Destroyer: the U-Boat Hunter is an interactive war thriller which seamlessly blends tactical anti-submarine warfare simulation with a gripping storyline. Take command of a meticulously reconstructed Fletcher-class destroyer and lead your crew against nazi U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic!
It’s all in your hands, captain!
The game is set in 1942, i.e. when the convoy system was finally introduced by the US Navy in response to operation ‘Drumbeat’ and the bloodbath that the U-boats had caused along the US east coast. The player will take full command of USS Janson (DD-524), a fictional Fletcher-class destroyer based on USS Kidd (DD-661), which will lead the escort group of an important convoy. It will be assisted by three AI-controlled destroyers that the player will be able to give orders to. From setting the formation, through ordering attacks and search plans to picking up survivors.
“ Our goal is to build a credible, highly authentic game environment. To that end, we are aiming at recreating naval warfare technology and US naval combat doctrine from the 1940s, as well as portraying day to day activities of the crew, their problems, and interpersonal relations. These motifs will be incorporated into the main plot, and will be based on actual stories and anecdotes by US Navy veterans” says Bartosz Pluta, CEO of Iron Wolf Studio.
Simulator with a cinematic feel
The plot of Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter will be conveyed via highly detailed cutscenes which strongly tie into the game’s choice and consequence mechanic. The captain’s strategic decisions, as well as certain story-related aspects of the game will be controlled by the player, with consequences for both the situation in combat and plot development. Gameplay as such will focus on several key locations on-board: the combat information centre, the bridge, the sonar room, the engine room, and observation posts. The player will be able to switch between these locations at any moment in the course of the battle.
“One of the main premises that we keep to in our design is something that we call ‘realistic combat awareness’. What it means is that there will be no way to see through the fog of war other than by using authentic equipment and procedures. There is no ‘bird’s eye view’, and the player will be far from omniscient. We believe this is especially important in recreating anti-submarine warfare, where advantage in combat is achieved mainly through detecting, locating, and keeping track of enemy presence” adds Artur Salwarowski, vice-president of Iron Wolf Studio.
Key features of the game:
- Platform: PC
- Genre: tactical milsim with interactive story element.
- Realistic radar, sonar, and navigation instruments.
- A choice and consequence mechanic will allow players to make key decisions as the plot develops.
- Xsense and Face Ware technologies (motion capture) will be used in cutscenes to ensure high quality character animation.
- The first episode in the series will focus only on anti-submarine warfare – the studio is planning to release further episodes which will take place in the Pacific Theatre and expand the gameplay by adding surface and surface-to-air combat.
Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter is published by Iron Wolf Studio. The release date will be announced soon. Find out more about the game on its Steam webpage.
