Questions about SH series/requirements

[SeanConnery]

I really want to get one these games but i just need to know a few things.
1. Should i go for go for SH3 or SH5? (which is better, graphics aside)
2. If I get SH3 will i run ok with Win 7 64bit?

[UberFAKnNooB]

SH3 is a great game. SH4 uses most of the same stuff and looks a lot better. SH5 changed the whole layout, but gives you the ability to walk around on your sub which I found to be really neat. And it is much more graphically intense. But it did a lot of things I did not like, one of them being life bars on the ships...It's also the only one I have not played more than a couple hours. The other ones...many many hours. Now I should see if I still have my cd copy of SH2 lol.

I installed SH3 and SH4 on my laptop. Win7-64 2.2ghz 4gb ram with a 512mb Nvidia9500. They both run fine on max detail.

I love them both and bought them both twice. Retail when they were first released and recently during the Christmas sale on Steam.

I prefer SH4 over 3 partly because of graphics, but it is nice to use something other than a German boat for a change. I got the U-boat campaign too, but it doesn't seem to be working for me on Steam >=/
Retail was awesome for the U-boat missions. They added nice things like resupply ships and crewmen that could repair destroyed equipment. I am still waiting for a rescue vessle though. Never liked having my sub disabled and having to quit because there was nothing I could do.

They both have pretty repetative missions though. Inspect this location for 24 hours...inspect that location for 24 hours...Hell I have had to photograph the docks in Hiroshima 4 times in a row on my current game and my next mission is to do it again. And aircraft drive me nuts especially when I just get the time compression up to where I want it to be.

That's one of my biggest pet peaves is that the missions in SH4 have nothing to do with the little mission briefings on naval sea battles taking place. But hey, I am perfectly happy catching a nice large convoy and moving in to sink as many ships as possible.

SH3 gave me a save issue and I don't remember having it happen before. I was on my 3rd patrol. I had to get some stuff done so I saved my game and quit. Instead of closing the game, I absent mindedly loaded my save game. So I just ALT+f4'd my game. The next time I loaded it, my save games were all gone.

Don't let any of my issues deter your interest though, I still play them even with the stuff that has bothered me and if you are into sub sims, you should get a kick out of these.