Blackwake

Blackwake is a pirate battle multiplayer game that pits different crews against each other. The team-based naval first-person shooter allows for up to fifty-four players at once and is available only on PC. Developed and published by Mastfire Studios the game has received generally positive reviews since its release in February 2020.

First Time?

Blackwake is a game that might remind you of Sea of Thieves in a broad way, and after some exploration, you will notice that the piracy theme is not everything those games have in common. However, in Blackwake players are assigned to one crew of up to twenty-seven players, and tasked with working in synchrony to overpower the opposing ship.

The number of tasks available inside the ship is varied and all serve a purpose, firing the cannons, battling on deck, invading enemy ships, leading your crew, or even repairing the damage received to keep your boat afloat. The main aspect of the game is that cooperation and coordination have a huge impact on the overall performance of the ship. This means a good leader will help balance all aggressive and defensive measures for optimal results.

Pirate’s Life For Us

Online gaming and relying on other people is frustrating at best, that is why Blackwake is much more enjoyable with friends. Chances are that you won’t be able to tag twenty-seven friends in a match, but a small group is enough to create some coordination between actions. In groups, it is also easier to get one of your own nominated as captain of the ship. A captain is someone who guides the overall strategy, motivates the crew and issues commands to the fellow pirates.

Aside from the multiplayer 27v27 arena, dubbed team deathmatch the game also has other modes you can explore. Which consist of different numbers of ships against each other, such as 3v3 here coordination among your own ship and other captains from the same “crew” is essential. The game also offers tons of ship and character customizations, so you can better create your pirate fantasy.

Finally, the gameplay itself will be very familiar to players of other FPS, or shooting Battle-Royales. Of course the game mechanics aren’t as realistic as Sniper Elite, Battlefield 4 or some of these other big shooting titles, but the game is still overall fun, and offers multiple types of combat outside of guns. Your enjoyment of the game will surely come from your tolerance and ability to work with random groups of people. While Blackwake isn’t a groundbreaking, or industry shattering title, it is a fun way to spend time with friends.

Conclusion

Blackwake is a fun game, especially with friends. It is action-packed, frantic and allows for multiple playstyles. Communication is essential and important, bringing a big social aspect to the performance of crews, and groups of friends.

PROS:

• Multiple Playstyles
• Huge PvP Arenas
• Coordination Pays Off
• Good Game to Play With Friends

CONS:

• Graphics Look Rough Around the Edges
• Animations Act Weirdly
• Melee Combat Suffers at Times