Age of Pirates: Caribbean Tales

 PC
Metascore
56

Mixed or average reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 23
  3. Negative: 8 out of 23
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  1. PC Format
    80
    Tense, drawn-out battles ahoy! Combat at sea has never been such fun. [Sept 2006, p.96]
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  2. GamePro
    80
    The formula still needs a bit of work, to be sure, but Age of Pirates is definitely a potent breath mint fit for the mangiest of pirates, if only for the seaworthy ambience and ability to play in full pirate regalia without feeling silly.
  3. IGN
    79
    There is no end, provided you don't die and don't grab all the ports. It's pretty much a pirate simulator, though things like health and your personal cash not in your way of sailing around sinking things.
  5. PC Gameworld
    75
    Clunky island controls and gameplay darken what is otherwise an extremely enjoyable action RPG that truly shines during its high seas adventures.
  6. PC Gamer
    75
    But in spite of its repetitive gameplay, Age of Pirates offers Akella's most polished pirating excursion yet, and its introduction of a multiplayer mode, which allows you and up to 15 of your mateys to duke it out on the high seas, adds even more value to a solid sandbox game. [Dec. 2006, p.98]
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  7. GameZone
    72
    The controls are easy to get into and figure out, and the option to play the story or just do whatever you want to do makes it a definite that there are lots of hours of gameplay to be found here. The controls were clunky.
  8. Play Magazine
    65
    Age of Pirates is plagued by slipshod sword fighting and a cluttered interface, but its breadth and freedom--no plot constraints here--are absolutely commendable. [Oct. 2006, p.69]
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  9. eToychest
    65
    It’s a barebones swashbuckling experience wrapped around a buggy and repetitive gameplay core that skirts the edges of the mundane.
  10. GamingTrend
    61
    The gameplay itself is lacking, whether you walking on land, sailing a ship, or battling in any form, you aren't really battling because the gameplay itself is fun or interesting, you're playing to continue the experience of expanding your goals and reaping the rewards after it.
  11. G4 TV
    60
    This game will make you want to spend your entire life at sea, watching the flowing waves, dodging water spouts, dueling with enemy ships, and plundering booty. The rest of the game, sadly, feels more like a chore than an adventure.
  12. Worth Playing
    60
    Where Age of Pirates: Caribbean Tales falls down is in providing and engaging storyline to back up the strong gameplay.
  13. PC Zone UK
    59
    From the unfriendly, baffling set-up screen, everything is unwieldy and cobbled together. [Oct 2006, p.79]
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  14. GamingExcellence
    59
    The graphics and environment are beautiful, and the open-ended gameplay with RPG-like elements work great, but they cannot recover from the other shortcomings.
  15. Yahoo!
    50
    The idea of a pirate RPG with naval combat and basic economic functions is such a good one, but here it's largely obscured by the awkward interface, strange design decisions, and poor attention to detail.
  16. Just Adventure
    50
    AOPCT is missing something. Even on easy mode it is far too lethal preventing you from getting into the game without many failures and game restarts and reboots.
  17. GameSpot
    47
    A countless number of rough edges and some major bugs sap just about all the potential for entertainment from this overambitious, underdeveloped game about the pirates' life.
  18. Digital Entertainment News
    41
    Think of your least-favorite, most painful to endure pirate movie (like maybe The Pirate Movie), multiply it by 10 and turn it into a PC game, and you'll get the idea of what it's like to play Age of Pirates: Caribbean Tales.
  19. 1UP
    40
    Unfortunately, all these mild enjoyments delineated above are ruined by the bugs that crawl throughout this game. One bug wipes out all the cargo on your ship every time you set sail. Another prevents merchants from buying or selling anything. A third cuts off a minor side quest.
  20. GamesRadar+
    40
    Things could've improved in the later parts of the remarkably minimal story when you start colonizing islands, but because every nation on the map will swiftly descend on your new outpost, even this is reduced to grinding out enough cash and crew to withstand the assault.
  21. GameSpy
    40
    Players with the patience to slug through the interface and the slow parts of the game will discover an overarching story, allowing them to reunite with lost family members and even conquer the whole of the Caribbean under one flag.
  22. Computer Games Magazine
    30
    In its present state, however, playing it is about as enjoyable as walking the plank in shark-infested waters. [Nov. 2006, p.72]
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  23. Detroit Free Press
    25
    From the bugs to the unimaginative feel of the adventures, this seems to be a game that was rushed to market too fast. At the end of an evening of play, there just weren't any great yarns of the sea that we had to rush off and describe to friends.
  24. PC Gamer UK
    24
    A tedious, irritating waste of promising material. [Oct 2006, p.87]
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Awards & Rankings

