Sea of Thieves
A first-person naval MMO that allows you to fulfill your dream of a pirate life in a huge open world. Sea of Thieves is a sandbox where everything depends on the players' actions. For example, you can cooperatively manage a large brig, which requires coordinated teamwork: one steers the helm, another sets the sails, a third watches the horizon, a fourth fires cannons, and a fifth patches holes.
This is one of the best pirate projects for playing with friends, where you write your own story and choose your own activities, getting a storm of emotions. For example, you can unite in an alliance with other players or engage in a fierce battle with someone both on land and at sea. Or peacefully complete faction quests: hunt for treasures, transport animals and valuable goods, fish and cook food, fight mythical creatures and the undead.
You can also play alone, but this requires a different, more patient approach. The project continues to grow even eight years after its release – content is constantly increasing, and its quality pleases the regular audience.
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
The franchise about hooded assassins has in its list the story of the pirate Edward Kenway. The action takes place in the Caribbean Sea during the Golden Age of Piracy – from 1715 to 1722. At the beginning of the game, Edward is very cynical and selfish. He chases fame, wealth, and adventure. But gradually, the hero gets drawn into the ancient war between Assassins and Templars and changes. The plot is closely related to the pirate republic in Nassau, and in the game, you can meet many famous pirates, including Edward Teach, known by the nickname Blackbeard.
Along with the classic mechanics of the franchise, the gameplay involves exploring underwater depths, customizing and upgrading the ship, as well as naval battles. You can capture other ships, hunt convoys, trade, and even manage an entire fleet in a separate mini-game. The project perfectly conveys the feeling of freedom and adventure – especially with the help of music and sea shanties that your sailors sing during voyages.
A remake will be released this summer. But the original game still plays great. And it's cheap during sales.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
A spin-off of the Like a Dragon series, set after the events of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. The protagonist is Goro Majima, who is shipwrecked and loses his memory. He gathers a pirate crew, becomes a captain, and sets off in search of treasure and his lost memories.
The plot is connected with the legend of Hawaiian pirates and a hidden ancient treasure. The game turned out to be bright and crazy – all in the spirit of the series: with a signature combination of serious drama, absurd humor, and an open world overflowing with mini-games and interesting side quests.
In terms of gameplay, we have a classic beat 'em up for the franchise. Majima has his usual "Mad Dog" fighting style with his signature tanto and a new pirate style "Sea Dog" with a saber, pistols, and a hook.
You can explore Honolulu from the eighth part and several islands. New features include: naval battles, ship upgrades and customization, a separate storyline of confrontation with other pirates, and an arena where ship battles take place.
Windrose
The project from the "Uzbek" studio Kraken Express is a survival game with RPG elements, building, and naval battles. The main character was betrayed and killed by the legendary pirate Blackbeard. He took his family heirloom and drowned the crew. But the hero survives and finds himself on a desert island, where the player has to extract resources, eat, set up his base, and fight pirates, Spaniards, and monsters.
All this is necessary to rebuild a fort, hire a crew, build a ship, and take revenge. And along the plot – to uncover the mystical secrets of this world, including the supernatural forces of the ocean. The project will not let you get bored, because you need to level up through exploration, which does not allow you to stand still. It will be especially fun in co-op.
The game has a large arsenal of weapons, both cold and firearms, as well as a rich set of equipment with different characteristics. You can assemble different character and even ship builds. You will have to travel by sea and three land biomes: jungles, swamps, and foothills.
The project allows you to feel the entire atmosphere of pirate life through graphics and music. Despite the fact that it was released recently and is still in early access, the game has already gained huge popularity – at the time of this compilation, 2 million copies have already been sold!
Sid Meier's Pirates
The pirate project from game designer Sid Meier gives the player the opportunity to be whoever they want. You can become a noble privateer in the service of the Crown, a ruthless pirate, or a successful merchant. All in the Caribbean Sea setting of the Golden Age of Piracy.
You take control of the son of a noble family whose home was destroyed and whose relatives were kidnapped by the treacherous Spanish Marquis de Montalban. After 10 years, the protagonist gets a ship and begins a career, trying to find his missing relatives, take revenge on Montalban, and get rich.
The game is non-linear. You can ignore the search for relatives for years and just do what you love – plunder Spanish galleons, for example. But your character is not immortal. At the beginning of the game, the protagonist is 18 years old, and when he turns 40, his health, attack, and speed will decrease. And sooner or later – when the hero is 50-60 years old (depending on the difficulty) – he will have to retire.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
In the second Pillars of Eternity, the action moves to the tropical archipelago of Deadfire. Here, colonial empires clash with local tribes, slavery flourishes, and pirates often turn out to be the main authorities. What could be a more ideal place for sea adventures?
The story begins with the god Eothas breaking free from captivity, having possessed a huge statue. The player must catch up with him, traveling by sea and land, gathering a team of seven loyal companions, and then understanding the motives of the escaped deity. A classic RPG in the D&D style.
You will have a real ship-fortress at your disposal with customization and crew management. The player will have to hire sailors and assign them to key positions, and the chosen flag will determine who will be your enemy and who will be your ally.
The game provides all opportunities for revelry: you can sink merchant ships and plunder them. You will constantly have to decide: attack or help, sell slaves or release them. All this creates that very pirate world where it is difficult to be good.
Return to Monkey Island
A point-and-click quest from Terrible Toybox studio – a direct sequel to Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge, a 1991 game. The main character, the famous (though clumsy) pirate Guybrush Threepwood, returns to his home island of Melee after many years. He feels out of place: the secret of Monkey Island has not been revealed, and he himself seems to be stuck in the past.
