Codename: Iceman is completed in the Sierra Chest

Because of the global shortage of oil, the third world country of Tunisia is in a powerful political position as its neutral stance and overabundance of crude oil finds the United States and Russia in a tug of war as they negotiate for the oil. The potentially explosive situation becomes worse when the US ambassador to the Middle East is taken hostage by a Soviet-backed radical terrorist group, demanding a 10 million dollar ransom to purchase arms and threatening to kill the ambassador if demands are not met. In response to Russian presence in the Mediterranean, the US has sent its 7th fleet to the area with the president vowing to take military action if the ambassador is not released soon.

You are lieutenant commander John Westland of the US Navy, enjoying a holiday in Tahiti when general Braxton calls you to the Pentagon for a briefing on a secret mission of the highest importance. As second in command of the nuclear submarine the USS Blackhawk, you are tasked to travel to the Mediterranean undetected, infiltrate the harbor where the ambassador is held captive and rescue him. You will be at the wheel of the submarine and face many hazards on the way, including hostile vessels, treacherous icebergs and technical failures. The lives of the crew depend on your every action and command. However, if you fail, it could lead to much worse: the next world war.



Codename: Iceman, designed with Sierra SCI0 engine, is generally considered as one of Sierra's toughest adventure games, primarily because of the submarine sequences which represent a large portion of the game - so much so that it is also often labeled as a simulation game. Additionally, some portions of the game depend heavily on random factors, such as the effectiveness of torpedoes in submarine battles and sheer luck with a game of dice where the player can only save and restore a limited number of times. Designed by Jim Walls of Police Quest fame, Codename Iceman also often applies official procedure in its gameplay, such as the procedure on how to apply CPR and certain military procedures. A sequel to the game, titled Codename: Phoenix, was planned but unfortunately never released.