A Recommendation: Sea Of Thieves

Pirates have always been something Ive found to be inherently fascinating. Ever since I went to see Johnny Depp shambling around the Caribbean for my tenth birthday. Their appeal since has skyrocketed. This was in 2003, several films have followed and millions of dollars made off the back of pirates. Tragically however videogames based around swashbuckling have been few and far between.

The light on the horizon during this dark time however was Assassins Creed: Black Flag. Released in 2013,  the game showed how fun sailing around as a degenerate, drinking, coin obsessed pirate could really be. It was so fun that is regarded by many (including myself) to be the best Assassins Creed game to date.

What followed was a slurry of announcements for games based around sailing the seas. One of these was Sea of Thieves. You may know that I work at sea, so to get me as excited as I was by the prospect of spending more time on a ship (in a game) is amazing. I immediately warmed to the games art style, design tenants and the larger world at play. 

However it wasn't until this year that I truly 'played' Sea of Thieves. That is, with a friend. Such as to say 2020 is the perfect time to jump into the game with its recent Steam release. Here's why. 

The Sandiest Sandbox

The appeal of this game lies in the freedom your are given to go out and do whatever you please. There are no set objectives per say. Other than to make gold. This is done by killing famous skeletons, finding buried treasure or delivering different goods; there's always fun to be had. But the real fun is waiting for other people to do these, then taking their hard earned loot. You are pirates after all.

Be prepared to lose a lot of your loot,  you'll enjoy it a lot more that way. In my eyes is to play Sea of Thieves with friends is to play it as was designed to be played. Something I found easy once I realised there was cross play with Xbox players. You'll get drunk, play music, rob strongholds, kill skellies and be attacked by monsters. All in a single session probably.

 

The level of fun to be had with friends here surpasses any game in recent memory. You come out of Sea of Thieves with stories that stick with you, every single time you boot it up. Tales you and your friends will laugh about weeks later. 

Pretty Paradise

One of the most memorable and endearing things about Sea of Thieves is how it looks. The art style fits so well with the pirate theme, its almost like a theme park ride, ironic really. The aesthetics immerse you in the world with ease. 

The sea itself is one of the most impressive technological feats Ive ever seen in a game. Water is notoriously difficult to get right in the pixilated realm. So the fact that it looks so good here should be praised highly. It really brings the game to life and makes sailing a joy from start to finish. 

Each location on the sea looks characterful, fleshed out and unique. This makes exploring them endlessly rewarding, even on repeat visits. There are beautiful vistas everywhere you look. Due to the lighting, shadows, particle effects and dynamic weather working in unison perfectly. Honestly its worth the price just for quality desktop wallpapers you'll get out of it. 

Vanity Simulator

I mentioned previously that pirates rob people. And they do. But the real reason anyone becomes a pirate, is the pursuit of being a walking status symbol. Lavishing yourself in expensive clothes and gadgets. To eventually sail around in a rust entrenched, solid gold rowboat. To this end the customisation options on the sea are almost endless.

There is so much that you can truly make your avatar your own. And its both endlessly entertaining and motivating to do so. You will be constantly setting sail in search of the next set of over the top cannons or a glow in the dark compass. Its often the only extrinsic form of motivation to play the game, but id be lying if I said it needed any other. 

Finding a vault full of treasure will have your eyes glinting with the thought of that new fancy hat. Bling Bling. 

Conclusion

This game is fun, ludicrously fun. Its a joy to play with friends, difficult on your own but always rewarding either way. You will come away from it with tales of varying degrees of success but always with a laugh. And that is what games are about, surely. Its never been more accessible thanks to its Steam release recently either. 

Sea of Thieves is available on Xbox One & PC (Microsoft Store and now Steam)

GO BUY IT !!!