Sailing Era

68%
Game Brain Score Based on 301 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Sailing Era Game Cover
Sailing Era will definitely have its fans, but for me the constant menu navigating and overly complex mechanics made my time at sea fairly underwhelming.
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"Sailing Era" is a realistic naval warfare simulation game set in the age of sail. Command your wooden warship through treacherous waters, manage your crew and resources, and engage in tactical combat against enemy fleets. Experience the excitement and challenge of life at sea in this immersive and historically inspired game.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

68%
Audience ScoreBased on 301 reviews
story15 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions
  • Sailing Era offers a charming art style and engaging character designs, reminiscent of classic games like Uncharted Waters and Sid Meier's Pirates.
  • The game features a vast world with a variety of quests, trading opportunities, and exploration mechanics that provide a sense of adventure and discovery.
  • Players appreciate the depth of the trading system and the ability to customize ships and recruit diverse characters, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
  • The English translation is often poor, with numerous typos and unclear instructions that can lead to confusion during gameplay.
  • Combat mechanics are simplistic and can feel tedious, with many players expressing frustration over the lack of strategic depth in naval battles.
  • The game suffers from pacing issues, with some quests feeling overly long or repetitive, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
  • story113 mentions

    The game features a light-hearted story with anime-style protagonists, offering multiple character arcs that provide direction and depth to gameplay. Players can choose from four characters, each with unique storylines and quests, leading to a substantial amount of content and replayability. However, some reviews note issues with localization, vague quest instructions, and a linear narrative that can detract from the overall experience.

    • “The story is fun and engaging; prompting me to want to further the story.”
    • “Despite there being a large open world with nothing keeping you from immediately sailing off to trade or battle indefinitely, there is a story with multiple chapters, and a large amount of content is gated by this story.”
    • “Each character has its own unique storyline, allowing you to focus your gameplay from the start while retaining the freedom to change your playstyle later.”
    • “The story is entirely linear with no choices along the way.”
    • “It's not much of a story and some of the translations are incomplete or done poorly.”
    • “Some quests are pretty hard to decipher and honestly without the community here, would not have gotten it.”
  • gameplay57 mentions

    The gameplay in this title features a mix of trading, exploration, and naval combat, with a familiar yet fresh approach reminiscent of classic sailing games. While the core mechanics are engaging and offer a variety of playstyles, many players find the combat and trading systems lacking depth, leading to a somewhat repetitive experience. Overall, the game shows promise with its ambitious mechanics and potential for improvement, but it currently requires more content and refinement to fully realize its ambitions.

    • “The moment I tried the demo, the gameplay loop hooked me. I haven't played any similar game like this, and I've always been looking for this kind of game where I could just load a bunch of cargo and sell it to a continent that might love the stuff that I bought for cheap based on my knowledge about history, like how the sea would crave Chinese silks and lacquerware.”
    • “What has really made me enjoy the game in particular is that while combat exists in the game, it can often be avoided or minimized to focus on non-combat gameplay such as trading and exploration, something I wish was more possible in games similar to Mount and Blade.”
    • “Gameplay is tight, and you have plenty of opportunities to make a profit, be it bounties, exploration, or trade. This game will let you do it and doesn't force you into a singular method of play.”
    • “Some quests and some game mechanics are vaguely described, and you find yourself sailing around visiting different ports over and over - not because it was enjoyably challenging to solve the puzzle, but because the clue or game mechanic was poorly translated or not explained.”
    • “The worst thing about combat is the woeful melee mechanics of hovering your ship near another until deck battle ensues; just terrible.”
    • “It has tons of game mechanics, trade, combat, exploration, land expeditions, treasure hunts, guild management, but all of them are extremely simplistic and not engaging enough.”
  • graphics32 mentions

    The graphics in "Uncharted Waters 4" have received praise for their beautiful art style and well-designed characters, enhancing the overall sailing experience. While some players noted a leaning towards anime aesthetics and occasional translation errors, the visuals are generally considered rich and engaging, with a mix of stunning backgrounds and detailed character designs. Overall, the game's graphics are seen as a significant improvement over previous installments, contributing to a vibrant and immersive world.

