1914 Shells of Fury

I'm going to play another Strategy First game today. This time a more recent title called 1914 Shells of Fury. As far as I can figure it's a WWI game where you're piloting a German sub and blowing up British boats...

Starting off

I figure the best place to start with most games is the tutorial, so I fire it up. The first tutorial mission, I'm surfaced and staring out at the sea. According to the mission objectives, I need to go to two check points then return to point.

This is simple to do. Open up the map screen and draw the path then put the sub on autopilot. And I'm off...veeerrrrry sloooooowly.

Okay, I realize the point of the game is to simulate a submarine from the beginning to the century but does the simulation have to be so accurate as to emulate the exact speed early subs moved? I keep opening the map screen every few minutes just to see if I've gone anywhere at all. Even with the engine set at full speed ahead, it still takes forever to get to the first target destination.

I finally arrive, and what's there? NOTHING!! I dunno why, but I was expecting there to be something to blow up once I arrived. Nope, just go to these points on the map and return to port. Yuck.

Campaign mission

So, thirsting to make something explode, I start a new campaign mission. My orders, written on a parchment are to patrol for incoming British ships.

Once again, I start over staring at water and nothing else. Pull up the map, make a patrol route and follow it...to....nothing. I end up diving and firing torpedoes in random directions just for something to do. End up back at the port and the mission is complete. That's it?

Start the second mission. Objective again is to patrol for the British...and I think there was something about the French in there as well. Begin the mission by...staring at the empty seas. Patrol around, firing off random torpedoes at nothing since I still haven't found anything to blow up.

Conclusion

So, I've been playing this for more than half an hour haven't blown ANYTHING up!!

Am I gonna keep playing? Um, NO!

I realize the point of this game was to simulate the way a vintage submarine ran (though I'm pretty sure you didn't set your depth by clicking a mouse cursor on a valve...) but come on! The game is called SHELLS of FURY! With a title like that, I expect to be able to FIRE SOME FURIOUS SHELLS!! If this was called "Submarine Simulator" my opinion might be different but as it stands, this just feels cheap.