Sea of Thieves | Xbox One Review
It’s certainly been a big week for games involving pirates. First we had Ubisoft‘s remaster, and now we’ve got Rare‘s Sea of Thieves, which is exclusive to the Xbox One. This much-anticipated cooperative game was showcased at last year’s E3, and raised quite a bit of buzz. While the concept and execution of the game is very ambitious, there’s little drive to keep pressing forward. It’s one of the better cooperative experiences I’ve played in a while, but I have a hard time finding myself putting nearly as many hours into this one as the developers would like me to.
To be perfectly upfront, I never played this game as a solo experience. I only played with a full crew of four people, and I honestly can’t imagine playing it any other way. Teaming up with your buddies feels like the only way to experience a game like this. With that said, it’s completely possible to play on your own.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
If you’re like me and met up with a group to play Sea of Thieves, you know that communication is paramount while sailing the high seas. It takes coordination of each player to simply get from A to B, but less to complete your missions.
Let’s start with sailing, as you’ll be doing quite a bit of that. One player mans the helm to control the direction of the ship, but since the game offers no waypoint on the horizon, you’ll need a navigator. A second player must go below deck to keep an eye on a map that the team marks for their next destination. Thankfully, an icon shows the ship’s location and direction in real time. So as the ship moves, the navigator can tell the helmsman which direction to keep the ship pointed.
Sound complicated already? Just wait, it gets better (in a good way). A third person handles raising and lowering the sails to give the ship momentum by catching the wind. In Sea of Thieves the wind is just as fickle as it is in real life, so it can be an interesting experience fighting against gusts that aren’t cooperating with you. Once the sails are up, the person at the helm can no longer see in front of the ship. This is where the fourth crew member comes into play, manning the crow’s nest to act as the helmsman’s eyes. If the crew communicates successfully, then you’ll eventually dock at your destination to complete your quest.
Living Life the Pirate’s Way
There are three main quest types acquired from merchants at outposts. The first is simple. Find the island drawn on a map on your ship’s own map. Sail to that island and find the buried treasure where “X marks the spot”. The second quest type has you sailing to an island to take on a group of skeletons and eventually a “boss”. Once defeated, this bounty leaves behind a skull to collect. The final quest type involves locating animals or other items with a time limit attached to them.
All three quests require you to take whatever you’ve collected safely back to one of the outposts scattered across the map. This is where the game really starts to shine, because you’ll come across other crews who are on the same mission as you. And more often than not, they want whatever treasures you’ve got stowed away on your own ship. Fending off attackers is one of the most nerve-wracking experiences. Remember how complicated it was to navigate your ship? Imagine doing that while also firing cannons, repairing your ship’s hull and bailing water over the side rails. It’s exciting, frenetic, and an absolute blast to experience when you come out on top.
I’ve only got one real gripe with Sea of Thieves, and it’s that I’m missing that carrot-on-a-stick that makes me want to keep playing. Even if you return your treasure to an outpost, your only reward is money to purchase on cosmetics for your character. That may sound like enough, but keep in mind that this is a first-person game. That means I don’t ever get to see my own character donning his new pirate hat or shiny sword. With a game that expects me to put so many hours into playing it, I need something to keep me moving, and clothes just aren’t going to do it for me.
Sea of Thieves Final Verdict
Sea of Thieves feels like a great first attempt at an ambitious project like this one. The content feels a bit bare-bones, but its core mechanics are truly something special. It makes me hopeful for a sequel where a lot of this groundwork could be fleshed out a bit more. Still, what they’ve put together is truly impressive in its scope, and sailing with a like-minded crew on the ocean is a genuine blast to play. I just wish that I were more motivated to spend more time with it.
Sea of Thieves
59.99
Pros
- Great Teamwork Experience
- Quality Sound Design
- Thrilling PvP Moments
Cons
- Cosmetic Incentives Only
- Repetitive Quickly
