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Graphics
Simply put, Pirates of the Burning Sea (PotBS) is a pretty game. It uses a very colorful palette to bring a pleasing amount of diversity to character models. The ocean shows reflections well, has varying shades of blue that give a sense of depth and clarity, and plain looks like water. The environments are eye candy, too--especially those on the horizon. When sailing, distant shores and mountains look nice. Take a look at some video of sailing to see first-hand.

The water looks gorgeous and the lighting sets the tone.

Interiors of buildings and camps have decent details and provide a sense of the locations as you'd expect, but they're not going to tax anybody's GeForce 8800. Still, when you enter a tavern, you'll know it even if you have the game muted. The tables, the lighting, and the patrons will all set the mood.

Players can zoom in on their ships during combat to see their crew performing appropriate actions. Raise sails, and the crew pulls on ropes and congregates near the masts. Fire guns and they man and load the canons. This is a nifty graphical detail and is sometimes more exciting than the ship battle itself!

Sound
When I booted up PotBS, I immediately set the music volume lower than default and cranked up the sound effects. That's my default play style for any game. I made a mistake. Be clear: I am not saying that the sound effects in PotBS are bad. I think they are rather good. In fact, they do a great job of becoming more intense the closer the camera is to the source of the sound.

The problem comes from a limited number of sound effects. Try sailing for 15 minutes with the camera zoomed in on your ship and you might just become seasick listening to the waves crash. Just about all canon fire sounds the same. Swashbuckling sounds are metal clinking on metal regardless of most circumstances.

The music is fine, and you'll need to rely on it or the game can be very quiet. It gets even quieter if you zoom out with your camera to get a better perspective on the action. Ports are much livelier with the sounds of militia training, revelry in the pub, and townspeople milling about running errands.

Fun Factor
PotBS does quite a few things that increases the fun factor. Some people will spend hours at the character customization screen. With the plethora of looks, players can feel unique. At the same time, the story line and economy do a lot to make the allegiance to mother country (or pirate-kind) a strong but natural feeling. The sense of unity isn't forced just for the sake of conflict, and that feels good.

Crafters will find lucrative trade in the business of making ships as the best ships can only come from crafters. Meanwhile, harvesters can try to become rich by building warehouses and harvesting facilities in strategic ports.

You can help make every port a pirate port as the four factions vie for control of the seas.

As nations war and the balance of power tilts, it will be interesting to see how things shape up. The French economy could hit lean times if most ports are own by Spain because non-patriots will have to pay higher taxes. Or maybe pirates will win the day and anarchy will rule.

The use of instances allows PotBS to pack a lot of content into a relatively small area. I have concerns about how the game will expand as time passes. It's not like developers can introduce passage to the moon or invent an island that doesn't really exist. The historical nature of PotBS restricts creativity in a sense here. Still, what's there is nice and will keep players very busy for a while.

Another positive for PotBS is the early player base. This is the first game in a long time where I could bear having world chat enabled. Players I encountered were mature and helpful. I saw and (very occasionally) participated in some debates about character builds, the balance of skills, and history. The tone was serious but not too heavy; people were there for fun, after all.

Despite all it does right, PotBS gets a few things wrong. First of all, the game feels as though it moves at a very slow pace. I think fans of EVE Online will love this game with its methodical planning leading to brief but intense battles. A lot of other players will find the gaming boring or feel removed form the action with too many strategic moves.

Ship combat, in general, was a letdown for me. After hearing it described as some sort of frenzied affair, the lowbie level nearly killed me with those long battles and even longer flights from overwhelming opponents. I'd fire my guns and sit and wait for the refresh timer so I could fire them again. The combat improves with groups if the players coordinate their shots in a timing pattern, and I am certain player-vs-player (PvP) combat will be thrilling as the best captains emerge. Ten Ton Hammer's Cody "Micajah" Bye got some details on the PvP system in his interview with Jess Lebow and CES 2008.

Another minor gripe was some of the senseless zoning I was forced to do from time to time on quests. I'd spend 10 minutes sailing from one port to another, find a quest NPC, and then be beckoned to his or her private office. The office would be instanced and require load times going in and coming out. Then the person would send me right back into the office to complete another section of the quest. I just couldn't see any point to this, and it constantly reminded me I was playing a game.

Parting Thoughts
Pirates of the Burning Sea dares to be different. The game takes players out of the overused fantasy clichés and gives them a taste of history. Combat doesn't devolve into button mashing if players maximize their potential, and the economy is complex. Mature and patient gamers should find a good home with this game, and anybody with a Station Access account should give it a whirl.

Innovative game play Solid graphics Mature player base	Can be slow-moving Feels like a niche title Not conducive to short play sessions

Difficulty:  Medium Stability: Medium/High Graphics: Fun Factor:

Learning Curve:  4+ hours Gameplay: Sound: Tilt:

(3.5 / 5 Hammers)

Ten Ton Recommendation:

Pirates of the Burning Sea will be just what some gamers have been waiting for, and almost anyone will have fun with a test drive. Long-term, expect the game to have a dedicated but moderate following.

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