Sid Meier's Pirates!

 Xbox
Sid Meier's Pirates! Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 47 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 24 Ratings

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  • Summary: In Pirates! you take the leading role of a pirate captain in the 17th-century Caribbean, amassing fortune and fame in an attempt to seize your rightful place as one of the most revered (and feared) pirates in history. As your reputation and skills grow, so will the size and quality of yourIn Pirates! you take the leading role of a pirate captain in the 17th-century Caribbean, amassing fortune and fame in an attempt to seize your rightful place as one of the most revered (and feared) pirates in history. As your reputation and skills grow, so will the size and quality of your crew and your ability to take on larger enemy ships, raid and plunder heavily fortified ports, and locate ancient treasure. There's a whole cast of interesting and dangerous characters to meet, mysteries to solve, exotic island destinations to discover, and powerful alliances to forge.… Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 47
  3. Negative: 2 out of 47
  1. IGN
    92
    A must-have Xbox game. It's that simple. This "adventure" game comprises a little bit of strategy, touches of RPG, it's got fighting and collecting, and it's designed in an ingenious way so that the goals, economy, and mini-games, all tie into, bolster, and support one another.
  2. Deeko
    90
    If you're looking for an action packed platformer, this isn't the game for you, but if you're in the market for a fantastic adventure that can be replayed as often as you like, than Pirates! may be your port of call!
  3. Gamers' Temple
    90
    If you enjoy strategy games or RPGs, it's hard to imagine you not liking this game. In fact, it's likely to become your obsession for a while.
  4. TeamXbox
    82
    While the subject matter of pirates is intriguing, many gamers will be instantly turned off by the basic graphics, dated audio track, and strategy-heavy gameplay.
  5. Loaded Inc
    80
    We couldn't help shake the feeling that Pirates! needed a little more freedom and just a few more mini-games to make it the classic we were hoping for. As it stands the game offers some 30 hours of game-play. Good but not great enough to brand it a triple A title.
  6. GameSpy
    80
    It's a game that you can pick up and play for 20 minutes, or keep hammering on for several hours at a time. Everything is simple to pick up and once mastered, very little can stand in your way.
  7. VideoGamesLife
    40
    The fusion of many games into one is uninspired and lazy, which is all the more depressing when you consider the basic frame of the game is a solid one.

See all 47 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 19
  3. Negative: 2 out of 19
  1. Andyman
    Jan 15, 2007
    10
    Yaaarrrggggghhhh! Walk the plank, ye Halo-ridden landlubbers! Sid Meier's Pirates is EASILY the best pirate game ever made. Even more Yaaarrrggggghhhh! Walk the plank, ye Halo-ridden landlubbers! Sid Meier's Pirates is EASILY the best pirate game ever made. Even more amazing is the fact that Sid somehow improved upon the seemingly perfect formula introduced in the original Pirates! game. There are few games in existence that are more addictive than this one... you'll want to explore every inch of the Caribbean before you retire from privateering.… Expand
  2. DudeLabowski
    Aug 16, 2005
    10
    Arrrrgggggh! This game be better than enjoying the booty in Davey Jones' locker while sippin on grog and juice YO!
  4. SteveL.
    Jul 17, 2005
    9
    This is a awesome game! I have been waiting for this release for many years. The only thins is they should make a mac friendly version..
  5. MikeE.
    Jul 28, 2005
    7
    Don't get me wrong, this an entertaining game, but considering this is 2005 and Pirates was created by Sid Meier, I'm a bit Don't get me wrong, this an entertaining game, but considering this is 2005 and Pirates was created by Sid Meier, I'm a bit disappointed. What initially feels like depth, after a few hours playing the game, quickly dissolves into redundancy. You do the exact same thing in the beginning of the game that you do until the very end- Attack a ship, have a sword fight, sail to a town, sell what you don't need, and play Simon Says on the dance floor, get a tip to travel to another town. The only interesting mini game is the Might and Magic/Risk, storm the castle, strategy game. Granted this is an update on an old classic, but what worked when this game first came out seems like a vintage throwback compared to games of today. There are also so many reality bending , common sense issues with this game that could have been tweaked (e.g. you have to capture the same guy 16 times to get a piece of a map, or you're a pirate who collects gold, but gold isn't really used for anything, unless you want buy and sell goods, so basically the game is to stock pile wealth- what fun is that?) I guess I was expecting more strategy like Civilization than a smaller, dated sandbox world. I really hope one day somone makes a sequel and really blows this game out the way it could, and should be done.… Expand
  6. GeorgeL.
    Dec 21, 2005
    7
    it's a weird game with pirates making wierd noises and ii a longass journey. but its a good game for the people that dont like role-playing.
  7. Ricardo
    Jan 10, 2006
    6
    A lot of fun, but a missed opportunity. Richard S. below sums it up well. I would add a few more flaws that detracted from gameplay: the A lot of fun, but a missed opportunity. Richard S. below sums it up well. I would add a few more flaws that detracted from gameplay: the worst being that no-one spoke a real language. You challenge an English captain to a duel and he says "Chewbow!" each time. All of the characters talk unintelligible gibberish. It is very annoying. It would have been much better if they had spoken real English or English with a Spanish or French accent for instance. As it is, it's stupid sounding. Maybe there wasn't enough memory left? But I find that hard to believe as everything else about the game is a duplicate. The spies all look the same. Each fight is the same. All the mysterious strangers are the same. The barmaids and innkeepers of each nationality are all the same etc. Not enough variety. But it kept me strangely addicted. But I wouldn't play much again.… Expand
  8. Broyax
    Apr 18, 2020
    0
    C'est le "remake" du jeu original de 1987 à ce qu'il paraît... autant dire qu'on a exhumé une momie chez Firaxis et qu'on a essayé de la faireC'est le "remake" du jeu original de 1987 à ce qu'il paraît... autant dire qu'on a exhumé une momie chez Firaxis et qu'on a essayé de la faire marcher... or, en fait ça ne marche pas ! toutes les mécaniques du jeu sont sclérosées, grippées, coincées, ringardes ou complètement pourries.

    Les combats à l'épée sont ridicules et les combats en mer consistent à se tourner autour et se renifler le fion en attendant d'avoir une bonne ligne de mire avec ou en dépit du vent qui semble... fixe ! La partie "gestion" (si l'on peut dire... et faut le dire vite) est bien pourrave également avec des possibilités de commerce très limitées (et plutôt inutiles) et un même menu pour toutes les villes, se bornant à un dialogue dans une tavernepour embaucher quelques soudards ou apprendre quelque rumeur...

    Le pire est sans doute la carte (maritime) peu claire et ce rafiot qui ne cesse d'avancer, rendant la navigation mal aisée et aléatoire. Le ton général du jeu est clairement hystéro-bouffon (la musique est carrément débile) et les graphismes sont vraiment bien laids, même pour un jeu de cette époque ! Décidément pas pratique, lourdingue et bâclé de la proue à la poupe, cet ersatz de jeu de pirates coule à pic plus vite que le Titanic et le radeau de la Méduse réunis !    … Expand

See all 19 User Reviews

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Awards & Rankings

45
#45 Best Xbox Game of 2005
33
#33 Most Discussed Xbox Game of 2005
31
#31 Most Shared Xbox Game of 2005