What would happen if the makers of Morrowind got married to Disney and had kids?
Ever since I played Pirates on the mighty Amiga 500 in the early 90s I have been waiting for a decent Pirate game – and I found it on the Xbox.
Pirates of the Caribbean is a collaboration of Disney and the makers of the greatest fantasy RPG on the market, “Morrowind”.
Loosely based on the Johnny Depp movie of 2003, you begin life as a young brash captain on a small ship, blown into port by a storn.
As with the inimitable Morrowind, the rest is up to you. Follow the storyline, become a pirate, whip the French (more difficult than real life!) it is up to you. The major drawback is the failure of Keira Knightley to appear anywhere except in voiceovers.
I was expecting a Morrowind clone with eye patches, parrots and more “Oh arrs” than you could shake a wooden leg at, but was pleasantly surprised to be contradicted. (That's a man's way of saying “I was wrong” without losing face!)
Gameplay is relatively user friendly, once you master the search and combat. Sea travel is easy and combat can be exciting – but with several different view modes it can get a little confusing.
Early on it is tough, but that makes the rewards of advancement sweeter than a gallon 'o rum. Patience is definitely required. Capturing your first ship is a sweet experience.
As it is aimed at capturing some of the movie's market, the milieu isn't as vast nor the complexity as in depth as the predecessor, but that doesn't detract from the fun to be had.
I would definitely recommend that you set sail on this title.