King of Seas

There are very few games that can capture the essence of being a swashbuckling pirate sailing the seas. King of Seas tries to fill in the void that some other pirate-themed games have left in the past, with its charming top-down gameplay and a vast, procedurally-generated world to explore.

Focusing on exploration and economy, King of Seas will have players sailing its procedural world in search of riches and treasures, as long as they’re able to navigate using its confusing map. Navigational issues aside, is this game the one for players looking for a high tide adventure, or does it sink to the bottom of the sea?

Treacherous Waters

As you might have guessed, in King of Seas, you play as a novice pirate captain. The game plays from a top-down perspective, and the simple controls will let you dive into the action fairly quickly. At first glance, the game seems simple enough for curious players to pick it up and grasp its basic mechanics easily, but that’s just the “action” part of the game.

The economy plays a pivotal role in King of Seas. While games like Assassin’s Creed: Blackflag just barely scratched the surface of the naval economy, buying and selling goods is a must in King of Seas. Each port has different prices, and it’s up to you to find the best ones to buy low and sell high. It might be a tad simple, but the system is satisfying enough to keep you entertained.

While the controls are pretty easy to grasp, that doesn’t mean that navigating the seas is a breeze. Since the game’s map is procedurally generated, you’ll need to check your map quite frequently. However, there’s no minimap, forcing players to keep pausing the game and checking the map screen every time they need to know where they are.

Cartoony Pirates

The world of King of Seas never takes itself too seriously, featuring many whimsical characters that keep making jokes at every chance they get. The humor of the game is very similar to the one in The Secret of Monkey Island, yet another classic pirate game. At the start of the game, players can choose to either play as a male or female character. This doesn’t affect the story at all, and it’s a purely cosmetic difference.

Thanks to the humor and witty dialogue, King of Seas always feels alive and like you’re really having an adventure. It has a unique charm that is hardly found in this type of game, and it offers a nice tribute to the classic LucasArts games.

Vibrant Seas

Don’t expect too much from the game’s visual department. King of Seas uses basic textures most of the time, which can be jarring for the most demanding players. The water uses the same tile over and over, making it look lifeless and outdated. We don’t expect Sea of Thieves quality water everywhere, but a decent-sized texture would’ve helped to make it look much better.

Another area where the game runs into some issues is in its combat. Perhaps as a design choice, there’s no aiming reticle to be found in King of Seas, which can result in players missing most of the shots they make. This is one of those things that might irk some players more than others.

Pros:

• Simple controls
• Procedural map
• Entertaining characters

Cons:

• Dull graphics
• Difficult to aim
• Confusing navigation