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History, action, strategy, and fun.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 21 / 22
Date: January 26, 2007
Author: Amazon User

A beautiful update to a classic, highly playable game. This game is based on one of the first "sandbox" games in which you determine the pace, direction, and goals of the game. You start out motivated by revenge: what did the robber baron do with your family? Soon, you get a ship of your own and can sail the Caribbean at your leisure. The only things that constrain you are the rules of the sea: don't run out of food, don't run aground, don't mistreat your crew or they will mutiny, and don't pick on other vessels that are bigger than you.

You can outfit your ship with different cannons/sails/powder/bunks/armor, any of which affect your ability to do battle. Your character can ally himself (sorry ladies, no "Monkey Island"-style gender equality in a Sid Meier game) with different factions (English/Spanish/Dutch/French, all loosely based in history), and go dancing with governor's daughters in order to win their favor ... and if you're lucky, they'll also give you land, gold, influence, or useful gifts like the +10 Fencing Ability Puffy Shirt (I am not making this up)!

Did I mention the swordfights? They're straight out of Hollywood, full of chivalry and derring-do. You don't need to be a fighting game expert to win a battle; the action sequences are only a small part of the overall experience.

As you move through the game, you'll meet different characters along the way who will give you tips on how to avenge your family, get rich and famous, or dig up buried treasure. Each encounter suggests something else to do, and the whole game is nicely randomized and dynamic enough that it feels like a living, breathing world rather than the collection of code and mini-games that it really is.

Kids will learn some history and Caribbean geography from the experience. Codgers who played the original will enjoy the lush graphical and sound updates. Everyone else should have a good time. Everything is done with a light touch, without gore or brutal violence. There's not too much reliance on heavy-duty strategy, role-playing, or twitch skills, so it's the kind of game that almost anyone can get into. The only problem I've seen thus far is putting down this habit-forming game, because there's always something new to find and do.

Highly recommended. (The game is also available on Windows and XBOX. Personally, I prefer the optimized controls of the little portable version.)

Arrrrr!; even better than the original

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 14 / 15
Date: January 28, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I confess; the original version of Sid Meier's Pirates! ranks as my favorite PC game of all time. A very deep, instantly playable game engine powered by a seemingly endless array of adventure paths made the original an ingeniusly addictive (and semi-historically accurate, to boot) pasttime.

Thus, I waited with baited breath for the PSP version, only to let out seafaring cries of joy when playing this oustanding sequel. The same aspects of the PC original are alive and well...only bigger and better. Equally as playable, now chock full of outstanding graphics, clever new features and a terrific soundtrack that is truly toe-tapping. The clever programming across the board shines on Pirates! for PSP; this a polished title that is a must-have for fans of the original or RTS/adventure offerings.

For Pirates! newbies, one of the strongest suits of its namesake predecessors was the ease in picking up the title + playing it right out of the box. The game's depth and features become obvious after hours of addictive adventuring.

Only after you've allied with the Dutch for better access to ports...parlayed status with the Spanish to find buried treasure...recruited crew from Pirate towns...escorted boats from Missionary settlements...then sank your first three English merchantships to keep the crew happy...do you realize you've been consciously making all these decisions all the while, yet they seem both second-hand in nature plus non-complicated to manage. This is -- and was -- the beauty of Sid Meier's Pirates!; just don't blame him if you miss your flight due to a driving obsession to capture the notorious John Morgan before takeoff.

Happy seafaring.

The smile hasn't left my face yet!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 11
Date: April 02, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I was an extremely avid fan of the original "Pirates!" game on the PC almost 20 years ago, and I am very pleased that the PSP version has come out. I recently picked it up on a whim while at a local electronics store, remembering fondly the hours upon hours of enjoyment I got out of the original, and I am happy to say that this version also gets it right.

I decided to simply start playing instead of reading through the manual, and I was very pleased in that the gameplay and controls are highly intuitive and very easy to master. It's also rewarding in that you do not have to wait a long time before getting into ship battles and swordfights - you can dive right in from the get-go, a refreshing departure from other games in which you have to build up strength, weaponry, etc. before you really get into the fun part of the game.

The swordfight scenes are basically the same as the original's, albeit with much better graphics and cutscenes. I didn't care too much for the new version of land battles, which now are turn-based, because the original was played in real time and was, in my opinion, a lot simpler and flowed better. There are also a better variety of side quests you can embark upon, such as searhing for buried treasure, to plundering Inca cities, to finding lost relatives, to hunting down really bad pirates. As in the original, you get to choose from one of several strengths that you can possess, such as superior swordsmanship, to superior gunnery skill, to skill with navigation, and the like. I found, just as in the original, the most useful skill is that of "Wit and Charm." With such a skill, garnering information from various people, such as bartenders, governor's daughters, and others becomes much easier. I also really liked the dancing mini-game you play in order to win favors from the governors' daughters.

