Pirates of the Burning Sea: Dead men do tell tales

Like many of you, I am a fan of all things Pirate. I know the difference between Calico Jack's flag and Blackbeard's flag, and I know the difference between Stede Bonnet and a Bluebonnet. It goes without saying, but since I'm a columnist I get to say it anyway, that I was very much looking forward to Flying Lab Software's new MMORPG, Pirates of the Burning Sea. I was fortunate enough to meet the good folks at Sony Online Entertainment at Dragon*Con this year and begged for a beta key. Thanks to them, I was able to take a sneak peek at the game.

To their credit, Flying Lab does a wonderful job of listening to their beta players, and while the game is not yet completely polished, I have seen many improvements in the game in the short time I've participated in the beta. There was much consternation when Flying Lab announced that they would be partnering with Sony Online Entertainment to publish the game, but aside from the Station Pass and front-end patcher, Sony actually has very little input into this game. To be clear, this is very much Flying Lab's game, not SOE's.

But how is the game, you ask?

Unfortunately, I must give the game mixed reviews. I very much wanted to like the game, and there are many aspects that I like very much. For instance, ship-to-ship combat and the sailing interface is remarkably easy to use, yet challenging against a skilled opponent. The tactical visualization necessary to fight a battle between sailing ships means that players can truly differentiate themselves based on skill and not just uber gear. Sure, a 100-gun Ship of the Line will blow away a 20 gun Frigate in almost every encounter, but if the Frigate can outsail the SoL, the smaller ship still has a fighting chance. Between attacking specific parts of a ship such as the sails or rudder, and the ability to remain outside of your opponent's firing arc, a small ship, if skillfully sailed, can eventually wear down even the largest of ships. That said, there are advantages to having a higher level haracter, and experience carries a significant advantage. If two evenly matched ships face one another, the captain with the higher level will have more skills at his disposal and will enjoy an advantage in the combat which may or may not be offset by the playing skill of his opponent.

As much fun as the "At Sea" interface is, the land combat portion of the game, and to a lesser extent the ship boarding interface, is incredibly tedious. Sword combat is basically a button masher with very few additional capabilities like flash powder or single-shot pistols thrown in for good measure. The strategic elements that make ship-to-ship combat so much fun are completely missing in the land-based component of the game. The fact that you can call in reinforcements in ship-boarding combat makes it slightly more interesting, but it is fairly simple in implementation. If you are low on boarders, call more if you have them. Not too tricky.

The quest storylines are engaging and do a good job of forming your character's persona within the game. Quests which involve "Kill X mobs" or "Collect Y items" are uncommon. Most quests involve capturing a fugitive, or sinking an enemy captain's ship, and the quest NPC's do a good job of tying your quests into the larger storyline. The quest chains also do a good job of moving your character around the region as he advances so you don't have to wonder where quests that are appropriate for your level are located.

The economic system in PotBS is an entire game unto itself, and has an entire quest line just to make new players familiar with it. It isn't overly difficult to learn, but it has many nuances and will be fun for casual players as well as the player who can't enjoy an MMO without using a spreadsheet. There are a lot of resources to gather, and a lot of items you can make from those resources. Crafters will have plenty to do, as will traders and folks who aren't into combat as much as other aspects of MMO gaming.

Ultimately, I think the PvP element of this game is it's most defining feature. With 4 starting factions (English, French, Spanish, and Pirate), there are a lot of dynamics to choose from. The Pirate faction has limited resources and smaller ships (but they can capture enemy ships from time to time) and the other three factions have to be more careful in managing factions. The enemy of today might be tomorrow's ally, and vice versa. PvP isn't mandatory by any means, but there are certain areas of the Caribbean that are "open season" for PvP and you enter at your own risk. You don't have to go to Tortuga, for example, but if you do, be prepared to see enemy ships chasing you. Once you are in port, however, you are safe from PvP. Even if you are surprised in the open sea, you always have the option to run. PvP areas are clearly marked, and outside those areas, you are safe from other players. NPC ships, on the other hand, can attack you at any time and any place. Typically, NPC ships won't chase you very far, but it is still inadvisable to hang around for very long near an enemy port if you aren't looking for a fight.

In the end, Pirates of the Burning Sea has the potential to be a great game, but as with any game still in Beta, it needs a little more polish before it is ready for prime time. Players who enjoy PvP combat and an advanced economic system, for example fans of EVE Online, will enjoy this game immensely. The number of variables in ship design and in the economy allow for rewardingly complex gameplay without being completely overwhelming to the new player. The game's major weakness is the land based combat component which is extremely tedious and requires significantly less skill than the ship-to-ship combat component. Overall, I would recommend the game on a "Try it and see" basis. If the polish the game a little more, and address the land combat component, this game could be something special indeed.