PAX Australia 2017 — Sea of Thieves impressions
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
It’s been a decade since Rare was the primary developer on a non-Kinect game, and it’s been almost 18 years since one of those games was good, which is why so much is riding on its next major release, Sea of Thieves. The game is a multiplayer, open-world pirate adventure, which is already a fantastic premise, and from what I’ve seen at PAX Australia, it looks set to finally redeem Rare’s reputation.
Sea of Thieves puts players on a classic 17th century ship with maps and some basic tools, and sets them off to do whatever they feel like. This can leave players a little lost at first, particularly as the game gives no waypoints or guide markers. Navigation is a matter of personally identifying landmarks and effectively communicating between whoever has a compass and whoever is steering the boat. Cooperation is a key element, and many of the mechanics are designed to ensure that players work together.
The game looks stunning, holding onto a cartoony style that makes everything easy to understand and pretty to look at. The water effects are breathtaking, and it flows well whether you’re floating above or swimming below the surface. Animations are quick and natural, although there are still some odd moments that are sure to be ironed out before release (it’s entirely possible to dig up the ocean at this stage, which while certainly amusing, doesn’t make a huge amount of sense).
Some of Rare’s classic humour and style is present (playing the accordion during a storm granted a beautiful rendition of Ride of the Valkyries, for example); however without a storyline or much writing, these moments are few and far between. That’s not to say the game isn’t funny, just that the humour comes from other areas. Sea of Thieves takes place on one server, so any actions another player makes will affect your crew’s game. This adds a level of unpredictability and fun to the game, where otherwise it would be fairly bland. It’s easy for players to get distracted searching for treasure on an island, and come back to a rival group attempting to sink their ship, or worse, stealing it. These unplanned and genuine moments are the selling point of Sea of Thieves, and the game looks set to be full of them.
Sea of Thieves is full of potential, but it’s going to be up to players to fulfill it — and I am confident that they will — so find your scurvy crew, drink some grog and sing a shanty or two, because in 2018, it’ll be the pirate’s life all the way.
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