|
Pirates of the Caribbean is loosely based
on the hit Disney movie from the same name that starred Johnny Depp, Geoffrey
Rush and Orlando Bloom. Unlike many movie based games, Pirates of the
Caribbean for the XBox is not an arcade style game but in actual fact a very
decent role-playing game experience.
You play the role of Captain Nathaniel
Hawk, the gallant sword-for-hire buccaneer who not only proves that he can
wield a deadly cutlass but also shows that he is a fair and just captain. The
gamer starts onboard Hawk's ship where you can engage in a tutorial (which I
highly recommend) to learn the basics of the game. Once you have finished the
tutorial, you then proceed to the town to get your first quest in the world of
the Caribbean.
The gaming engine of Pirates of the
Caribbean may seem familiar to some gamers and that's because it uses the same
engine as the highly popular Morrowind series. As with most good pirate games,
the action is evenly spread between land and sea. Your character also contains
a quest checklist that gives you details on the quests you must complete. By
visiting taverns, you not only pick up interesting gossip and news but can
also use it as a hiring point for new crew members.
The gaming world of Pirates of the
Caribbean is simply vast & amazing and contains beautiful Caribbean locales,
deep dark dungeons that are filled with a variety of treasures, hot desert
islands and dangerous jungles. The game perfectly recreates the ancient world
of the pirates to the letter.
The action on the high seas heats up when
you engage other buccaneers or pirates as the game takes a turn from the
traditional pirate genre and actually becomes a strategy game where you must
use the winds to your advantage. If you are facing the wrong way and there is
a light breeze, you have basically not only doomed yourself but also the crew
of your ship.
However, nothing is more satisfying than
unleashing a dozen cannon balls at the enemy fleet. In order to prepare
yourself for the high seas, you must complete a variety of quests that gives
you gold and equipment in exchange. The gold can then be used to buy a variety
of items in the game such as rapiers, swords or it can be used to upgrade your
vessel.
Once on dry land, you can virtually engage
in a whole plethora of activities. Be warned though, as Morrowind, you can
attack innocent civilians but I warn you against it because as soon as you
start killing randomly, the towns guard will soon put a stop to your savage
ways. Apart from exploring, your character also engages in battles with a
variety of foes and as you progress through the game, you slowly become more
powerful. | 
