Sea of Thieves

Sea of Thieves' excellent gameplay loop and compelling world make up for some minor issues. Rare still has work to do here, but this is a great start.

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Sea of Thieves is a pirate-themed adventure game that offers a continuously updated world for players to explore. In Season 12, new tools and weapons like the Double Barrel Pistol, Throwing Knives, and Bone Caller enchanted bauble enhance gameplay, allowing for more strategic battles, long-range attacks, and the ability to summon skeleton crewmates for backup. This new content aims to create richer and more varied player encounters and adventures .

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 152,381 reviews

story1,804 positive mentions

grinding1,658 negative mentions

story
7,839 mentions
23 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story aspect of "Sea of Thieves" is characterized by a mix of player-driven narratives and structured quests known as "tall tales," which provide a more guided storytelling experience. While many players appreciate the engaging lore and the crossover with "Pirates of the Caribbean," they often criticize the repetitive nature of the main quests and the lack of a cohesive overarching narrative. Additionally, the game's emphasis on PvP can detract from the enjoyment of story missions, as players frequently encounter interruptions from hostile crews, making it challenging to fully immerse in the narrative.
- “The story told through tall tales is interesting, and while the puzzles are a bit lacking, searching for the 100% notebooks is fun.”
- “The game features various factions, each with its own unique quests and stories, providing endless opportunities for adventure.”
- “The tall tales provide a guided story experience for those who aren't into the whole sandbox thing, and there's plenty to choose from and progression to make.”
- “The story is a nonsensical mess. What starts as a potentially intriguing narrative quickly devolves into a series of clichés and poorly executed plot twists.”
- “The game's overall story progression over the seasons is the last priority of these developers, and they're not beyond selling out to corporate interests regardless of how silly it makes things.”
- “The quests are virtually endless, and doing them can unlock cosmetics and other cool things for you to buy with in-game currency, but the story missions are tedious and often feel like a grind.”
gameplay
5,997 mentions
37 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Sea of Thieves" is characterized by its engaging cooperative mechanics, allowing players to work together to sail ships, hunt for treasure, and engage in naval combat. While many players appreciate the game's stunning visuals and the fun of emergent gameplay, some criticize the repetitive nature of quests and the lack of meaningful progression beyond cosmetic upgrades. The balance between PvP and PvE elements can lead to a frustrating experience for newcomers, particularly due to the toxic community and the prevalence of griefing. Overall, the game offers a unique pirate adventure experience, best enjoyed with friends.
- “The gameplay itself can only be defined, to put it mildly, as 'easy to learn; hard to master'.”
- “The gameplay is incredibly engaging, with a variety of activities to keep players entertained.”
- “The combination of stunning visuals, engaging gameplay, and a strong community makes it an experience that is hard to match.”
- “The gameplay loop is also quite boring and uninteresting.”
- “Mission are all the same, same mechanic, same thing after less than 20 hours of gameplay I am done with that.”
- “The gameplay can be repetitive, especially during the grind for pirate legend; if you even want to grind for it that is.”
graphics
4,877 mentions
66 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Sea of Thieves" are widely praised for their stunning, vibrant art style that combines cartoonish elements with beautiful, realistic water effects. Players appreciate the game's immersive visuals, particularly the dynamic ocean and atmospheric lighting, which enhance the overall experience. While some users note that the graphics can be demanding on hardware, many find that even on lower settings, the game maintains a visually appealing aesthetic.
- “Beautiful, vibrant world: the game's open ocean setting and gorgeous visuals make exploring it a treat.”
- “The stunning graphics and art style create a visually appealing experience, with lush islands, sparkling waters, and dynamic weather that all contribute to the game's charm.”
- “The graphics shine like a sunrise over the horizon, and the cosmetic trinkets and garb be fancier than a nobleman’s wardrobe!”
- “Putting all of my graphics settings to the lowest they can be doesn't help, updating my drivers doesn't help, making sure everything that would need an update is updated doesn't help, restarting my game or computer doesn't help, uninstalling and reinstalling the game doesn't help....nothing ******* helps.”
- “The graphics are outdated, controls feel like wrestling a drunken octopus, and teamwork?”
- “On to my next point, the graphics in this game are utterly terrible, it hurts my eyes to look at, and using the excuse 'ohhh, it's supposed to be cartoony' is really no excuse, the water looks terrible and bland.”
humor
2,161 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in "Sea of Thieves" is a standout feature, with players frequently highlighting the game's ability to create hilarious moments through chaotic interactions, unexpected glitches, and the absurdity of pirate life. Many reviews emphasize that the game is best enjoyed with friends, as shared experiences often lead to laughter and memorable antics, whether it's through playful banter, drunken escapades, or comical PvP encounters. Overall, the game's lighthearted tone and humorous mechanics contribute to a fun and engaging atmosphere, making it a recommended choice for those looking to enjoy a good laugh while sailing the high seas.
- “The camaraderie that develops during these adventures is one of the game's greatest strengths, leading to unforgettable moments and hilarious interactions.”
- “Best enjoyed with friends, the game’s charm, humor, and constant updates make it a must-play for anyone seeking high-seas excitement.”
- “The memories and moments you make on this game are hilarious and one of a kind!”
