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When it comes to simulations, Mirrorsoft reckon they can really push the boat out, but does Wolfpack (their latest NovaLogic sim) stay afloat? It's a tough fighter, but going up against Silent Service II in the same month is hard work for the ol' tub.

In the game, you control a pack of German submarines in World War Two, fighting Allied convoys and warships all over the globe. Your display screen shows the inside of a rudimentary boat, fitted out with a map, speed indicator, depth meter and other Silent Service type essentials. Trouble is, there's only the one display screen, and consequently everything is packed into a smaller space, making it more difficult to decipher quickly.

Wolfpack's attempts to minimise the number of screens have other side-effects too. The same basic screen is used for subs and ships - which you can control as part of the two-player duel game - the only difference being one small icon which shows the ship or sub ID. It can get pretty confusing just remembering which of your own vehicles you're on.

The action in Wolfpack is accurate enough, but the small, rather jerky graphics are dead boring by Silent Service II standards. Wolfpack's map screen is so tiny - each boat is a single pixel dot - that there's no real sense of excitement there, either.

Wolfpack's one saving grace is its flexibility - you can set up your own missions, (right down to the text messages which you use as a pre-mission briefing), and choose any type and quantity of ships or subs to make up each "team". If you're not bothered about ST sound-chip effects and occasional jerky visuals, and you're more into the strategy aspect, you could have fun with Wolfpack. But for most of us, there's just not enough variation to make it interesting enough to want to dig deeper.

1. A high snore-factor when compared to Silent Service II, but great if you're simply intro strategy.
2. Double-sided drives only. Hard drive installable.