Sea Shanties and Dancing Dogs
Seven Reasons to Play Sea of Thieves
Sea of Thieves has been available for a few years now, but it has undergone significant improvements and is better than ever in 2021. So, if you’re looking for reasons to set sail with your friends this year, here are seven compelling reasons to do so. And since there are seven seas, we’ll start with reason number seven and save the best for last.
#7 THE IN-GAME VOICE PROXY CHAT
Sea of Thieves has an outstanding sound design. Everything is radial, from the music and where it’s coming from to action sounds and the in-game voice system. It’s not every day that a game comes where players don’t immediately ditch the in-game voice system for a third-party voice service like Discord or an Xbox party. People talk in-game. You can hear them even if they are not in your crew and vice versa.
If you want to hail an approaching ship, pull out the megaphone and tell themhow you feel! Beware, though — other crews will hear the dirty schemes you make with your crew if they are close enough! Sure, you could use a third-party private voice system, but where is the fun in that? Surprisingly enough, most people can’t resist using the voice system for light role-playing, which is amazing.
#6 NO-PRESSURE PROGRESSION
Sea of Thieves is all about the voyage and not the destination. No power levels or special weapons make you stronger or weaker than any other player. Instead, you play for gold to buy cosmetic upgrades to your ship, character clothing, weapons, and accessories. This means that all competitive aspects of Sea of Thieves are purely skill-based. How true is your aim, your tactics, and your teamwork? These all affect your success rather than how shiny or on-fire your sword is.
#5 THE BEST-LOOKING WATER YOU’VE EVER SEEN IN A GAME
Sea of Thieves graphics would appear to be merely up-to-date for its somewhat cartoonish vibe, but once you see the ocean, your jaw will drop. The waves look, feel, and behave like a natural ocean. If you fall off into this beautiful abyss, don’t worry; a mermaid or merman is nearby to return you safely to your crew. Watch out for sharks, though! The weather system is also worth the tip of a hat. Wind matters; the rain will fill your ship, and a storm can sink you!
#4 LEARN ABOUT SAILING
This is the game for anyone who has ever wondered what goes into running sail-powered ships. Sea of Thieves demands communication and teamwork to run the vessel, from the small two-person sloops to the medium-sized brigantine or the larger four-person galleons; they all require coordination and communication to run efficiently.
From adjusting the sails, raising anchors, repairing holes, and shoveling out water to navigation and manning the crow’s nest, every crewmate has a task. If you find the right group, you may even learn the vocabulary of operating a ship. Starboard, port, bow, stern, the lines, and the sails being “in-irons” are all fun terms you’ll encounter on your voyage with the right crew.
#3 THE NAVAL BATTLES
Sea of Thieves is all about being a pirate, and with being a pirate comes naval warfare, boarding parties, and thieving. Not since Assassin’s Creed: Blackflag has the world received such a fun and involved system of ship battles.
Load the starboard cannons! Hold! Aim! Fire! The feeling of defeating an NPC, or even better, a player ship, will leave you on cloud nine. Just wait until your first harpoon battle with the megalodon shark!
#2 THE PETS
Although you have to pay real money for them, the pets in this game are some of the most charming to date. They eat, they sneeze, they pick fleas off their crotch! They all dance when you play music; you can give them names and even pick them up and pet them. You can even hand them to crewmates to pet! Place them anywhere you like on the ship. Shoot them out of the cannon (it’s okay, they’ll tether back).
They also meander around the vessel’s decks as you do your business. Pets stick close and sleep on rails and tables around your boat. The pets add such a level of quality immersion to this game. Currently, four types are available: monkeys, parrots, dogs, and cats. Each has its own unique and, may I say, accurate animal dance. A variety of breeds and color coating are available for each type. Mine is a black monkey named Hamlet!
#1 THE SWEET MUSIC YOU MAKE TOGETHER
2021 was the year of the Sea Shanty. It’s what made me think about coming back to Sea of Thieves after a hiatus, to begin with. The music is impressive. Not just the in-game triggered music but the musical instruments you can play with your crew.
There’s nothing like pulling out a banjo to strum a little tune. Within moments, your crewmates have joined in with the other instruments. The next thing you know, the monkeys, parrots, cats, and dogs have joined in with little jigs as the sea shanty fills the air and your ship bobs up and down over the waves. It’ll leave you with goosebumps.
So many other aspects of Sea of Thieves deserve mentioning, from cooking to the incredible amount of content added over the past year. What once felt like an empty ocean is a game full of life, detail, and things to do. So what are you waiting for, sailor? Raise the anchor and set sail!