- “There are technically NPCs, but they do nothing of interest other than stand in place and reel off unfunny dialogue about which one-dimensional adjective they happen to be.”
- “Unironically made me go outside to touch grass after about 3 hours of unfunny struggle and no money lol.”
- “I hope this game fixes this problem because it's not funny when you try to play the game and then people kill you and steal everything.”
grinding
1,930 mentions
1 % positive mentions
13 % neutral mentions
86 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of "Sea of Thieves" is a significant point of contention among players, with many describing it as excessively tedious and time-consuming. Players report spending countless hours grinding for cosmetics and reputation, often feeling frustrated when their hard-earned loot is lost to other players or glitches. While some enjoy the grind as part of the game's charm, especially when playing with friends, others find it monotonous and lacking in meaningful progression, leading to a mixed reception regarding the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “If you enjoy grinding your life away, then you would love this game.”
- “Great game, not grindy, and really fun.”
- “No grinding, no overarching goals that you have to get to enjoy the game.”
- “I have around 500 hours on Sea of Thieves, I want to say that around 20 of them were spent exploring the game world, 40 were spent grinding factions, and the other 400 were dedicated to some of the most boring grinds I've ever been through.”
- “The gameplay loop is awful; all you're doing is grinding gold (and other currencies) to get cosmetics, and that's pretty much it.”
- “This game has consumed my soul as I once was an innocent console player but made the mistake of buying the game on PC and now I cannot escape the sea and the countless hours of grinding for a single cosmetic.”
music
1,544 mentions
39 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in "Sea of Thieves" is widely praised for its immersive and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall pirate experience. Players enjoy the ability to play various instruments together, creating a sense of camaraderie and fun during their adventures. The soundtrack, featuring both original compositions and sea shanties, is noted for its ability to adapt to gameplay situations, adding excitement during battles and tranquility during exploration. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's charm and enjoyment, making it a standout feature among players.
- “The music, the story, the tall tales, world events, new updates every 3 months and so much more.”
- “From the moment I set sail, I was reminded of countless childhood pirate adventures, and the stunning visuals paired with whimsical music created an incredibly relaxing atmosphere.”
- “The music changes when there's danger, huge plus.”
- “Background music is either non-existent or an annoying loop that quickly grates on your nerves.”
- “The latest update (s13) makes the game load like a pile of lags, music cut in and out, server lag for the first 10-15 minutes when joining a game.”
- “The soundtrack of this game is, shall I say, mediocre at best.”
stability
918 mentions
4 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
The stability of "Sea of Thieves" has been a significant point of contention among players, with many citing frequent bugs, glitches, and server issues that detract from the overall experience. While some players find the game enjoyable despite its flaws, others express frustration over game-breaking bugs and poor hit registration, leading to a perception of the game as a "buggy mess." Overall, the game's stability issues are a recurring theme, with many players urging the developers to prioritize fixing these problems over introducing new content.
- “The game runs great on Xbox and PC; I have never had any issues on either platform.”
- “The game as a whole is high quality, runs great on the Steam Deck, and when unobstructed, is enjoyable.”
- “Great game, runs great, looks great.”
- “The current state of the game is a buggy unplayable mess with some of the worst people playing it.”
- “As of writing (November 2024), I cannot play the game for more than half an hour without getting a 300 ping lag spike lasting minutes and losing time, and even getting disconnected where reconnecting just boots me to the main menu, losing everything I did that session.”
- “The game is a buggy, unfinished, low effort, low creativity waste of 40 bucks.”
atmosphere
491 mentions
69 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Sea of Thieves" is widely praised for its stunning visuals, immersive sound design, and vibrant pirate-themed world, creating a captivating experience that draws players into the high-seas adventure. Many reviewers highlight the dynamic weather, beautiful sunsets, and the enchanting soundtrack, which together enhance the feeling of exploration and camaraderie among players. However, some players express frustration with the competitive PvP elements that can disrupt the otherwise relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere, suggesting that the game's environment is best appreciated in a cooperative setting.
- “The game shines with its vibrant visuals, immersive atmosphere, and a meticulously crafted world brought to life by dynamic weather and stunningly realistic ocean waves.”
- “The sound design complements this perfectly—waves crashing, cannons firing, and shanties sung by your crew create an atmosphere that pulls you into its world.”
- “The atmosphere of the world is amazing.”
- “I can never recommend any game that has a toxic atmosphere to it.”
- “The family-friendly look, the jolly atmosphere in most places, the lore, it can't make up for the constant risk of some PvP-dedicated crew rolling on by, killing you and sinking your ship while you can do nothing about it due to being outnumbered and likely vastly outmatched in terms of skill.”
- “Extremely toxic atmosphere from other players and no safety anywhere, and after 2 hours of work you could lose everything.”
optimization
346 mentions
28 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