    • “Sailing around the Mediterranean is just as fun as it was 25 years ago, though the updated graphics make the experience that much more rich.”
    • “The artwork of everything is gorgeous; I cannot stress how beautiful the art is, from characters to background, it never felt monotonous to look at it.”
    • “Positives include the graphics, featuring well-designed characters and beautiful port views, as well as an enjoyable overall sailing experience and the thrill of exploration.”
    • “The graphics are meh.”
    • “The visuals and dialogue are heavily JRPG.”
    • “Visuals are all around solid if nothing special when sailing the 3D world, although the 2D art is exceptionally good.”
  • grinding10 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in shipbuilding and resource gathering, which can feel overly repetitive and reliant on luck. While some enjoy the farming and treasure discovery elements, others feel that the grind detracts from the overall experience, especially in combat, which is described as slow and lacking depth. Overall, the grind is seen as a mixed bag—relaxing for some but frustrating for others.

    • “The only thing it does is make the game a lot more grindy as you need a lot of material, tech, and knowledge to progress yet have to find out (often by sheer luck) how to get it.”
    • “It makes trading feel tedious and just... blegh.”
    • “It was the combat that finally convinced me that I wanted to drop this; it's slow and tedious but at the same time it lacks any real in-depth options, just endless circling around and watching health bars get lower.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and variety, enhancing the overall experience by adapting to different locations and settings. Players appreciate its pleasant nature, which avoids being overwhelming, and many consider it a standout feature, rating it 5/5.

    • “The music is different based on the location you are visiting; the greetings in the shop differ based on the locale. It is a great experience that I'm glad I discovered.”
    • “The art style is great, and the music is nice and fine, not overwhelming like a lot of JRPG music soundtracks.”
    • “The music (at least for the character that I'm currently playing) is awesome.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it limited, others praise it as exceptional, particularly for those who enjoy building and strategizing. Overall, it offers a solid replay value that can cater to different play styles, especially for those who take their time exploring its mechanics.

    • “This game's replay value is off the charts.”
    • “Overall, I'm still working on my first run through because I am slow and like to build trade empires in games like this, but the extra replayability in this game is fantastic.”
    • “Overall, I really like it, but I can tell it only has so much replay value.”
    • “Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
    • “The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying feel more like a chore than a choice.”
  • character development2 mentions

    While the character designs are praised for their visual appeal, the reviews do not provide substantial insights into the depth or progression of character development within the game. Instead, the focus is more on gameplay mechanics and storytelling elements.

    • “The character designs are really cool.”
    • “Great gameplay, amazing stories, fun naval battles, and gorgeous character designs.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    Users indicate that the game's optimization, particularly regarding ship performance, requires improvements and updates, as many aspects are not easily understood without prior experience.

    • “Apologies for the info-dumping, but it really is hard to know some of this stuff without trying beforehand, especially anything related to ship optimization.”
    • “It does need some performance updates.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, users report that the game runs smoothly and performs well on the Steam Deck, indicating a high level of stability.

    • “So far, it looks great and runs smoothly on the Steam Deck.”
    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck, by the way.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players often find the emotional narrative compelling enough to engage deeply with the story, sometimes prioritizing it over gameplay mechanics. This suggests that the game's emotional impact can lead to a more immersive experience, drawing players into the narrative rather than the mechanics.

    • “The story resonated with me on a personal level, making me feel a deep connection to the characters.”
    • “I was moved to tears by the emotional depth of the narrative and the struggles the characters faced.”
    • “The game beautifully captures the complexities of human emotions, leaving a lasting impact long after I finished playing.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Players enjoy the gameplay of Uncharted Waters Online but express strong dissatisfaction with its monetization practices.

    • “I love Uncharted Waters Online, but I absolutely hated the monetization.”
    • “The monetization system feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “It's frustrating how much you have to spend to enjoy the game fully; the monetization is out of control.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Players find the humor in the game's open-world design, which allows for a variety of interactions such as exploration, trading, and combat, all while encountering amusing characters. The freedom to engage with the game world contributes to its comedic charm.

    • “The way you can play the game, the freedom to explore, trade, fight, and meet characters is really funny.”
    • “The humor in the dialogue and character interactions had me laughing out loud.”
    • “I love how the game incorporates witty jokes and puns that keep the experience light-hearted.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is praised for its leisure and indie qualities, making it a good choice for players seeking a relaxed experience, especially given the rarity of this genre.

    • “The game creates a captivating indie atmosphere that is perfect for leisure, making it a rare gem in its genre.”
    • “The ambiance is beautifully crafted, immersing players in a unique and tranquil experience.”
    • “The atmospheric design draws you in, making every moment feel engaging and memorable.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

65% average critic score

Buy Sailing Era

Play time

86hMedian play time
1047hAverage play time
80-4000hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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