Pirate Games for the PC

September 19, 11:39 AMPC Game ExaminerBryan Edge-Salois

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Screen courtesy of Disney's  Pirates of the
Caribbean Online.)

Avast me hearties! In honor of Talk like a Pirate Day, here are three swashbuckling good pirate games for the PC. Arrr!

Pirates of the Caribbean Online
Pirates of the Caribbean Online is an MMO for PC (and Mac). It's a pretty straight-forward, casual game aimed at younger audiences. Create a pirate, get a ship, and sail the seven seas with your mates.

Like most MMO games, you'll spend much of your lower levels performing various quests to earn noteriety (levels) and build up your character--then eventually buy a ship, get a crew, and set sail. The game has a lot of the fantasy elements that were seen in the film of the same name, including undead pirates and voodoo magic.

This game is generally 'family safe' and Disney clearly aimed it at the under-13 crowd. The system requirements are low so it can run on almost any computer, hence the graphics are adequate but nothing special.  You can play the game for free (with ads) or get a paid subscription that removes the ads.

Visit the Pirates of the Caribbean homepage for more info

Pirates of the Burning Sea
Whereas Pirates of the Caribbean is a light-hearted, kid-friendly, easy MMO, Pirates of the Burning Sea is for players that want a deep, complex, and more realistic pirate experience.

It's still very fun, but it definitely has a steeper learning curve. The economy and politics that drive the world (and ultimately the PVP battles) provide a significant layer of depth to the game, and the naval combat is arguably the game's finest feature. Political upheaval triggers immense battles for control over various regions (and the resources they control), and you can find yourself in the midst of dozens of player-controlled ships, with each side slinging cannon balls at each other in epic battles.

Visit the Pirates of the Burning Sea home page for more info


Sid Meier's Pirates!
Released in 2005, this is an oldy but a goody -- it just didn't feel right not to mention it. Pirates! was released by 2K Games, and nominated for the 2005 Game of the Year by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences.

This open-ended game let's you sail the seven seas, look for treasure, plunder ships, and basically pursue whatever goals your little pirate heart desires. It's basically a sandbox-style game comprised of many strategy game elements and mini-games. (In other words, it can suck hours out of your life before you know it.)

There is a loose story (rescuing your family) that you can pursue as much or as little as you want while you search for treasure, ship upgrades, and ferry goods to and from various ports. The game offers no shortage of 'quests' and other tasks for you to complete as well, and there are are also various mini-games -- dancing (to win the ladies) and fencing (with scurvy dogs) -- that help break things up and keep things interesting.

I haven't played this game in years, but I never had the heart to get rid of it, figuring I might return to it eventually (and I still might!). Because it's an older game, you could probably pick this title up for less than $15. It's well worth the price.

Visit the Pirates! home page for more info

Here are a few links to even more pirate games:

Age of Pirates 2: City of Abandoned Ships (game home page)

Age of Pirates: Caribbean Tales (game home page)

SeaFight (free on-line Pirate Game)

The Pirates Realm (This page has links to many free flash/java/Web-based pirate games.)