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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.
Sea of Thieves Game Cover
80%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
90% User Score Based on 304,760 reviews
Critic Score 69%Based on 8 reviews

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPCTabletPhoneXbox OneXboxWindows
Sea of Thieves Game Cover

About

Sea of Thieves is a multiplayer open world simulation game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Rare Ltd and was released on June 2, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Sea of Thieves" is a pirate-themed adventure game that allows players to explore the high seas, discover hidden treasures, and engage in ship-to-ship combat with other players. The game features a vast open world with multiple islands, underwater ruins, and mysterious creatures to encounter. Players can join crews, complete voyages, and become notorious pirates in a shared online world.

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90%
Audience ScoreBased on 304,760 reviews
story3.6k positive mentions
grinding3.3k negative mentions

  • The game features engaging cooperative mechanics, allowing players to work together to sail ships, hunt for treasure, and engage in naval battles, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The stunning graphics and vibrant art style create a visually appealing experience, with dynamic weather effects and immersive sound design that contribute to the game's charm.
  • The humor and camaraderie developed during adventures lead to unforgettable moments, making it best enjoyed with friends and providing a unique high-seas experience.
  • The game suffers from a lack of a cohesive main storyline and repetitive quest design, often reducing gameplay to tedious fetch tasks.
  • Many players report significant performance issues, including bugs, glitches, and server instability, which disrupt the overall gameplay experience.
  • The monetization model, featuring numerous cosmetic microtransactions, is perceived by some as exploitative, overshadowing the game's enjoyment and value.
  • story
    15,680 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The "story" aspect of *Sea of Thieves* receives mixed reviews from players. While many appreciate the engaging and immersive tall tales that provide structured narratives, including collaborations with *Pirates of the Caribbean*, others criticize the overall lack of a cohesive main storyline and the repetitive nature of quests, which often boil down to fetch tasks. Additionally, the game's open-world design allows for emergent storytelling through player interactions, but this can be hindered by toxic player behavior, making it difficult for those seeking a more narrative-driven experience to enjoy the game fully. Overall, while the game offers rich lore and fun story missions, the experience can be marred by the chaotic nature of its multiplayer environment.

    • “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 (story missions) are very entertaining, providing more depth and narrative to the game, allowing players to dive into captivating stories filled with mystery, puzzles, and hidden treasures.”
    • “The story is a nonsensical mess.”
    • “There's no emotional engagement or reason to care about the characters' journey, making the story a tedious slog rather than an engaging adventure.”
    • “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.”
  • gameplay
    11,996 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 battles. While the game offers a vibrant open world and stunning visuals, many players find the core gameplay loop repetitive, primarily revolving around treasure hunting and combat, with little meaningful progression beyond cosmetic upgrades. The experience is often enhanced when played with friends, but the presence of a toxic community and unbalanced PvP mechanics can detract from the enjoyment for new players.

    • “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.”
    • “The gameplay can be repetitive, especially during the grind for pirate legend; if you even want to grind for it that is.”
    • “The core gameplay loop is just sail to an island -> grab the treasure/defeat enemy -> go to an outpost and sell the stuff -> buy cosmetics -> repeat.”
  • graphics
    9,754 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Sea of Thieves" are widely praised for their stunning, vibrant art style that combines cartoonish elements with breathtaking ocean visuals. Players appreciate the game's dynamic weather effects, detailed environments, and the overall immersive experience, particularly highlighting the impressive water graphics as a standout feature. While some users note that the graphics can be demanding on lower-end systems, many agree that the visuals contribute significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment, making it a visually appealing adventure on the high seas.

    • “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
    4,322 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Sea of Thieves" is a standout feature, with players frequently highlighting the game's ability to create hilarious moments, especially when played with friends. The interactions with other players, whether through voice chat or chaotic gameplay, often lead to unexpected and funny scenarios, making each session feel unique and entertaining. While some players note the presence of toxic behavior, many find the absurdity of pirate life and the game's mechanics to be a source of constant laughter and enjoyment.

