Pixel Piracy
- July 31, 2014
- Vitali Kirpu
- 13h median play time
In Pixel Piracy, become a pirate captain and navigate dynamic seas in search of treasure. Manage resources, recruit sailors, and customize your ship for naval battles. Explore, discover, and fight in this immersive pirate simulator with upgradable abilities and loot.
Reviews
- The game allows for a lot of customization in building your ship and managing your crew.
- Once you learn the mechanics, the game becomes increasingly enjoyable and addictive.
- The pixel art style and humorous elements add charm to the gameplay.
- The game is riddled with bugs and glitches that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- It lacks depth and becomes repetitive quickly, especially after defeating the first legendary pirate.
- The developer has abandoned the game, leaving it in an unfinished and unpolished state.
- gameplay847 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
Gameplay in "Pixel Piracy" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it initially engaging due to its unique mechanics and pirate-themed elements, such as shipbuilding and crew management. However, the experience often becomes repetitive and bogged down by numerous bugs, poor UI, and a lack of depth in mechanics, leading to frustration and a sense of abandonment by the developers. While some enjoy the casual, easy-to-learn gameplay, others criticize it for being shallow and unpolished, ultimately making it a title that may appeal to a niche audience but leaves many players wanting more.
“Great game, great graphics, fun gameplay that keeps me captured for hours.”
“An addicting pirate management game that's wholly unique and offers an easy-to-learn gameplay loop with plenty of room to optimize and refine.”
“The gameplay is fun and addicting and is a great way to pass the time.”
“Boring, uninspired, poor mechanics.”
“The gameplay is very repetitive, and with no story whatsoever, the game just drags on without an end further draining your enjoyment.”
“The gameplay never changes.”
- stability548 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting it as "buggy," "unfinished," and "abandoned" by its developers. Many players have experienced game-breaking glitches that hinder progress and enjoyment, leading to frustration and a lack of confidence in the game's future updates. While some acknowledge the game's potential and fun mechanics, the overwhelming consensus is that it remains in a poor state, making it difficult to recommend for purchase.
“One last thing to mention, for an early access game it seems to currently be rather bug free, which is of course quite awesome in and of itself.”
“The quality is much better, and the game runs great.”
“Runs great, little to no bugs if any (as far as I can tell), great game to still be in alpha stages.”
“The dev of this game is incredibly unreliable, leaving this game buggy and unfinished for the better part of a decade.”
“This game is a buggy mess that the devs abandoned to work on other buggy cash-grabs.”
“I would recommend this nice little game if it wasn't for a major dealbreaker; the game is buggy to the degree that it's actually unplayable and the dev is no longer active since the company went bust.”
- graphics499 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the charming pixel art style and colorful visuals, which evoke nostalgia for retro gaming. However, several reviews highlight issues with optimization, graphical glitches, and a lack of detail, leading to performance problems even on lower-end systems. Overall, while the art style is generally well-received, the execution suffers from technical shortcomings that detract from the experience.
“The biggest pro I'll give this game is its art style and the graphics; the game does look really good for a pixel art game.”
“I love the graphics; they are very colorful and they are one of the main reasons I play the game.”
“Pixel Piracy has exceeded my expectations; its graphics and animations are charming in a minimalistic way and its sandbox rogue-like world creation increases its replayability.”
“However, the game falls short on optimization; for a 2D pixel game (almost on the same level as a flash game when it comes to graphical fidelity), the game runs extremely poorly. This should not be the case for a game such as this, which is why I cannot recommend it.”
“The graphics make me want to barf; I seriously could not look at the screen for 10 minutes while playing this game.”
“The AI is terrible, the UI is unintuitive, and for some reason, the graphics are blurry as hell, as if Vaseline was smeared all over the screen.”
- music257 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its catchy and charming pirate-themed tunes, particularly the tavern songs and sailing music. However, some users noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive and lacks variety, leading to a desire for more diverse tracks. Overall, while the music enhances the game's atmosphere, it may not satisfy everyone due to its limited range and occasional lack of depth.
“The music is amazing, the art style is - I'll admit, kinda adorable.”
“The sound of the crew singing the sea shanties on a long voyage or a nice jig-like song to boost up morale in the taverns is sure to bring a smile across your face.”
“The gameplay feels pretty complete for the most part, and I love everything from the combat to the ship building, even the music and sea shanties.”
“The game isn't even finished and you want more money for songs that should be included in the price of the game??”
“The music is pirate themed, but there's only one track and it gets very annoying very quickly.”
“Music is nonexistent, so there's no immersion or atmosphere (truth be told I would have to disable voices to even get that immersion should music be patched in).”
- humor236 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players highlighting its quirky, often toilet-related jokes and funny character interactions, such as pirates leaving "gifts" on the ship. While many find the humor charming and entertaining, some note that it can become repetitive over time, and the reliance on crude jokes may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the game is seen as a lighthearted and amusing experience, particularly for those who enjoy a mix of silliness and pirate-themed antics.
“This game is hilarious - I fought so many pirates and often left them little gifts of poop before destroying their ship!”
“The hilariously weird drinking songs, the comments your crew members make to each other while sailing, the experience of watching a pirate clean up the poop... so much poop... the game was already fun in early access, and I can't wait to see what the devs have in store for it now that it's officially released!”
“I'd highly recommend it if you love 8-bit roguelikes and a goofy, oftentimes gross sense of humor (your crew craps on the ship frequently and the 'cleaning' skillbook teaches one of your men to just punt the turds off the deck -- they literally go flying).”
“As it is right now, the game is riddled with bugs, unfunny and repetitive content that leaves much to be desired.”
“Not that it's not funny though, particularly when you name the pirates after your friends and narrate their horrific deaths to their real-life namesakes.”
