Not MicroProse's finest hour, but a great game nonetheless. This game is definitely neither a "realistic" nor "deep" sub sim (compared with, say, 688 Attack Sub), but that's not what it is meant to be: this is a fun strategy game with lots of political intrigue, great atmosphere, and some adventure elements thrown in.
There were a vast number of campaign missions and, if repeated, they were always random in location as well as types of ships involved, a truly dynamic campaign. Subsim skippers are never satisfied with "canned" missions and this contributed to the success RSR enjoyed. Some missions include only submarines, others include only a surface convoy, others include a surface task force (with carriers), and others with both ships and subs. Helicopters with sonar dipping equipment and sonar buoys add much to the turmoil.
With the most challenging settings, events get so complex, and events occur so quickly, that having two people at the keyboard is a great help, and for beginners, almost a necessity (plus it is more fun). Trying to identify ships with signature analysis, running from incoming torpedoes, launching noise makers and decoys, dealing with several of your own wire-guided fish, and launching Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles makes for a very busy captain.
Overall, a great submarine simulator that's still being played today. Highly recommended!
Review By HOTUD
English 
Comments and reviews
I loved this game. I played it exclusively on my Commodore 64. Countless hours. If someone was to remake this game it would be phenomenal. It was complex yet simple to learn and play.
I downloaded the Amiga version, but there's only a saved game disk.
graphic mod in the works for RSR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OickZR-k0s
Three things do not work.
1. Unable to change torpedo depth after pressing Shift-F2
2. Unable to change torpedo search pattern after pressing Shift-F3/F4
3. Unable to activate torpedo after pressing Shift-F5
Using DOSBOX on Windows 10 laptop.
Has anyone else experience this issue or find a fix?
Thanks
If you liked RSR, you may enjoy Cold Waters by Killerfish Games, on steam for 20 bucks I believe. It's basically a remake and there's a lot of old school RSR fans who love it (I never played RSR for the record). I love Cold Waters though, sunk hundreds of hours into that game.
Hello, Thanks so much for your site. I enjoyed playing Red Storm Rising some 20 years ago and would like to play again. Obviously, I could download the game, but can you tell me how actually play? I am running Windows 10. Will it my in my browser, do I need a special app or file, or do I need am old computer? I would like to play PC rather than atari or commodore.? THanks BigTom2323 I am at horsleythomas65@gmail.com
The years of the Amiga, my top game together with pinball dreams and pinball fantasies.
Only flaw was that targets were always hostile, so that it became a little bit too shoot 'em up.
To prevent this, try to go through the war without reloading the tubes in combat. Figure out what you need in your tubes and go with it.
You will have to figure out how to get those amphibious landing ships without be able to sunk all the escorts. Same with the Moskwa or Kirov. And then escape the escorts. Or only be able to damage the Kremlin carrier, before escaping.
With this handicap I had campaigns which lasted up to 4 years instead of the few month of warfare, which you normally play till victory or defeat.
I would so much whish they would make an improved version with friendly and neutral contacts, and be able to steer also British and Soviet subs.
This is my favorite computer game of all time. I played it first on the C64 and later on the PC. I would get completely immersed in the game and frequently found myself quitting at 3-4:00 AM. I'm going to try to download and run this on one of my older (pre-windows 10) computers. I really wish Microprose would release a new windows version with better graphics.
Played this game incessantly with my boys many years ago. I'm re-reading the book right now and had to download and play again... retired prof.
manual:
EDIT: Thx fdisk !
i have looked for this game since i left my commodore 64 for a PC. I cant believe this fantastic find! I only hope I am able to download it and get it to work!!! I played this for hours..at times it was the only pleasure I had in life LOL as a struggling teacher.oops
my all time favorite, love this great game.... never stop playing it.
Love this game
i cannot play it on my PC ?!? how come ???
I can't believe that I found this! I got a PC when I graduated High School in Dec 1988 (486 DX2-66 suckerz!) and bought this game the day it came out. Then I lost a year of my life! I only made it all the way through once (played in real-time of course) and then I put it away for ever... *until now*
The book and game were so good this became my handle around 1998. A great game for its time, especially if you had read the best selling novel it was based on.
very nice i love this game so much thank you
Awesome game
Harpoon-ish, actually. And as good in it's own way.
My brother and I both played this game, and (not as a result) later joined the U.S. Navy. The close accuracy of this game to late-20th-century naval combat is highly instructive and challenging, yet engaging and fun. Anyone who likes simulators or strategic+tactical combat should check this game out.
I played this game when I was 4 & 5. It was AWESOME!
No comment nor review for this game at the moment.