The time: Thursday, 11 June 1942, 1300 hours. The place:
Somewhere in the North Atlantic.
You have been given command of the fleet submarine U.S.S.
Helldiver, on patrol for German U-Boats.
Suddenly, a high-priority, coded message is radioed to you from
Washington. A specially-equipped B-17 bomber with one VIP aboard has
crashed on the North Polar ice cap (referred to as “the North Pole” in
the game). All contact with the plane has been lost.
Aboard the plane is a diplomatic pouch bearing super-secret
documents regarding the current and future joint war efforts between
us and our uneasy allies, the Soviets. If these documents fall into
German hands, the information they contain could cause our side to
lose the war. Obtaining these documents is ABSOLUTELY VITAL!
Unfortunately, somehow there’s been a leak, and a Nazi
“deep-cover” agent, who’s part of your crew, has informed Berlin of
your mission. You must assume that there are Nazi subs between you
and the crash site, with orders to sink you. Your spy has also been
instructed to do all he can to compromise or terminate your mission.
BE ON YOUR GUARD AT ALL TIMES!
In order to complete your mission, you must travel throughout the
ship and, when you’ve reached your destination, on the ice of the
North Polar region. In many of the rooms are objects — like the
flashlight in the control room. It is necessary to have some of these
objects, as you can’t complete the game without them; some of them are
not important. But we won’t tell you which is which — that would
spoil the fun!
Note, also, that the game depends on what YOU do — that’s why
one adventure game manufacturer insists on calling its games “inter-
active fiction.” If you don’t do anything, neither will the computer!
And THAT makes for a boring experience!
Another thing that really makes Under the Ice enjoyable for me is how it manages to stay interesting even after playing it multiple times. Many games feel repetitive after a while, but here, the experience still feels fresh because of the small details and different ways you can approach the gameplay. As you continue playing, you naturally start improving and understanding the mechanics better, which makes everything feel more rewarding. I also appreciate the balance the game maintains—it’s not too difficult, but it’s not too easy either. You can play it casually for a short break or spend longer sessions without getting bored. That flexibility is one of the biggest reasons why I keep coming back to Under the Ice. Overall, it’s the kind of game that doesn’t just entertain you for a moment, but actually gives you a consistently enjoyable experience every time you play.
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