Rule The Waves

While certainly lacking in the looks department, Rule the Waves is the ultimate strategy game for history buffs and military geeks. With a vast array of spreadsheets, tables and data sets to look at, players are able to take the helm of a battleship to see if they can conquer the high seas. Ideal for gamers after a more serious naval battle sim compared to games like World of Warships and Victory at Sea.

Good Morning, Captain

Upon starting the game, players enter the world of Rule The Waves as a renowned Grand Admiral. It is the player’s job to design ships, take part in battles, conduct naval research, command fleets, among many other responsibilities.

While this might sound like a lot of jobs for one person to handle, it’s because it is. The real draw to a game like Rule The Waves lies specifically in this intimidating amount of management. The whole game takes a stripped back approach to its management system, avoiding flashy visuals (there’s not a single 3D model in sight) and instead opting for basic spreadsheets and windows that look like they’re ripped right out of a Microsoft Excel file.

A Look Into History

The game is focused on the years between 1900 - 1920. While to a lay person this might not seem like a particular bustling period of naval warfare, the game offers a massive amount of content to sift through and experience that history nerds will certainly love. Starting the game, players have a choice to play one of several nations. Here players can also view the characteristics of each individual nation. For example, hovering over Great Britain will show what starting technologies they have, what faults they have, as well as what perks they have to aid them in battle.

Deep As An Ocean

The gameplay loop is clearly what drives players to Rule The Waves. From the start it’s clear to see that the game offers an unparalleled amount of detail and depth in its many battle instances that can easily allow players to flex their strategic muscles. One core aspect of the game that becomes increasingly important as players progress is ship design. Players are in charge of finding and eliminating flaws in the ships’ designs, as well as administering what sort of ammunition, training and resources are allocated to their fleets. As a result, players are given a massive amount of control over their forces, giving a real sense of accomplishment when victorious, and a deep sense of accountability in defeat.

Unfortunately, despite its dedication to realistic and accurate portrayals of early 20th century naval battles, Rule The Waves is perhaps too niche for its own good. While other simulators and warfare games have managed to enter the mainstream, the lack of decent visuals and accessible gameplay means that it’s almost impossible to recommend such a game to the average player.

PROS:

• Offers a dedicated naval strategy experience unlike any other
• A must-try for serious military or history buffs
• Deeply complex and detailed

CONS:

• I incredibly niche and not recommended for most
• Very ugly visuals and lacking in style
• Difficult to learn and to master