But changes await him at home, as the island is now ruled by young, fashionable, and very self-confident pirates led by Captain Madison. And on the horizon, his eternal enemy reappears – the zombie pirate LeChuck, who is also hunting for the secret of Monkey Island. Guybrush will have to assemble a team, find allies (and enemies) in new lands, and finally solve the main mystery of his life.
The developers aimed to preserve the spirit of the original point-and-click quests but make the game more friendly for a modern audience. The player will need to explore locations, talk to characters, collect items, and solve puzzles. All this – with absurd situations, witty dialogues, breaking the fourth wall, and self-irony. The game has two difficulty levels: you can choose a mode with simpler and more obvious puzzles or a "retro mode" for true connoisseurs.
Cat Quest III
A cozy cat adventure tells how a ginger cat and his faithful spirit companion Captain Cappy hunt for the legendary North Star in the world of pirates. According to legend, this artifact grants any wishes, and the evil Rat King and his gang will hinder the heroes.
The entire project is one big pun. All dialogues, names, and titles are stylized under the cat theme: "Captain Meowtallica," "Purrmaid," "Purribbean Islands," and so on. The text is brilliantly translated into Russian, preserving all the puns. But, despite the cuteness, the quests are sometimes sad and touching.
This is an action-RPG in 2.5D isometric view. In combat, you can use melee and ranged weapons, as well as magic, easily combining everything. For example, you can wear rocker armor and hit enemies with an electric guitar axe.
Unlike previous parts, here the cat has its own ship, on which you can sail between islands, engage in artillery duels, and board enemies. The world map is not huge, but very dense and does not limit you in any way.
Rum & Gun
A pirate "diabloid" set in the Indian Ocean, where the main character tries to uncover the secrets of the Drunken God and become a legendary pirate. The game is not shy about silly humor, tons of references, and absurdity. Everything here is built around drinking: the pirate heals with rum, and the inventory has a separate slot for the hero's liver.
In Rum & Gun, the player will explore levels, collect loot, and destroy hordes of enemies. The gameplay is dynamic and chaotic. In combat, the main emphasis is on firearms, but no one forbids fighting with sabers or grappling hooks. It's just a pity that there are not enough naval battles. Leveling up is done through finding equipment, of which there is plenty in the game: 33 hat styles, 30 types of weapons, 15 pets, runes to change attack, and much more. When you level up, you are given four random passive skills to choose from.
There are also mini-games. For example, you can play dice or boost the team's morale by playing musical instruments. And after completing the story, the "roguelike" mode "Endless Treasure Hunt" and the Arena are unlocked.
Republic of Pirates
The project from developers at Crazy Goat Games tells the story of the legendary Republic of Pirates. It was an alliance of clans living by a code of honor. But one day greed took over, and three pirate lords staged a rebellion, destroying everything. Playing as the heir of the overthrown leader, saved by his father's loyal comrade, you try to take revenge, reclaim lands, and restore the confederation.
Unlike most pirate games, Republic of Pirates does not chase abstract treasure. This is a blend of city-building simulator and RTS naval battles. You start with a small outpost on a remote island, which gradually turns into a flourishing pirate haven. You need to build, establish production chains, increase the population, and explore islands, extracting resources.
Another crucial part of the game is real-time naval battles. The player has access to eight types of ships, from which you can build your fleet, hiring captains in taverns, developing them, and customizing them. But fighting is not necessary, as you can build relationships with pirate clans and trading companies, forming alliances.
Seablip
A charming pixel-style RPG – a mix of Stardew Valley, Terraria, and FTL, but about pirates. The protagonist inherits a modest boat from his adoptive parents and wants to restore the former glory of the small island of Seablip, which has fallen into decline. And also to take revenge on the powerful faction of Outlaw Octopuses, who terrorize the seas, along the way finding out why the northern ice is melting and where icebergs come from in the south.
The game has a very cozy and "lamp-like" atmosphere. The gameplay combines island life simulation, world exploration, and tactical naval battles. On the island, you can develop your farm and fish. Here, NPCs live their own lives, talk to each other, and various events occur in the settlement. For example, criminals can be publicly punished in the square.
Sailing the sea, you control a small ship on a global map, and as you move, the "fog of war" clouds dissipate, revealing new islands, enemy ships, or random events. Each island in the game is unique and inspired by a specific culture. When encountering an enemy on the map, a tactical battle begins, in which you can pause the game.
Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew
A tactical stealth game from genre masters Mimimi Games with a pinch of pirate fantasy and non-linearity. The action takes place in the fictional world of the Mysterious Caribbean – an alternative version of the Golden Age of Piracy, where magic is real, and death is just an annoying misunderstanding.
The game tells the story of the half-dead pirate Afia Manicato. Together with the ghost ship "Red Marley," which serves as a hub, she sets off in search of Captain Mordechai's legendary treasure. She is hunted by the Inquisition – religious fanatics who hate everything supernatural and persecute cursed pirates. The script is light and cheerful – it is imbued with humor and resembles "Pirates of the Caribbean." Although there are also serious dramatic moments.
Shadow Gambit takes Mimimi's proven tactical formula and integrates it into an open and non-linear structure. Here you decide which island to sail to and in what order to complete missions. Each island is a handcrafted sandbox, allowing you to reach your goal in different ways. In combat, you can pause the game and give each hero a chain of commands, and if something goes wrong, instantly rewind a few seconds back. All characters are unique and have their own supernatural powers that can be used depending on the situation.