- story213 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and coherence, with many players noting that it offers minimal narrative structure or meaningful quests. While some appreciate the freedom to create their own stories through gameplay, the absence of a compelling plot or character development leaves many feeling unsatisfied. Overall, the game is seen as a roguelike experience that prioritizes gameplay mechanics over a rich narrative.
“Great shipbuilding mechanics, great story.”
“For the enjoyment in the game was the story I attributed to my crew members through the trials they faced, their little personality blurbs, and unique statting they all had.”
“If you are interested in creating a story yourself out in the sea with your own crew and your crazy ship design, this game is for you.”
“There is no story to speak of.”
“The gameplay is very repetitive, and with no story whatsoever, the game just drags on without an end further draining your enjoyment.”
“There's no direction to the game either, no overarching storyline that'd 'hook' me to play again.”
- optimization115 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 36 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, particularly for its severe performance issues when managing larger ships and crews, leading to significant frame rate drops and stuttering even on high-end PCs. Many players report that the game becomes nearly unplayable in the late game due to these optimization flaws, which detract from the overall experience despite some enjoyable gameplay elements. Overall, the game is seen as poorly optimized and in need of substantial improvements to enhance performance and usability.
“A lot of the issues I used to have with this game have been fixed, namely the performance on old/lengthy save files.”
“With the above aside, Pixel Piracy has many upsides and was quite good during its time of function. It’s a gem that needs a bit of polish, and if you don’t mind putting a little work in or restarting the game a bit (nothing game-breaking or progress-destroying) due to some technical issues, there is some fun to be had in this game.”
“There are various items which can be added onto a boat to increase performance in various ways.”
“This game has awful optimization and is hard to run even on higher end gaming computers.”
“Don't get this game, you won't be able to play with any kind of bigger ship or more than 10-15 crew without it stuttering like crazy and making it unplayable, it doesn't matter how good of a PC you have, this will lag.”
“The game has some serious optimization issues.”
- replayability98 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its random elements and diverse scenarios that enhance replay value, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking depth after initial playthroughs. Many reviews highlight the charm and fun of the game, but also note issues like poor AI and bugs that detract from the overall experience. Overall, while some find it highly replayable, others feel it falls short, leading to a consensus that replayability varies significantly among players.
“Amazing game, lots of replayability and just hours of piracy fun.”
“The randomization makes for great replay value and the custom captain feature is a nice touch.”
“Don't let the size of this game trick you, it has a lot of content and because of the randomly generated world it has a great level of replayability.”
“Overall, it's a great game, maybe lacking some replayability.”
“After you finish it for the first time, there's not much replay value since everything else is pretty much the same.”
“0 replay value after you've gotten very powerful.”
- grinding97 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game suffers from excessive grinding and tedious gameplay, particularly in the late stages, where players find themselves engaged in repetitive tasks and micromanagement. While some players appreciate the grindy nature as part of the experience, many express frustration with the lack of engaging content and the cumbersome navigation and management systems, leading to a feeling of the game being unfinished or overly simplistic. Overall, the grinding aspect is a significant point of contention, with many wishing for improvements to make progress feel more rewarding and less monotonous.
“This game becomes very tedious, very quickly.”
“At the very end it gets super grindy, gets repetitive and really dumbs down the game.”
“Sailing in this game is tedious - the game loads an empty encounter, adds a percentage to the top corner of the screen and makes you wait while it counts up to 100.”
- atmosphere26 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charm and unique appeal, particularly in capturing a lively pirate theme. While some players appreciate the humor and customization options, others feel that certain crude elements detract from the overall experience. A notable criticism is the lack of music, which affects immersion, though many still find the atmosphere to be the standout feature of the game.
“The most amazing part of this game is the atmosphere.”
“It has incredible atmosphere and is just so well done, so polished that you will be humming the tunes for months.”
“The atmosphere is incredible.”
“For the good humor, I agree with pirate humor, but poop, diapers, and other childish elements spoil the overall atmosphere.”
“Music is nonexistent, so there's no immersion or atmosphere. Truth be told, I would have to disable voices to even get that immersion should music be patched in.”
“Please note this review is regarding the current state of the game; perhaps future updates will create more automated functions allowing a fluid and less stressful gaming atmosphere.”
- emotional12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of feelings from players, including deep sadness and frustration, as evidenced by instances of crying over in-game events and feelings of regret about their investment. Some players express strong negative emotions, such as boredom and anger, while others have personal connections that make the game emotionally painful to revisit. Overall, the emotional responses are mixed, highlighting both attachment and disappointment.
“I cried at one point because my favourite crew member drowned.... :(”
“I cannot look at that game yet, as it hurts me emotionally very much because the game reminds me of Alexander Poysky.”
“After playing it again after about a year of not touching it, I saw it was finally released as an actual game with frequent updates.”
- monetization12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a series of cash grabs, with frequent new monetization attempts that feel exploitative and misleading. Players express frustration over the game's unfinished state and the lack of promised features, such as adequate support for larger crews and Linux compatibility, leading to a perception of abandonment by the developers. Overall, the monetization practices have contributed to a negative reception, with many feeling misled and dissatisfied.
“Pretty much a cash grab that got some YouTube fame back in the day to get people to pick it up.”
“Yet another early-access cash grab that wound up unfinished and abandoned.”
“Dev came back for a cash grab just to abandon it again for a different cash grab.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is engaging and enjoyable, offering a wide variety of items and customization options. Players appreciate the stylish graphics and well-designed inventory system, drawing comparisons to Terraria's aesthetic and character design.
“Character development in the game is fun, with many items to choose from.”
“It has a lot of stylish elements from Terraria, such as the graphics, the way the inventory is built, and the character design.”