    • “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.”
    • “Whether you're sailing into a crimson sunset, battling massive krakens, or laughing with friends as a skeleton crew ambushes you, every session feels like a unique chapter in a pirate legend.”
    • “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.”
    • “When you're in a sloop doing a vault (can't keep watch from a vault) and a galleon rolls up on you, you have zero chance... but don't worry, the game's PvP is matched so all have a fair fight (lololol), two versus four, so balanced it's not funny.”
    • “Honestly, it's not funny and should warrant an instant ban in my opinion.”
  • grinding
    3,860 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of "Sea of Thieves" is a significant point of contention among players. Many reviews highlight that the game requires extensive grinding for cosmetics, with some players feeling that the repetitive nature of quests and the lack of meaningful progression can make the experience tedious and frustrating, especially when hard-earned loot can be easily lost to other players. However, others find the grind enjoyable, particularly when playing with friends, as it adds to the overall fun and adventure of the pirate experience. Overall, while the game offers a rich environment and engaging gameplay, the grind can be overwhelming for those who prefer a more casual experience.

    • “Great game, not grindy, and really fun.”
    • “No grinding, no overarching goals that you have to get to enjoy the game.”
    • “There's no grinding to overpowered gear, or pay-to-win, or other shortcuts to becoming powerful; instead this game is an entirely skill-based sandbox, where the weapons and equipment you start with are the same ones that will carry you through the entire experience.”
    • “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, 40 spent trying to get into a functioning open crew, and the other 400 were dedicated to some of the most boring grinds I've ever been through.”
    • “It's a pretty good game, the best pirate simulator I have ever played, but truth be told, Rare has a big grinding problem.”
    • “This still game wants you to dedicate hours, days, weeks to grinding out the desired cosmetics without providing super engaging gameplay for it.”
  • music
    3,088 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 familiar sea shanties, is noted for its ability to adapt to gameplay situations, making battles more intense and exploration more relaxing. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's charm and enjoyment, with many players expressing a desire for even more song options.

    • “The music, composed by Robin Beanland, perfectly captures the swashbuckling spirit of pirate life, enhancing the atmosphere during both calm voyages and intense battles.”
    • “The soundtrack is incredible, a piece of art that enhances the immersive quality of the game.”
    • “The music changes when there's danger, which is a huge plus for the overall experience.”
    • “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.”
    • “Background music is either non-existent or an annoying loop that quickly grates on your nerves.”
    • “The audio design is equally subpar, with repetitive sound effects and a forgettable soundtrack that only add to the tedium.”
  • stability
    1,836 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of "Sea of Thieves" has been a significant point of contention among players, with many reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and server issues that disrupt gameplay. While some players find the game enjoyable despite these problems, others describe it as a "buggy mess" that can lead to frustrating experiences, including lost progress and connectivity issues. Overall, the game's stability is seen as a major drawback, with calls for the developers to prioritize fixing these persistent issues over introducing new content.

    • “The game runs great on Xbox and PC; I have never had any issues on either platform.”
    • “This game is bug free.”
    • “The game as a whole is high quality, runs great on the Steam Deck, and when unobstructed, is enjoyable.”
    • “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, and the buggy season launches have become a staple in the game.”
    • “This game is a buggy, unfinished, low effort, low creativity waste of 40 bucks.”
  • atmosphere
    982 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 reviews highlight the dynamic weather, enchanting music, and the sense of freedom while sailing, which contribute to a unique blend of relaxation and excitement. However, some players express concerns about the impact of toxic interactions and PvP elements on the overall enjoyment of the game's atmosphere.

    • “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 dynamic lighting, weather effects, and water physics contribute to the immersive atmosphere, creating moments of breathtaking beauty as you sail through sunrise and sunset or weather challenging storms.”
    • “I can never recommend any game that has a toxic atmosphere to it.”
    • “Extremely toxic atmosphere from other players and no safety anywhere, and after 2 hours of work you could lose everything.”
    • “The biggest thing I hear people complain about in Sea of Thieves is the chill atmosphere a large part of the time in between quests and islands that merely requires you to listen to your captain when they ask you to adjust sails, drop the anchor or man the wheel.”
  • optimization
    692 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of "Sea of Thieves" has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly during updates that seem to exacerbate existing problems. Common complaints include server instability, lag, frame rate drops, and poor hit registration, especially in PvP scenarios. While some users note that the game runs well on lower-end systems, the overall sentiment suggests that the game's optimization is lacking, leading to a frustrating experience for many players.

