Shiver me timbers, this game is actually decent!
Story
The story is bare bones here and basically does the absolute minimum to follow the movies plot. But then again, if you're really itching for a story-based experience, you would go see the aforementioned blockbuster film. At the very least, the games plot has enough in it to fit within the pirate context and delivers voicework that won't make you cringe.
Gameplay
This is where the game shines. You get an average two attack combat system with blocking and grabs, but with some cool twists. You have a special meter that depletes every time you block an attack, and to regenerate it you have to attack enemies and stay vulnerable. This prevents you from spamming block and adds some genuine strategy. The action also controls well, and the enemies are intelligent, attempting to strike when you're vulnerable. This makes pulling off combos fun and helps make the combat rewarding. However, the game also rewards exploration by hiding a lot of secrets within the otherwise linear levels, most of which are worth finding. They unlock bonus content such as playable characters, movies, and multiplayer challenges. There are also some minigames sprinkled into the levels and a few boss fights, so at the end of the day it feels like fun and smooth experience.
Graphics
Yes, this is a PS2 game so the textures are going to look a bit dodgy. With that aside, it looks reasonably good. Its certainly not the best seen on the system, but it certainly won't make your eyes bleed. The effects are quite poor but the animation is above average, so its all acceptable in the end.
Enjoyment
The game isn't terribly long but there are tons of secondary objectives and secrets to find and unlock. Couple that with decent replay value and some multiplayer and you've got a solid package. If you're at all interested in the films or pirates in general, this game is definitely worth playing.