The first thing you think of when you hear "Sid Meiers" is "ZOMG!! NEW CIVILIZATION GAME ME IS WANT HURR DURR", however that is not the case in this game, in fact, if Sid Meiers' name wasn't in the title you wouldn't even DREAM that it was Sid Meiers' creation but back to my the review now.
The storyline is only partially important to the missions and such, in fact, if you want, you don't even have to follow a story line you can just blow stuff up as you please. The story is that you used to live in a rich family, but they had a large debt to "Marquis Montalban" who is the main villain in this game. Their money was coming on the Spanish treasure fleet but the ships were attacked by pirates, so the evil Marquis took your family for slaves, or hostages or whatever, but you escape, how stereotypical.
10 years later, when you're 18, you apply as a pirate at the local bar, which is very odd considering you ask the barkeep about pirates, and he tells you to fill out an application form, MOST PIRATES COULDN'T EVEN READ!!! But anyway, your captain is a ***** so you mutiny and take control of his ship, then the free roam starts.
Usually you start of a "sloop", its a good ship, but it has very little cannon capacity, very little health and very little cargo space for all your loot, but you may be thinking "So whats so good about it?" well it's one of the most maneuverable ships in the game.
From there you choose one of the four nations, each different in strength, wealth and size. The English are the best for first timers, they have decent ships, they're a good size, and most of their cities are large and poor, which means there are more pirates looking for recruitment. The French are pretty well balanced in all areas. The Dutch are very small, and very rich, so I usually sell to them, because small and rich countries have good sale prices, and finally, the Spanish, these guys are huge, rich and very strong, and as you read this you are thinking why you should side with the Brits, when the Spaniards are huge, rich and very strong. The answer is "Spanish Treasure Fleet", if you're Spanish, you can't loot it.
Through these nations you earn promotions, which give you cheaper upgrades, more people looking for recruitment into your crew, etc etc. and governors daughters, which depending on how attractive they are, can give you gifts. Normal gives you information about wanted criminals, which you fight for either money, or a special item (will explain later), attractive gives you special items, and beautiful daughters give you information about your family, marquis montalban and most importantly, lost aztec cities.
The main objective in this game is to "restore your families honour" or some such. To do this there are many things that you have to do.
1. Earn money by blowing stuff up, finding pirate treasures, blowing more stuff up.
2. Earn land from grateful governors who promote you to higher ranks.
3. Defeat Marquis Montalban.
4. Find the scattered members of your family.
5. Marry a governors daughter
From all of this the game gives you a profession when you retire, with the lowest being pickpocket, and the highest being a governor.
One thing that helps in this game are "Special Items" you buy them from the mysterious traveller in the tavern and each item gives you a boost in 1 field.
Some include: Swords, Pistols, armor and fencing shirts for dueling.
Dancing boots and hats for getting a date with a governors daughter.
The activities in this game are:
Swordfighting: You swordfight when you ram an enemy ship, when you encounter "The annoying captain" in a bar and when you attack a city.
There are 7 actions in sword fights, 3 attacks, a block for each attack, and taunt, which makes your opponent move slower.
Sea Battles: In the world map when your ship touches an enemy ship you may get into a sea battle. You control movement, sails, when your ship attacks and with what kind of cannonball. There are 3 cannonball types: Round, a normal cannonball dealing damage to the ships hull, Chain, two cannonballs chained together to rip down enemy sails, and Grape, which is about 5 chained together designed to eliminate the enemy crew, rather than the ship.
Dancing: Watch your girlfriends hand signals and move in accordance to win her heart and loot.
This game offers a great experience for people who like free roaming games and for that I give it thanks!
Graphics: 8/10 Pretty good, water renders reflections well, sometimes slightly pixelated, if you're gonna play this, play in high graphics.
Gameplay: 10/10 Couldn't stop playing it! Theres so much to do!
The storyline is only partially important to the missions and such, in fact, if you want, you don't even have to follow a story line you can just blow stuff up as you please. The story is that you used to live in a rich family, but they had a large debt to "Marquis Montalban" who is the main villain in this game. Their money was coming on the Spanish treasure fleet but the ships were attacked by pirates, so the evil Marquis took your family for slaves, or hostages or whatever, but you escape, how stereotypical.
10 years later, when you're 18, you apply as a pirate at the local bar, which is very odd considering you ask the barkeep about pirates, and he tells you to fill out an application form, MOST PIRATES COULDN'T EVEN READ!!! But anyway, your captain is a ***** so you mutiny and take control of his ship, then the free roam starts.
Usually you start of a "sloop", its a good ship, but it has very little cannon capacity, very little health and very little cargo space for all your loot, but you may be thinking "So whats so good about it?" well it's one of the most maneuverable ships in the game.
From there you choose one of the four nations, each different in strength, wealth and size. The English are the best for first timers, they have decent ships, they're a good size, and most of their cities are large and poor, which means there are more pirates looking for recruitment. The French are pretty well balanced in all areas. The Dutch are very small, and very rich, so I usually sell to them, because small and rich countries have good sale prices, and finally, the Spanish, these guys are huge, rich and very strong, and as you read this you are thinking why you should side with the Brits, when the Spaniards are huge, rich and very strong. The answer is "Spanish Treasure Fleet", if you're Spanish, you can't loot it.
Through these nations you earn promotions, which give you cheaper upgrades, more people looking for recruitment into your crew, etc etc. and governors daughters, which depending on how attractive they are, can give you gifts. Normal gives you information about wanted criminals, which you fight for either money, or a special item (will explain later), attractive gives you special items, and beautiful daughters give you information about your family, marquis montalban and most importantly, lost aztec cities.
The main objective in this game is to "restore your families honour" or some such. To do this there are many things that you have to do.
1. Earn money by blowing stuff up, finding pirate treasures, blowing more stuff up.
2. Earn land from grateful governors who promote you to higher ranks.
3. Defeat Marquis Montalban.
4. Find the scattered members of your family.
5. Marry a governors daughter
From all of this the game gives you a profession when you retire, with the lowest being pickpocket, and the highest being a governor.
One thing that helps in this game are "Special Items" you buy them from the mysterious traveller in the tavern and each item gives you a boost in 1 field.
Some include: Swords, Pistols, armor and fencing shirts for dueling.
Dancing boots and hats for getting a date with a governors daughter.
The activities in this game are:
Swordfighting: You swordfight when you ram an enemy ship, when you encounter "The annoying captain" in a bar and when you attack a city.
There are 7 actions in sword fights, 3 attacks, a block for each attack, and taunt, which makes your opponent move slower.
Sea Battles: In the world map when your ship touches an enemy ship you may get into a sea battle. You control movement, sails, when your ship attacks and with what kind of cannonball. There are 3 cannonball types: Round, a normal cannonball dealing damage to the ships hull, Chain, two cannonballs chained together to rip down enemy sails, and Grape, which is about 5 chained together designed to eliminate the enemy crew, rather than the ship.
Dancing: Watch your girlfriends hand signals and move in accordance to win her heart and loot.
This game offers a great experience for people who like free roaming games and for that I give it thanks!
Graphics: 8/10 Pretty good, water renders reflections well, sometimes slightly pixelated, if you're gonna play this, play in high graphics.
Gameplay: 10/10 Couldn't stop playing it! Theres so much to do!
