Continuing the theme of pirates for the moment, Rare has released Sea of Thieves after a delay from 2016. Originally Rare started production in 2014 and took their time making final upgrades to the game. Seen at E3 in 2016, crowds were lined up to give the game a shot and see it first hand which was chaos. Now that the release is here, this is the best we’ve seen in a pirate game since Pirates of the Caribbean Online that Disney brought to us in 2007.
There is no denying my heart pines for the online pirates game that I once fell in love with, which was shut down in 2013, but Sea of Thieves is up there as one of the best for restoring the hope I had for Pirates of the Caribbean Online. In some ways, Sea of Thieves is very similar but there are major differences as well.
As a first person action adventure game, Sea of Thieves pretty much requires a partner in order to play, usually 2 players on a Sloop or up to 4 on a Galleon. It is possible to join other groups in the game, but only if they like you. Otherwise, expect to be looted or have your ship and other goodies plundered. As a group, players start with a ship and get to hoist the sails, launch the anchor, fire the cannons and a lot more. This is just the beginning before choosing the adventures you will go on. When introduced to the different quests, looting will be a main task but a lot of player vs. player will be involved too. The game wouldn’t be legit if there were no options to take on other pirates right?
Other than the hope to find a Kraken somewhere on the seas, players get to fight hordes of skeletons in order to steal glowing skulls to turn in. A lot of strategy can go in to the battles as a group or none, but the more the merrier in these situations. With a cartoony art style that Sea of Thieves brings, there is no shortage of small details. For example, when a glowing skull is taken back to your ship, other players can see the glow from far away unless the skull is hidden down below. These little details can make the game challenging for those looking for a fight but there’s no denying stuff like this make the game just that much better.
One of the best things so far for this game other than it’s just awesome, is the amount of attention that Rare has given to fans. They have been consistently creating patches and listening to the comments that everyone has brought to the table. A neat addition, depending on your view, is the Day One Patch that Rare created for players. A fan suggested an eye-patch with the number one on it for the release of the game and surprise, Rare added it for players for the cost of one coin. Hopefully the developers continue to listen to the players for future comments.
Although it’s been unclear to me if there is a definite story in Sea of Thieves, I still enjoy it a lot. So much so that I plan to play until I can’t anymore or until the story ends. With a goofy art style and the ability to meet others or play with friends, there isn’t anything I would add to make Sea of Thieves better. I hope everyone gives this game a chance.
Sea of Thieves is available now on Xbox and PC
