Keelhauled!

After receiving a laudable 89% in the usually MMORPG-averse PC Gamer's May issue, we thought it might be smooth sailing for the Age of Sail themed MMORPG Pirates of the Burning Sea, released in January. Eurogamer, however, took issue with the game's instancing and avatar combat before signalling a rather painful 6/10. Here's an except:

The use of instancing is extreme - to the point of to-ing and fro-ing between the open town and an instanced room several times in the course of a single conversation with an NPC. Every ship battle and sword-fighting episode happens in its own little bubble, and it's often visually identical to the last. It's part and parcel of the modest development resources available for such a niche MMO, and Flying Lab is promising a few more on-foot environments in the next patch. But it's not long before the repetition and constant, jarring transition starts to grate and destroy any sense of immersion in the game.

The definition of a niche game is one that caters to lovers, haters, and very few in-between. If you fall in with the haters, you might love the Eurogamer review of Pirates of the Burning Sea, or check out the Ten Ton Hammer PotBS review for a slightly more even-handed take.