinematic way. One thing that is a bit odd though is how fast your sub travels. Now I get that they could not have you moving in real time. However, I was making my way to the UK and what was a 2 day away journey took just over a minute!
The survival of your crew is really something that hits you hard. When you get into trouble you may have to actually make some sacrifices to save as many of your crew as you can. You might even have to turn down the oxygen to make sure it lasts a bit longer. There are many different decisions that you have to make and you never really know how they will affect things until you actually do them.
The Kriegsmarine headquarters is where you will be getting your orders/missions from. These do have a lot of variety to them and will keep you busy. As your reputation grows, you will get more funding which you can then use to improve your boat by getting better technology and of course weapons that will help you fight off enemy subs.
One thing that I thought was a cool idea was that you can get stuff on the high seas by asking others for help or even by salvaging supplies from shipwrecks. This is something that I had a lot of fun doing and something that I really hope that they expand upon when the game gets further into development.
One thing that I will say about UBOAT is that this is not a game for everyone. It has a very steep learning curve and even after putting several hours into it I am still unsure of what to do in certain situations. Still, the game does do a very good job in making you feel that not only the sub but the crew are all depending on you to make it home safely.
