Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts

Avast, ye ship lovers! Are you obsessed with the idea of building your fantasy ship and then eternally sailing the seven seas? Boy, do we have news for you! Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts is channeling the opportunity for naval enthusiasts worldwide to take their seafaring creativity to new shores. No, this isn't a recruitment message - it's a video game experience.

Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts has not been released yet, but it is in early access - much to shipbuilders' excitement. Since its announcement, there has been much intrigue about how the game will deliver naval warfare. More so, the detail in building your own ship has stimulated a whole crop of players to take an interest - including ourselves.

All Hands on Deck

There are two distinguished components to the game - each fascinating in its own right. The first being the creative's dream of building your very own battleship. The second, allowing naval tacticians to ply their skill in the sea-bound battlefield. Some will enjoy building, others the ship engagements - some both. What's certain - there is a game in between.

You'll begin by creating your ship much like an RPG character creator. There's plenty of assets to choose from - with more that can be unlocked as you complete campaigns. Players will assign features and schematics to their boat with the ambition of being the ruler of the seven seas. Finalizing your ship will lead you out to make friends and foes.

Unlike other naval warfare games - Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts encourages a strategic approach. The mechanics are more RTS-based rather than a click-and-fire scrambling to defeat your enemies. While there's work to be done in refining battles - the general combat is satisfying and challenging leveraging your ship's abilities.

Visually there are better-looking naval warfare games. But the core focus seems to be more on customizability and strategy rather than making things look pretty. It's a notion that hardcore gamers can adhere to - certainly those looking for an immersive ship combat experience. Already Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts is looking promising.

Will It Sink or Swim?

The fact that you could already spend hours on end building the dreadnought of your dreams speaks volumes of Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts. It seems a bit more focused on detail than its rival World of Warships - and aiming to elaborate on tactics and customization. Currently, the game does feel a bit stiff - but there is potential to loosen post-release.

Pros:

• The level of customizability for ships is very high
• A tactical approach to naval engagements is challenging
• A lot of potential for versatility

Cons:

• Not the most visually stunning naval combat game
• Ship control and battles feel weighted