Sid Meier's Pirates!

 PSP
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 34 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
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  1. Play.tm
    73
    Initially, Pirates! feels extremely open ended and multi-faceted, yet its varied gameplay features soon lapse into the uncomfortable realms of repetition and borderline monotony - there's nothing on offer by way of expansion over its PC and Xbox counterparts.
  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    70
    Among clumsy PS2 ports and tedious retro collections, it comes as a bracing gust of sea air. [Apr 2007, p.103]
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  3. Game Almighty
    68
    When it comes right down to it, Sid Meier's Pirates for the PSP is a good game but a bad port.
  5. Gamers Europe
    55
    It’s the type of game that’s near impossible to put down once it’s been started and greatly encourages replay through the notoriety scoring system.
  6. Detroit Free Press
    50
    A charming, refreshing change of pace for all PSP owners.

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best PSP Game of 2007
15
#15 Most Discussed PSP Game of 2007
13
#13 Most Shared PSP Game of 2007

User Reviews

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User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 42 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 42
  3. Negative: 3 out of 42
  1. dearring
    Sep 15, 2013
    9
    My favorite PC game about pirates. Of course, I've tried it on PSP too.
    So, game is really cool and catchy but IMHO it's very short.
    Btw,    My favorite PC game about pirates. Of course, I've tried it on PSP too.
    So, game is really cool and catchy but IMHO it's very short.
    Btw, PSP-Port is good to play too.    … Full Review »
  2. WeirdNeville
    May 15, 2007
    6
    This is a good game, but the reason I find this so sad is that it could have been a great game with so little extra work. The basics of the This is a good game, but the reason I find this so sad is that it could have been a great game with so little extra work. The basics of the gameplay are very good. Sailing is kind of fun, and you have to 'tack' back and forth across the Carribean to fulfil your missions. You can make cash by sinking ships, although you quickly make enemies if you make a habit of this, of better still by discovering treasure or lost cities. There core of the plot is "the path to revenge" where you must locate the Marquis of Montalebans hideout... And this is really where my problems with this game begin. Being as it's the core of the plot this story line should have depth and intrigue. Instead it is a linear set of tasks leading to the simple revealation of the "jungle Fortress" and a showdown with the evil Marquis. There was potential here for so much more - plot twists, perhaps a treasure hunt style quest where clues rather than maps reveal locations. As it is you are repeatedly told that the Marquis has built a fortress, and then it's location is revealed. There's no suspense and no fun in that. The mini games show a similar lazyness and quickly become repetative. Dancing with governers daughters is sometimes very frustrating, but quickly gets boring, especially as it's often the only way to get information to further your career. The same goes for the sword fights. Little skill is required to win, until you get old when it becomes impossible to win as your character gets too slow to parry or swipe! This puts a major dent in your ability to progress in your quests at times. The treasure hunts and "escape from the town" sequences are filler, plain and simple and feel poorly thought out and executed offering no real challenge. The pitched battles show a slight improvement and actually require some skill and pre-planning to win, and can be quite fun but the opportunities to take over towns are limited unless you become real a scurvy pirate and force a whole antion into war with you. Overall this game is a dissapointment, not because of what it is but because of what it could have been. Richer environments, more character interation, better scripts (or any script at all!), the opportunity to engage in proper sea battles and to influence the wars between the nations could all have made this game great. It aslo should have had more availability to play an honest route, buying ships rather than having to take them by force and for the "merchant" path to be a more profitable one. I think this game really suffers from having been pitched at the 6-10 age range, twhen it could have offered so much more to a wide range of audience. There would have been no problem having a cut down easier option for young 'uns and a fully featured "hard" difficulty setting for those wanting to really get stuck in. If there were more strategy games out there for the PSP I would have given this a 5, but it gets a 6 because it is enjoyable in the most part, but shoudl have been great.… Full Review »
  3. maxpower2135
    Dec 9, 2022
    10
    one of the best old titles on earth lol - amazing nostalgia trip and everyone should play the games by Sid - the kids are old now but theone of the best old titles on earth lol - amazing nostalgia trip and everyone should play the games by Sid - the kids are old now but the games back then were amazing.… Full Review »
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