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 | Sid Meier's Pirates! PC Atari  Avast me hearties! 'Sid Meier's Pirates!' has been rejigged for fresh landlubbers, but fret ye not: ye ol' sea dogs will still have as much fun as ye used to! Yes, this new and improved version of the classic from days of yore has been given a fresh coat of paint but the mechanics behind it are still as solid and as enjoyable as ever, proving that good gameplay is good gameplay no matter how old it is. Most of the changes to the game are simply to speed it up for the faster computers of today and make the overall game feel more like a complete world. The basics are all still here: you're a captain of a ship, looking for your family who you were kidnapped from when you were young. You sail around the Caribbean plundering other ships, sacking towns and searching for treasure. Like the old game, you start off serving one of four nations (France, England, Spain or Holland), but can choose to attack anyone you wish. It's better to side with one nation though, as when you attack ships your notoriety will rise and you'll find it hard to dock at towns to repair your ships and trade goods. There's just so much to do in this very open-ended game. You can trade between towns, earning a living through buying and selling goods. You talk to people in taverns, pick up crew, find treasure maps, and find information on your lost family. You can romance the Governor's daughters and marry into wealth. You can attack foreign towns and influence natives and other nations to attack one another, or sink ships carrying governors and peace treaties. However, the best aspect of this game is the naval combat. The one on one (or occasionally one on two if the boat you engage has a escort) fighting is tons of fun. Using the wind gauge to guide you, you position your ship alongside the enemy and fire a broadside into them. Each successful hit reduces their speed, amount of crew and number of cannons available. If you get close enough they'll either surrender or board you and you have to fight the captain of the other ship. The simple fighting system is still exhilarating many years after the original came out. If you've never played 'Sid Meier's Pirates!' before, you're in for a real treat of sea-faring adventure that will keep you hooked for hours at a time. Those who fondly remember the original will be grateful for the updates, including the new mini games (sneaking into towns and land assaults on enemy cities). In a market saturated with worthless sequels that last for maybe 10-12 hours of gameplay, '...Pirates!' is a welcome return to the gaming world.  | |
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