Just as in the original, it is basically a "sandbox" game in which there are no real set goals that you absolutely *have* to perform in order to advance in rank and prestige - you can completely ignore the starting premise of the game, that of avenging your scattered family against the evil Marquis de Montalban, and simply do your own thing, whether it be trading goods, to fighting under one of the four flags, to simply pirating and preying on every ship that comes your way. In this respect, this game is more open-ended and more sandbox-like than even the famed "Grand Theft Auto" series.

Even if you never played the original, this is a highly enjoyable, highly addictive game with immense replayability. I recommend it with 5 stars.

A pirates life for sure !

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: February 13, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Pirates for the psp is one of the best games to hit the psp for sure . The graphics and the audio for pirates on the psp , seems to work out well for the psp version.
Ok the fun factor in pirates is where your out on the sea doing what most pirates would do attack other ships and so on. You can play pirates in kinda two ways , follow the path that the game wants you too or just be a pirate and do whatever you want to do. You can still have great loads of fun playing anyway you choose . There is a great amount of replay time with this game , giving a fun time to whoever is into the pirate type games .
I was little unsure i would like this game when i first seen it. So now after have played it for a good while now i honestly enjoy it.
If you was looking for a pirates type game or something to keep you hooked on the psp i would honestly say Sid Meier's Pirates is worth the money !

Pirates! Live the Life

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: August 29, 2007
Author: Amazon User

If you remember the original Pirates! from the 80's on computer this is the new an improved version with additional features. If you have seen the Pirates! Live the Life for the PC and wished you could take it portable then this is the answer. The big question I had before buying this is if it had all the same stuff as the PC version, I hate the watered down version of games they put out for some of the portables. The answer to that question is yes. The main differences I have seen between the PC and the PSP version are the updates to how the controls work (of course), the change to how the dancing more works (kind of more mindless react as the PSP tells you what to do, some of the graphics such as details on the ships have been scaled back, and treasure hunting has been changed. Overall extremely impressive to how close this is to the PC version.

For those of you who have never seen a Pirates game this games combines an entertaining collection of challenges that play against each other. You are working to find your family, get the highest military rank, get married, collect as much gold and treasure as possible, find lost cities, keep your crew happy, choose your friends and your enemies wisely, manage resources, keep from being stranded and the list goes on. This may all sound complicated but this game is well put together in that you can pay attention to as much or as little of this as you wish. The more you can balance the more successful you will be.

There is no sense in typing out a detailed review as they can be found on the web at places like IGN. The things that keep me coming back is to beat my overall rank, as you finish you career many of the factors listed above come together to give you a rank as to how successful of pirate you are. This is more fun when you can compare it against how others have done. I like that in this game you can play with many different strategies towards solving the goal of being successful giving the game more variety. In a way like the Sims this game has a fun aspect of trying a strategy and see what happens. As a warning at some times that game can get tedious such as sailing back from a far off place on the map.

The reason for the 4 and not the 5 is the action can get slow at some points in the game, after you learn how to manage all the factors listed about the can get somewhat repetitive, the load screens start wear on you with time. Overall a very solid, well done and entertaining game that is even more impressive because so much has been made portable.

Sids Pirates Rock!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: October 12, 2007
Author: Amazon User

When I saw this had quietly come out to retail stores I was curious as to how well it was made and I am shocked to tell you its a Blast!
you are a pirate and you start with a small ship in the home port of your choice *pirate, dutch, french, english, or spanish* then it begins.
you get quests via the tavern and also the governor AND if you are suave like me heh heh The Governers Daughter has Nifty items AND Invaluable info on hidden cities, buried treasure, and even dreaded pirates themselves!
but you must dance via a mini game sequence with timed directional presses determine if you have danced horribly or if you gained the eye of the lady! after the info gathering you repair the ships (up to 6)
upgrade them and hire crew and buy supplies. trade goods are in this game as well, but seem to feel like an afterthought since I never needed to trade any goods, spices or sugar. but still a nice touch.
you are fully capable of defeating the game without taking many missions at all. with a BIG exception:
Your Family! thats right they have been taken and you have to rescue them requiring you to complete many of the quests and do some things that might seem unsavory after you just befrended the governor of tortuga and now you must bring in the natives or pirates to sack the city
*this is a really fun part*
attacking cities requires little more then a few small boats of pirates or natives and head to the town and Begin Firing cannons! then enter port and decide if you want to sneak in via a stealth mode mini game or outright fight to the last man!
this game lets you also sink friends via adhoc wireless multiplayer modes ctf kill etc. its not any one feature in this game that shines but combine them all to get the BEST PIRATE EXPERIENCE I have had the pleasure of playing on a console system.
the sailing aspects will remind many gamers of tradewinds 2 raising and lowering sails taking damage as you sail or worse having the crew mutiny! the difficulty setting really ramps up enemy A.I. and also makes the game quite a bit more difficult.
to those that thought all this sounds easy, it's because it was Easy Mode! glorious fun to be had here folks!
the satisfaction of having made it past lions guarding a buried treasure you want without losing a man *versus the last time where your whole party was eaten and You Ran!*

Graphics: 4 star not god of war here but this game does not require that high res level of top end graphics for ship battles minor swordfights and the like.

