UBOAT – PS5 Review

I’ve visited a couple of submarines as a tourist and I’m always struck by their economy of space. Quarters are packed tight and only a cigar-shaped, torpedo-armed hull is protection against atmospheres of pressure. It’s a wild thing to think about but now UBOAT attempts to replicate it with this war simulator from Deep Water Studio.

Taking the perspective from the defeated Germans, you’re given a rarely-trodden look at World War II from the losing side. It does its best to avoid Nazi iconography which perhaps sands the edges off what could’ve been a more interesting portrayal. As it is, these seaman could be anyone. Their optimism at the outbreak of hostilities does erode over five horrific years of engagement.

Campaigns are fairly customisable. There’s a wealth of options to tweak and that should allow players to find a comfortable level. As someone who doesn’t like to micromanage, the opportunity to automatic tasks frees me up to think about the bigger picture. It doesn’t completely trivialise the closing stages of the war but they do at least give someone like me easier ground to stand on.

Before you depart, you need to see the requisitions officer for supplies and pick a mission from the admiralty. I’ve definitely caught myself short by not refuelling or taking armaments with us. It does feel basic but that level of preparation is crucial. Missions have an unpredictable nature so it pays to be ready for anything. Scrap metal can be good for running repairs and medical supplies can assist with the inevitable battle wounds.

Your objectives can feel varied. Calmer roles see you boarding ships to inspect cargo or scuttle ships that have broken the embargo. One mission has you attempt to place a spy in neutral Ireland. The escalation of it is nicely paced and does showcase how the conflict turned hot. Patrols inevitably discover opposing forces and using firepower isn’t always precise. Torpedoes need to be given calculated vectors and, even then, there’s a chance they miss or don’t do the damage expected. I like the variables and it makes battles feel tense.

Going underwater for prolonged periods of time hinder the air quality and the ship can acquire unwanted ballast. Lots of actions require that extra bit of maintenance to ensure the crew can function and the vessel can hold up to the stern test of warfare. It can keep you busy and I do think that’s UBOAT biggest strength. There are so many variables that can make a mission turn.

I do think the interface is a mess. With something so complicated, a controller isn’t really going to cut it. There are so many menus to dig into and sometimes the controls can ask you to do some clumsy combinations. Plotting a patrol route can feel unnecessarily fiddly and it’s surprisingly easy to undo in error. To the game’s credit, the action will slow and pause at crucial junctures. That gave me time to prepare staff below deck and prioritise roles. Given how easy it is to launch the time compression way up, it’s nice to see you can get a quickened experience.

There is a lot to take in and UBOAT does feature a lengthy encyclopaedia that discusses the controls and best practices. The tutorial really tries to point you in the right direction but technical glitches have made some lessons problematic to even finish. You’re handheld but not completely limited in these scenarios and that has led to me imploding a full ship.

It’s a shame because there’s clearly been plenty of thought given to this. Trying to keep crew effective under stress is a challenge and there’s a sense danger is ever-present. Circling anywhere near enemy waters must be done with a degree of stealth. You’re vessel’s not really equipped for a head-on battle, especially when concerning aircraft.

If the game held itself together, I’d be more inclined to like it. With the cumbersome controller mappings, I was never entirely sure if things were about to spin apart due to my errors or the game breaking. Thankfully, I’ve not experienced many crashes and saving is performed on a regular basis. Unfortunately, I don’t have the greatest confidence in it.

It’s a shame because the rest of the presentation is smart. It’s clearly not got the biggest budget but each campaign has a introduction that helps contextualise the stage of the war. The optimism at the outbreak of hostilities is really well portrayed. I prefer the German voice performances over the slightly stilted English equivalents.

I do think the cross-section of the sub gives a great overview of what’s happening below deck. Leaks emerge, crews work in shifts and there’s an activity there that’s nice to observe. Systems are clearly marked and there is time to fix things. I do think the camera angle is too close in. Sometimes I can’t swing it around and get a full view of the port. Likewise, action scenes become more about what you’re not seeing.

UBOAT is a solid game being undermined by a messy console port. I can see the depth and the strategic thinking the developers want you to explore. Games like don’t this don’t come around too often so it’s a pity the Playstation 5 version suffers from cumbersome controls and bugs. When it works, it’s a varied, compelling look at submarine warfare. The presentation has its moments and the campaign has plenty to dig into.