The
deep, open-ended RPG flavor Bethesda has become famous for is now
setting sail for a place far from the land of Morrowind. "Inspired" by
the upcoming movie, Pirates of the Caribbean is shaping up to be one of,
if not the best title in the slim pirate genre. Thanks to the depth that
has become a trademark of Bethesdas games, thisll probably be as close
as you get to living the life of a swashbuckler.
Those
afraid Pirates of the Caribbean will fall into that sad "game based on a
movie" category can rest at ease. Its been in the works for quite some
time. You may actually recognize it by the games old name, Sea Dogs.
The games ties to the upcoming movie seem loose at best, which is a
good thing. We were told that the game has its own underlying storyline
that players may pursue at their leisure, much like Morrowind. Outside
of the main story, you can follow the course of life you deem fit. This
may involve a peaceful merchant profession, or the complete opposite, a
bloodthirsty marauding pirate. The choice is up to you.
After
spending some time with Pirates of the Caribbean at Bethesdas booth Im
excited to say the least. The game breaks up into two major parts, time
youre in the ship and time you spend on land. When sailing, you view
your boat from a birds eye view, surveying the surrounding ocean and
nearby islands. The setting is large and spread out to make you feel
like you really are setting sail for some serious journeys. Several
scenarios are open to you while you are sailing. You will come across
other vessels such as merchant ships or even other pirates. Of course
your relations with the countries present in the Caribbean will affect
how ships react to you. Pirates on the other hand will always pursue you
no matter what. If you come into conflict with another ship, and believe
me you will, youre thrust into a battle scene where you and your enemy
go at it. The graphics during these conflicts are truly amazing and
capture the dramatic feel of two ships locked in combat. Youll maintain
full control of your ships steering and sails as well as your cannons
as you maneuver around your opponent and try to blow him out of the
water. Turning your enemys ship into driftwood isnt the only option
you have. If you like you can attempt to board his ship and take it
through hand-to-hand combat. Upon boarding the action switches to the
default third person view used when youre on land and the sword
fighting ensues. If you prove victorious you can then loot the ship or
even take it as your own. One other scenario worth noting is the
inclusion of weather systems you must contend with when at sea. If
youre unlucky enough to run into a storm on the map youre taken to
that same battle scenario mentioned before, but this time you are
fighting massive waves and destructive winds. Interestingly, the object
is to survive by guiding your ship out of the storm. Once again the
visual displays, especially the water effects, are truly amazing.
The
other aspect of the game encompasses your inland excursions. There are
numerous towns to explore along with several tropical locales where
eager players can sniff out adventure. As usual, combat is simple yet
effective. Not only do players get to test their swordsmanship, but
their skill with a pistol as well. Of course there are plenty of sabers
and guns out there for you to hunt down and inflict upon the poor swab
dumb enough to cross you.
Depth
is definitely the word of the day for Pirates of the Caribbean. A robust
economy allows players to pursue a rewarding career as a merchant, or
even a smuggler. Ships dont sail themselves so youll need to seek out
sailors to man your vessel and also watch your back during combat. You
can even delegate the ships you take control of to your most trusted men
so that they may spread your influence abroad. Its quite possible to
have your own small fleet. Youll command many ships during your tenure
and equipping them is your responsibility. This may seem a bit
intimidating, shopping for cannons, sails, rigging, and the like, but
the developers have struck a good balance between the danger of tedious
busy work and the more practical aspects of pirate life that end up
being pretty entertaining.
Under
the surface of Pirates is a strong statistics system. Naturally you have
the stats determining your combat ability and other things like your
equipments attributes, but Bethesda and Akella have taken it a step
further. Your character also has stats based on his charisma and his
leadership, things every self respecting pirate captain needs. These
stats figure into several aspects of the game. For instance take ship
combat into consideration. The orders you relay (such as firing on ships
or raising the sails) to your crew take a certain amount of time before
they are followed. This delay depends on the sailors view of you as
their captain. A captain with high marks in leadership will have his
orders carried out immediately.
Pirates
of the Caribbean is expected to release sometime this June so you
shouldnt have to wait much longer to get your hands on it. Games based
on the pirate way of life are few and far between and the amount of
quality titles in that group is quite slim. Judging from the build at
E3, Pirates of the Caribbean is going to define the pirating experience
and provide a rewarding role-playing experience.