75
#75 Most Shared PC Game of 2006

User Reviews

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User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 23
  3. Negative: 7 out of 23
  1. BradG.
    Nov 20, 2006
    8
    The short review is based upon the fact that after about 10 hours I haven't experienced a single bug or crash. This game is Sid The short review is based upon the fact that after about 10 hours I haven't experienced a single bug or crash. This game is Sid Meyer's Pirates! with 50% more depth. The hand-to-hand isn't quite as fun as the Pirates minigame but the ship to ship combat is incredible. It's like reliving the set piece battles from Master and Commander each time you head into battle. Clive D is right though, the main plot seems to be broken. Thankfully the free-form gameplay is fun enough on its own.… Full Review »
  2. Flixter
    Mar 1, 2022
    0
    This game is made by Russians! Please vote it down. This is the time to ban all Russian products including games. Please vote 0!
  3. BlackWidow
    Sep 23, 2013
    9
    Age of Pirates: Caribbean Tales is set in the 17th Century Caribbean, and is in my honest opinion, the BEST offline pirate themed game on theAge of Pirates: Caribbean Tales is set in the 17th Century Caribbean, and is in my honest opinion, the BEST offline pirate themed game on the market. The only reason I did not give a score of 10 is because the main quest of the game is flawed.

    You see, Playlogic didn't plan a main quest at all; It was added in shortly before release, as was the female character Beatrice, hence why she is treated like a man by many NPCs in the game. Any ways, the goal is to take over all the colonies of the Caribbean, however, through my experience playing the game, captured colonies have a hard time defending themselves. You need to take it very slow and only take one colony at a time and build it up to the max before trying to capture another one. A governor needs to placed in each colony who has good Leadership, Cannon and Accuracy skills. Leadership is the most important. Thus, after each colony is upgraded to highest level (Castle) and you have a good garrison of troops, the colonies will be able to defend themselves better, however, you still may need to aid in its defense.

    Furthermore, and as many have stated, the game is very buggy, but fortunately, with a mod called, "Supermod," most of those bugs have been fixed, as well as many various additions, such as access to banks, churches, brothels and islands. I believe there is even a buyable house in Guadalupe. Now, if only the creator, "CyberOps" would have fixed the colony defense. Oh well, perhaps someone will give us a patch one day, maybe even Playlogic. We can dream, right? Now, even with SuperMod, the game may still crash on occasion, but if you save often, it won't be a problem.

    So, despite the main quest being a bit broken, the rest of the game is incredible. The open sea scenery is jaw dropping, towns are well developed, and sailing through storms is so realistic, it's both scary and fun. You have your choice of two characters upon game start, Blaze Sharp or his step-sister Beatrice Sharp. Then, you have a second choice of which Caribbean Power to affiliate yourself with, England, France, Holland, Spain, or my favorite, the Pirates. You can receive missions from people on the streets, in the taverns, at the store, or from the governors. The pirate governor or "Pirate King" who is located on the Island of Isla Mona will only give you missions when you acquire a high enough reputation with the pirates. A high fame I believe also helps. Also, the missions are always available. They never end. So, if you get tired of sinking ships on the sea, trading, smuggling contraband with the pirates, or harassing the colony ports, there will always be a quest from someone you can grab. The game also keeps track of how many ships you defeat, be it through cannon fire, grappling, or surrendering. Replay value is high, because the game is open-ended, therefore allowing you to do something different each time, and from what I can tell, the trade goods which colonies import/export are also randomized upon game start, including illegal contraband. As your character levels up, there are many skills and abilities to learn. If you've ever played "Pirates of the Caribbean," the system is very similar. All in all, it's a fantastic and underrated game which everyone should give a try, again, despite its flaws and bugs. Great job Playlogic! 9/10.    … Full Review »
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