There is something very relaxing sailing the open seas… Be the pirate or hunt the pirate!
Some key points that this game offers:
- Single Player Mode.
- Customize and create your own Map.
- Cross- Platform Multiplayer.
- Sandbox gameplay.
- Indie Gem 3/5.
Gameplay & Controls:
The game offers full controller support, so you have that option if you prefer it. For those that follow the old ways the game is played with the keyboard and mouse. The games controls are fairly straightforward. Using the WASD keys to move your ship, the Space Bar/ RMB to stop it. Other than that, there are a few shortcut keys used for easy access to skills and menu options. The mouse can be used to click on these menu and skill options.
The gameplay is fairly simple. We have the wide open seas to explore and discover.
As usual we start at the bottom with our tiny dingey, our goal to become the richest and most powerful sailor to have ever sailed these mighty seas. This can be done solo or cooperatively online with some friends.
The game style is pretty much sandbox based. You start in a low threat region discovering everything the region has to offer. As you discover towns you can accept quests from them, earning you gold and other resources. The more quests you complete for a town the more your popularity will grow and so will the town grow, increasing the goods they have for sale along with the quality and potency of the goods.
The game has an RPG style play built into it. As you complete quests and hunt down pirates you gain experience which grants you skill points when you level up, The skill points are used to buy powerful new skills and passive abilities to help you grow in power. As you travel further away from your starting region, the enemies will get more powerful along the way, to combat this, certain regions require you to be a specific level to play in, and that is not all.
As you earn gold by the sweat of your brow, you can spend that hard earned gold to buy new heavier class ships that will change the tide in your favour, and last but not least better individual gear can be bought for your ship as well; such as a Captain, Crew, and Sails, increasing specific stats for your ship.
Graphics:
For the size and scale of this game, I will admit that the graphics are absolutely stunning. From the wide variety of ships right down to the towns you visit. Everything has been beautifully created for us to play in.
The Ocean moves fluidly as you sail through it, creating that relaxing and harmonious feeling. The game has weather conditions that are quite beautiful to witness and experience such as snow in the arctic regions. High wind conditions can easily be spotted as it occurs, especially when you see how they blow through the trees.
Ship to ship battles is another beautiful experience.
Sounds:
The games soundtrack fits in perfectly with the sandbox atmosphere of the game.
The soundtrack adds to the relaxing atmosphere that the game creates, and more so it enhances the overall game play quality and experience.
Ship to ship battles have a realistic feeling to them and the sounds as cannon fire hits wood and water helps create this realistic atmosphere.
The game has a great number of smaller sounds that plays out as actions are performed in game.
Under the settings panel we can adjust the volumes for the game to our needs.
Replayability:
The game is completely Sandbox that can be played solo or with friends, there are mods for the game as well so the fun only ends when you want it to end.
MGR Gaming’s Conclusions:
Spoilers Ahead:
Windward got a lot of things right with its open world gameplay here. The means to set up new towns and defensive towers to ward off attackers really adds some spice to the game.
Levelling towns up adds some meaningful to dos to the game, however, the game gets really grindy too fast here especially considering the number of towns there are in a region and that the only things there is, are more regions with more towns.
This may seem simple in nature but given the further you travel the more difficult it gets; you are required to grind out gold and other resources to upgrade your ship’s crew and gear and buy new ships. This can only be done with high level towns, and at times you need to be at a certain level region to have access to newer tier vessels and items.
So, the grind here never ends and the reward just doesn’t justify the amount of grind that is required. This game would have played much better if levelling up towns was rather simpler in nature.
However, the game is a sandbox adventure where you travel and quest at your own pace with friends or solo and here it hits the spot perfectly. The game is best played with some friends to truly get the most out of it.
By: MGRza
Date: 18 May 2015
Additional Info:
Platforms: PC: Mac: Linux
Genre: Naval: Sandbox: Multiplayer: Pirates
Censor Rating: n/a
Age Rating: n/a
Developer: Tasharen Entertainment Inc.
Publisher: Tasharen Entertainment Inc.
Release Date: 12 May 2015
MGR Gaming Steam Curator:
https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32364038/
