So, you want to achieve fame and fortune in the Spanish Main?
Now bear in mind that the learning curve is steep, have some patience, it will pay off, took me about 5 hours or something to know the basic stuff, and +30 to grasp the whole game essence, but once you do you truly beging to understand the game. I'm not one of those cheap asses who expect to get everything out of the last penny, but i can assure you that for $30 dollars is quite a bargain.
It is a must for true Naval combat and Pirate freaks. The naval combat is the best to date, a true attempt to make a Sailing Ship Combat simulator. If Sailing combat simulation evolves from this then we shall have great Naval and Pirate games. In my opinion it is the best quality of the game.
At first look it can seem repetitive, take this guy from A to B, escort this ship from here to there, etc, but there is more to that.
The things i do not like about the game:
- The soundtrack: It sounds like "Willow" meets "Clash of the Titans", so i play with the music off all the time.
- Minor bugs: Crashing to Desktop not frequent but there, and other minor issues, besides that it is stable.
- No period selection: Only one time period.
- Reduced size of the Spanish Main or Caribbean Theatre: There are only a few colonies, There are no Bahamas colonies, Cuba, Bermuda, Terra firma, Panama, Mexico, etc.
- Size of Islands not accurate: Nobody's perfect. At least "Cutthroats" had the approximate size of all islands in the caribbean.
- No Careening: You can't find an isolated beach among the coasts to repair your ships.
- No true land tactital battles: This is a minor issue, it would be too much to ask for this game engine anyway, at least now.
- No diversity in Character selection: You are tied to selecting either Sharks, the guy or the gal, no customization of character (How did they let this out!).
- You cannot break in on locked houses and buildings or steal/obtain any effects from people you kill in the colonies.
The things i like about the game:
- The Ship to Ship Combat: oh my god, it's every Pirate's dream, you have to see it to believe it.
- The Graphics: Very well done, the ships and towns look great.
- The sounds: Nicely done, a few bugs but manageable.
- Open ended: You can do whatever the hell you want to, you choose your path.
- The Boarding and Fencing: The best in its kind.
- Contraband: Nice feature adding depth to the game.
- Trading system: Many goods to look about and buy here and sell there at a comfortable price, good system for those who like to trade.
- Slaves: Avoided element in any trading games because of the political correct **** Slaves were a reality.
- Officers: There is a very nice system which you can hire, appoint and dismiss officers to different options in your ship or appointing him to one of your ships.
- Tactics: You can use and command other vessels as well in naval combat.
- No political correct crap: If you have to kill the crew and its captain or raze a town you just do it!, it's a f@#$%^! Pirate game not a Walt Disney cartoon.
- Replay value: Very high, addictive as hell.
- True world effects: Like weather and plague.
- Ship types, weapons and upgrades: There is room for more weapons, ships, crew and bigger and better ships, cannons, sails, hulls, blades, pistols, etc.
I will be playing this game for some time. I bow down before the designer team and truly thank them for this, these are the kind of games that deserve true credit and recognition. So finally if you truly enjoy the historical period or the Pirates subject you i recommend you get this game.