The realism/difficulty meter returns in Silent Hunter 4, which means that a quick trip to the options can make firing your torpedoes as simple as aiming and clicking. We launched a torpedo at a merchant vessel, and followed it with our camera for a cinematic close-up of the moment it introduced itself and said “hello” to our target. After the initial blast, we watched as our prey slowly submerged as its lower compartments flooded.

Everything gets a lot more interactive once you turn the realism meter up a few notches. You’ll need to be mindful of your sonar station as you listen for signs of the enemy. Coordinating your crew’s efforts to launch a successful strike even requires a bit of trigonometry as you calculate angles, distances, and speed to ensure a direct hit.

Is it hard? You bet. We were quickly spotted and pummeled to a pulp by our target’s massive cannons before it turned around to ram us head-on for the finishing blow. But seeing our placid metal coffin fall to the ocean floor only made us want to reload our save game to give it another shot.

With all the attention paid to the visual and mechanical details in the game, it’s hard to imagine how the developers could make this sim more convincing - short of sending someone over to splash you with a bucket of sea water. If you missed out on this elusive series, set your scopes for March when Silent Hunter 4 is scheduled to surface.