24 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players reporting significant performance issues, including frequent lag, stuttering, and poor server stability, particularly during high-action moments. Many updates have seemingly worsened these problems rather than improving them, leading to frustration among the community. While some users note that the game can run well on lower-end systems, the overall consensus is that the optimization is lacking, making the experience often unplayable, especially in competitive scenarios.
- “The game is very well optimized and has awesome gameplay.”
- “Sea of Thieves runs smoothly on a range of systems, offering visually appealing graphics and enjoyable gameplay without demanding high-end hardware.”
- “The graphics are amazing, the combat is great, and the performance is beautiful.”
- “The game's performance continues to decline with each update, with the stability of the engine and servers coming into question as new features are kill-switched immediately on launch due to game-breaking bugs.”
- “The optimization of this game is extremely horrible ever since I bought it, but this season has been over the top; playing the PvP mode now spawns me halfway above water, constantly going above and below it - can't hit anything properly this way.”
- “The game is great, but it does require a little bit more optimization on the graphical part as well as size.”
monetization
321 mentions
6 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players feeling that the abundance of microtransactions, particularly for cosmetic items, detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate that these purchases do not affect gameplay and can be earned through in-game activities, the presence of microtransactions in a full-priced game is viewed as a cash grab by many. Overall, the focus on monetization over addressing core gameplay issues has left a negative impression on the player base.
- “The in-game purchases are purely cosmetic, which is a plus.”
- “Microtransactions are unnecessary and purely cosmetic, and you can deck out your ship and character without them very easily.”
- “All updates to Sea of Thieves are free and the only microtransactions are purely cosmetic.”
- “Good game in terms of gameplay but destroyed with pointless, greedy monetization.”
- “A full-priced game with microtransactions.”
- “The game is constantly becoming more unplayable through bugs, cheaters, and its in-game purchases are becoming more and more predatory, and yet Rare has chosen to set its priorities against its own player base.”
emotional
239 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with players experiencing a wide range of feelings from joy and camaraderie to frustration and heartbreak. Many highlight the game's ability to foster wholesome interactions and memorable moments with other players, while others express disappointment over a lack of emotional engagement in the story and the potential for toxic encounters. Overall, the game is described as an emotional rollercoaster, capable of evoking both laughter and tears through its community dynamics and gameplay experiences.
- “This game genuinely made me feel sea sick when I first started playing.”
- “The tall tale stories are high quality and heartwarming.”
- “Sea of Thieves is such an action-packed, emotional, rewarding, relaxing, cooperative, and amazing experience that I believe almost everyone should try it.”
- “They spend months and months working on a boring story that half the players completely ignore, just for the whole event to end in two weeks.”
- “The story in this game is probably one of the most dragged out, repetitive, and absolutely boring storylines I've ever tried to engage with.”
replayability
230 mentions
47 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
"Sea of Thieves" is widely praised for its high replayability, attributed to its dynamic world, diverse activities, and player-driven interactions that ensure each session feels unique. While some players note a degree of repetitiveness in quests, the game's regular updates and the social dynamics of multiplayer gameplay contribute to an engaging experience that encourages ongoing play. Overall, many reviewers highlight the game's potential for endless adventures, making it a favorite for those seeking a rich, replayable pirate experience.
- “As players hunt for legendary treasures, embark on tall tales, or engage in PvP ship combat, 'Sea of Thieves' delivers an ever-changing and highly replayable experience.”
- “With its vast open world, numerous islands to explore, and a variety of activities, 'Sea of Thieves' offers high replayability.”
- “The game's sandbox design and player-driven interactions ensure that no two sessions are alike, further enhancing the replayability and long-term appeal of 'Sea of Thieves'.”
- “Game has very little replayability.”
- “They hide the 'progression' behind captaincy and guilds (guilds!! no one knows 25 people who play the game).. but the reality is it adds zero new content and replayability.”
- “It has limited replayability unless you are really into doing the same 3-4 kinds of missions over and over, fight the same 3-4 kinds of enemies, and earn lots of customizations that don't affect gameplay.”
character development
24 mentions
21 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the playful and varied character designs that contribute to the overall aesthetic, while others criticize the lack of depth and coherent storylines. Although the graphics and attention to detail are praised, many reviewers express disappointment in the limited character progression and repetitive gameplay, suggesting a need for a more robust development system. Overall, while the visual appeal is strong, the character development aspect leaves much to be desired.
- “These missions provide opportunities for character development, obtaining new items, and experiencing new adventures.”
- “The attention to detail in the environments and character designs adds to the immersive experience.”
- “The character designs are varied, playful, and seemingly endless, although I wish there was a fully customizable character creation option and a third-person view option so the vanity items players work for could be appreciated by the player who earns them.”
- “There is no coherent story to speak of, the gameplay is super repetitive, no character development at all, super annoying riddles and puzzles... not recommending even in a sale.”
- “No character development, no interesting quest rewards.”
- “Character development is seriously slowing down.”