Sound: 4 star lost a point for the weird grunts most people make while talking to them. its minor but, I know how some of my friends are and noises effect everyone different so there ya go. thought you should know. otherwise all the sounds are very good and perfect for Pirates!

Overall: as I previously stated, This game is Brilliant when all mixed together and has all the fun elements without the tedium that usually comes with these kind of games I'd recommend this to anyone into pirates, real time strategy, or just sailing sims *light simulation though* it's simply the best pirate console game and I have played both Potc black pearl and at worlds end (ps2) also black buccaneer (ps2 se my review) and Pirates: Legend of black kat (my Favorite on PS2) is easily beaten by Sid Meier's Pirates!
5 Stars Overall!
buy it now by clicking the link below.
Sid Meier's Pirates! Live the Life
PSP VERSION and PSP Review.

Boring

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 7 / 13
Date: June 03, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Based on the good reviews here and elsewhere, I purchased this game and was excited to play it. Unfortunately, I do not see what others find so fun about it. I found it extremely slow-moving and repetitive. You sail, fight, trade, dance....over, and over, and over. Boring-boring-boring. There are side quests, but they just do not make up for the overall simplicity and dragginess of the game.

addictive though somewhat repetitive.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: May 09, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Sid Meier's Pirates! is an open-ended, role playing, character adventure set in the late 17th century Caribbean that is essentially a collection of several different minigames.

As captain of your own ship with a personal agenda to recover and avenge your loved ones, you sail to various Caribbean ports or engage other vessels on the high seas. A variety of career paths are possible: Buy low and sell high as a reputable merchant, privateer for profit for a fledgling European empire, or become the scourge of the Caribbean who victimizes anyone who crosses your path.

Your adventures play out in a series of minigames: ship battles on the high seas, wooing the governor's daughter on the ball room, and crossing swords with a rival captain or suitor. The minigames are charming but fairly simple and easily mastered. As your adventure progresses, the mini-challenges do not become more complex; rather, your reflexes diminish as your character ages.

Despite the monotony that results from the minigames repetitivity, the rewarding storyline will coax you into capturing one more ship, sailing to one more port, or wooing one last lass in order to acquire another tidbit of information needed to avenge your family.

I've played the game a couple times (there is a learning curve on how to complete tasks efficiently, before your character's age becomes too much of an impediment), but have not yet achieved its ultimate goal of revenge. As such I cannot comment upon its ultimate payoff, but the game is entertaining enough overall that I am sure I will give it another go.

A reinvented classic

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: September 23, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Around 12 years ago, I discovered, and quickly became hopelessly addicted to, this game on my old school Sega Genesis. Unfortunately, the only place I could find it was at my local Blockbuster, and they refused to sell it to me (probably due to the fact that I kept renting it over and over, endlessly). Sadly, one day, it just disappeared. Most likely, someone as addicted as I was stole it. That was 12 years ago, and I'd always kept an eye out for it. So, needless to say, when I heard about the revamped version that was coming out for the PC, I was ecstatic. I got it as soon as it came out, and it was love all over again.

Fast forward to a few months ago, or something like that (I don't remember exactly when this port was released). I was browsing PSP games and happened upon this version. Needless to say, I was ecstatic all over again at the prospect of being able to take my pirating adventure anywhere I went (I tend to spend a lot of time in the hospital, so portability is a big issue for me), and, not to mention being able to uninstall my PC version and regain about a Gig and a half of hard drive space.

Before I got the game, I was slightly worried that such a big game wouldn't translate well onto a smallish screen like the PSP. My worries were promptly put to rest when I got the game, though. It translates perfectly....the ships and land masses are neither too small, nor too big, and you can zoom in or out if you want. A few reviewers have complained that the game is too repetitious, and, I'll admit, it is. You sail around, fight battles, either in your ship or close sword fights (thankfully, the sword fights are generally very easy and go by pretty quickly, because that's my least favorite aspect of the game), dance, look for buried treasure, etc, etc. If you enjoy addictive repetition that lasts for hours, and a completely open-ended story, though, then this is the perfect game for you.

Easy to learn, so much fun to master

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: February 21, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I went through and beat this on two difficulty levels because it was that much fun. Even if you do not want to play the missions all the time, you can do a lot of pillaging and attacking. Just watch how "old" you get, after awhile, you are forced into retirement. But for an older gamer like myself, when I actually do have 20 minutes or a half hour to play, this was great. It was better than I remember it on my old Commodore 64...

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