Ship Simulator Extremes

In 2010 – a little over a decade ago – VSTEP created a simulator for ship enthusiasts called Ship Simulator Extremes. While VSTEP has focused more on the educational and corporate needs of the Maritime Industry, the game is still receiving updates today.

The main question here, though, is whether it is too late to play Ship Simulator in 2021. While we can’t answer that question for you, we are going to give you several ideas to consider while your mouse hovers over the “Download” button on your launcher.

What is Ship Simulator Extremes?

We have an idea of who will most likely find this game interesting. First, we should discuss what this game is. As the title suggests, Ship Simulator Extremes is a ship simulator. It's self-explanatory, but the game markets itself as the absolute best in the industry's virtual ship navigation video game. It is the latest in the best-selling Ship Simulator series, and players will note hyper-realism compared to IRL ship navigation.

There are many ways to experience ship navigation "including hovercraft, Coast Guard Interceptors, mammoth tankers, tugboats, luxury cruise liners, and fast inflatable boats" (per their product description.) There is even a storyline campaign and missions for players to clear in various parts of the world. And it does all that while being incredibly fun. There is no secret that this game is a favorite in the simulator genre, but Ship Simulator Extremes is not for every gamer. Next is a small discussion on the types of video game enthusiasts we believe will enjoy Ship Simulator Extremes.

Who will enjoy Ship Simulator Extremes?

No blanket can cover every kind of gamer who will play Ship Simulator Extremes. However, there is a way to gauge whether or not you will like this game. Consider the types of games with similar goals, and you will be able to determine if this is a good pick for you.

Direct comparisons to Ship Simulator Extremes

You will love Ship Simulator Extremes if you regularly play any game that touts itself as a simulation, meaning if the developer's goal is inspired heavily by realism, this game is for you. Two games that come to mind that DIRECTLY fit the mold of this game's archetype are as follows:

• Flight Simulator – a simulation of flying planes with perspectives both inside and outside.
• Nascar Heat 5 – a racing game with realistic physics, speed tracking, and first-person experience.
• Farm Simulator – a video game that allows players to control tractors and make money farming.

The idea behind all of these games is that they deliver hyper-realized virtual experiences based on the IRL (in real life) versions on which they are based. If you’ve played any of these games or you are a casual gamer in general, you are going to find a familiar level of satisfaction with Ship Simulator Extremes.

Indirect comparisons to Ship Simulator Extremes

In respect to casual gamers, there are some honorable mentions we think compare indirectly with simulator games, and here are those examples:

• Minecraft this game is an incredibly exaggerated adaptation of “survival,” however, the critical elements of the game simulate life out on your own and solving problems like not having shelter, feeling hungry and thirsty, and even needing to fend off hostile creatures in the woods.
• All sports games – While they teeter between being considered hardcore and casual games, sports games like FIFA, Madden NFL, and MLB all have elements that make them simulators. As technology advances, these games have seen significant leaps in gameplay mechanics and graphics that immerse players in ways linked to traditional simulators.
• Most Free-to-Play “Gotcha” games – Okay, this one is a bit of a meme, but it holds some truth. If you are a fan of those terrible phone games that pretty much play themselves, but you make a few decisions every few minutes, there is a chance you will like Ship Simulator. Those are casual games. That doesn’t mean Ship Simulator is like those games; it just means that you are a casual gamer, and casual gamers lean towards the calming, realistic nature of simulators.

Now that you know who our best guess is for gamers who will enjoy this game, we will answer the burning question you probably clicked on this post for:

Is it too late to play Ship Simulator Extremes in 2021?

The short answer is no. It is 100% not too late to play Ship Simulator Extremes in 2021.

Pros:

• You will get virtual ship navigation experiences as it relates to recent developments

Cons:

• This game still gets updated by VSTEP
• Most of the current maritime industry trends are incorporated into the game
• No multiplayer

When You Imagine pursuing a career in games journalism, you take on board the fact you might be writing about games you have no interest in and then having to fake it to both the readers and the developers. This is what I thought I'd have to do with Ship Simulator Extremes, a game about sailing, ships and water - none of which I'm at all interested in. Another thing about the games industry is that sometimes you find things that you think you'll hate that turn out to be mind-blowingly cool.

Like Ship Simulator Extremes, in fact. So "mind-blowingly cool" is a bit over the top, but the fact you can sail an Is ultra-realistic recreation of the Titanic around a sea full of icebergs is more than enough to pique our curiosity. Indeed, this is just one of many features that push the game from cheerful eccentricity into potential greatness.

The basics are all there, of course, thanks to a rock-solid simulation engine that's so comprehensive the US Navy uses it for navigation training. This new edition in the long-running series may be pushing things into the realms of fun, but in no ways are corners being cut or ridiculous compromises being made. For the aficionado, all the hardcore elements are in place, but for other people, the game's also got some more fun elements.

Life On The Waves

For example, there's going to be full-on storylines and event-driven campaigns. Add to this a whole raft of interesting features, like co-operative multiplayer missions, Greenpeace missions to save whales from despicable hunters, a big-time editor suite and stunt courses! Yes, stunt courses. You even get to walk around on the deck and in your ship, where the crew get busy with their work as you stare at them.

There's even a stealth mission, where you have to locate and photograph a top-secret facility. This and many of the other scenarios are based on real events, with (natch) the real ships available to sail about in, including a Greenpeace vessel that haven't even been put out to sea yet (the Rainbow Warrior 3, to be precise). And, of course, there will be hundreds of other vessels to sail about in as well, like mammoth tankers, hovercraft, coastguard cutters, tugboats, cruise liners and powerboats (for the previously mentioned stunt tracks, no doubt).

What VSTEP are trying to do is open things up to a wider audience, and, if you judge me as being representative of said audience, they may well have succeeded at already. It's still just sailing though, and as such runs the risk of being one of those games people go "that sounds great!" about, but then never buy or play. What is certain is that it's at the very forefront of simulation games, demonstrating what can be done when effort and dedication is put into a project. And for that, let's hope it makes a big splash when it comes out in June this year.