    • “The game generally runs great, which is surprising for an Unreal Engine game of this scope, and to be honest, the stylistics look very pretty.”
    • “Sea of Thieves runs smoothly on a range of systems, offering visually appealing graphics and enjoyable gameplay without demanding high-end hardware.”
    • “The game is very well optimized and has awesome gameplay.”
    • “The game's performance continues to decline with each update, with the stability of the engine and servers starting to really come into question as new features are kill-switched immediately on launch due to game-breaking bugs.”
    • “The server performance is just so garbage, with lag at every available instance; ships lagging when someone respawns, server lag when people just exist in close proximity, terrible hit registration, and overall poor server performance.”
    • “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.”
  • monetization
    642 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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, others argue that the presence of microtransactions in a full-priced game feels exploitative and undermines the game's value. Overall, the focus on monetization has led to perceptions of the game as a cash grab, overshadowing its potential enjoyment.

    • “Monetization: the game offers mostly cosmetic microtransactions, but some players may prefer a completely free-to-play experience.”
    • “One of the few games out right now that I feel values the players having fun over everything else; the microtransactions aren't predatory, are entirely cosmetic, and are reasonably priced, the combat is fair, all of the ships are well balanced, and even losing is fun.”
    • “Fortunately for the player, the only microtransactions in the game are purely cosmetic.”
    • “Good game in terms of gameplay but destroyed with pointless, greedy monetization.”
    • “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 playerbase.”
    • “While it's understandable that developers need revenue streams, the overwhelming focus on microtransactions for cosmetic items feels like a cash grab, especially when core gameplay problems are left unaddressed.”
  • emotional
    478 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Sea of Thieves" is a complex blend of heartwarming and heartbreaking experiences, with players often describing it as an emotional rollercoaster. Many highlight the game's ability to foster wholesome interactions and memorable moments with other players, while also expressing frustration over losses and toxic encounters that can lead to feelings of distress. Overall, the game elicits a wide range of emotions, from joy and camaraderie to frustration and sadness, making it a deeply engaging experience for those willing to navigate its highs and lows.

    • “This game makes me want to cry sometimes... I love it!”
    • “Sea of Thieves is one of the most inspirational and emotional games I have ever played. When you're sitting with your mates just singing 'Wellerman' while playing music to the sound of waves and the wind hitting your face, it makes the game feel like heaven.”
    • “I shed a tear when he handed me one of my gems that I didn't even know I had.”
    • “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 experience.”
    • “The story in this game is probably one of the most dragged out, repetitive, and absolutely boring storylines I've ever tried to experience.”
  • replayability
    460 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    "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. Many players highlight the game's ability to offer endless adventures, whether through treasure hunting, PvP combat, or engaging with friends, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a continually evolving experience. However, some critiques mention that certain aspects can become repetitive over time, potentially limiting replay value for those less invested in its core gameplay loop.

    • “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 dynamic world, ever-changing encounters, and regular content updates, 'Sea of Thieves' provides endless replayability and a sense of ongoing adventure.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “Given the linear nature of the adventure, there is no replay value whatsoever once finished, save for achievements for those interested.”
  • character development
    48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the varied and playful character designs while others criticize the lack of depth and coherent story. Many reviews highlight the need for a more robust character development system, including skill trees and customizable options, as current gameplay feels repetitive and lacks meaningful progression. Overall, while the aesthetic and attention to detail are praised, the actual character development 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.”
    • “Play to buy in-game clothing which does not change anything; if you play alone, you would never sell anything in the port because a party of two men can instantly kill you on your boat after respawn, no skills or character development.”
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30h Median play time
375h Average play time
8-166h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1,382 analyzed playthroughs
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Sea of Thieves is a open world simulation game with fantasy theme.

Sea of Thieves is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Phone, Xbox One and others.

On average players spend around 375 hours playing Sea of Thieves.

Sea of Thieves was released on June 2, 2020.

Sea of Thieves was developed by Rare Ltd.

Sea of Thieves has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Sea of Thieves is a multiplayer game with local co-op support.

Similar games include Sea of Thieves, Blazing Sails, Raft, ARC Raiders, Unturned and others.