Uncharted Waters Origin

About

Open world exploration RPG

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

59%

Audience ScoreBased on 427 reviews

story8 positive mentions

monetization18 negative mentions

The game successfully captures the nostalgia of the original Uncharted Waters series while introducing new features and mechanics.
The community is friendly and helpful, making it easier for new players to learn the game.
The graphics and music are enjoyable, enhancing the overall experience of exploration and trading.

The game has aggressive microtransactions, with high prices for in-game items and features, leading to a pay-to-win perception.
Progression can feel slow and grindy, especially for free-to-play players, as many features are locked behind paywalls.
The user interface and gameplay mechanics can be cumbersome, particularly for players used to more streamlined experiences.

story
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
80%
5%
The story in the game is a blend of nostalgia and modern gameplay, drawing heavily from the original "Uncharted Waters" series while introducing new characters and quests. Players appreciate the engaging narratives and character-driven storylines, although some express frustration with the quest structure feeling more like a grind than an adventure. Overall, while the game offers a rich storyline and immersive elements, the integration of microtransactions and repetitive tasks can detract from the experience.
- “The story is still pretty interesting, and I highly recommend this for players that love sailing games mixed with roleplaying game flavor.”
- “Great storyline, good guidance through the features, and great graphics.”
- “After playing Uncharted Waters Origin for a few hours, I found it to be a solid game that successfully retells the New Horizons story in a modern format.”
- “Most of the game is doing quests that tell you to do X, get X, invest in X, and sail to different cities while making some ducats.”
- “There's a confused inn worker you have to do missions for that keeps complaining about 'being born in the wrong body' and all kinds of modern issues inserted into my historical setting that ruins the immersion.”
- “You need to grind the same thing over and over and over; half the stuff is badly explained or incomplete, it's quest-sided only.”
gameplay
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
70%
9%
The gameplay of "Uncharted Waters Origin" features exploration, trade, and naval warfare, offering a mix of strategic resource management and cooperative elements. However, it is marred by mobile-game mechanics such as time-gating, microtransactions, and a lack of meaningful player interaction, leading to a repetitive and often frustrating experience. While some players find the gameplay addictive and nostalgic, many criticize its clunky execution and the overwhelming presence of pay-to-win features.
- “The gameplay in 'Uncharted Waters Origin' centers around exploration, trade, and naval warfare.”
- “Managing resources and market fluctuations adds depth to the gameplay, rewarding strategic thinking and shrewd business decisions.”
- “In terms of gameplay, you are generously rewarded for nearly anything you do.”
- “Pair that with slow, clunky gameplay.”
- “There's no real 'discovery' or 'adventure' other than lootbox mechanics... also, auto-pathing... unlike advertised there is no 'freedom of exploration' either, there are barriers strewn across the map gating any 'freedom of exploration'... absolute mess.”
- “Aside from the pay-to-win aspects, there are many 'broken' elements (the game is practically unplayable if you reach admiral level 4), unnecessarily drawn out sequences (do I really have to sit through something like 7 pointless pop-up notifications prior to initiating every single battle?), and boring gameplay (battles aren't strategic, sailing is monotonous, all experiences are built around pushing you to spend money).”
graphics
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
56%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful artwork and improved aesthetic compared to previous versions, while others criticize the mobile port's outdated character models and clashing art styles. Some players appreciate the smooth performance and visual enhancements, but others feel the graphics are not significantly better than older titles, describing them as simplistic or reminiscent of low-quality mobile games. Overall, the graphics are seen as a highlight for some, but a disappointment for others, particularly those expecting more from a modern release.
- “Graphically, this game is stunning.”
- “The only positive aspect of this game is the improved graphics and new art style.”
- “Graphically the game looks beautiful with a good aesthetic style.”
- “Clashing art styles make my teeth ache.”
- “All this simplification and the graphics aren't even much improved; the goofy 3D anime polygon people have been replaced with the characteristic 'shitty mobile game' portraits and weird Voltron walking animations.”
- “A horribly ported mobile game with really bad graphics.”
monetization
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
43%
49%
The monetization model of the game has been widely criticized for being heavily reliant on overpriced microtransactions and pay-to-win mechanics, which many players feel detracts from the overall experience. Users describe it as a cash grab, with frequent ads and a grind system that feels unfair compared to similar titles. While some players manage to enjoy the game as free-to-play, the pervasive monetization elements and time-gating mechanics remain significant drawbacks for many.
- “If you join the general server with open water PvP, then maybe the issues with heavy monetization are more apparent, but who cares when you're just playing it single player?”
- “Would probably agree that in-game purchase prices are a little steep, but there's no reason you need to spend if you do not want to.”
- “There's a lot of entertainment in this free-to-play game if you just ignore monetization and have fun.”
- “They took a lovely game and made it another pay-to-win MMO. It's sad that the amount of ads pushing purchases for gems every 5 seconds means you won't get past the first scene without seeing a lot of purchase prompts.”
- “The game is riddled with microtransactions, and the grind system is noticeably worse and more unfair compared to Uncharted Waters Online.”
- “All the charm is washed out and replaced with monetization, gacha boxes, and a lack of anything significant to do with your money aside from 'invest' in ports, which gets you next to nothing, once a week.”
music
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
43%
11%
The music in the game has received generally positive feedback, with many players appreciating the nostalgic re-imaginings of classic tracks and the relaxing ambiance it provides during gameplay. While some noted that the music can become repetitive, the overall sentiment highlights its effectiveness in enhancing the game's atmosphere, particularly during long sailing sequences. Additionally, the dynamic change in music as players travel across different regions adds a layer of immersion that many found enjoyable.
- “I'd happily pay well for a single player offline game even with these limited graphics to go exploring on boats for months while listening to peaceful, cute music.”
- “The music is great, with a lot of re-imaginings of the original OST from New Horizons and some new pieces mixed in as well.”
- “The music and sounds of the ocean are very relaxing.”
- “The music is pretty repetitive; I ended up muting it very early and throwing on a playlist of sea shanties.”
- “⭐⭐⭐💩💩 music & sounds - I guess it was okay.”
- “The majority of music is adaptations of Yoko Kanno's original theme.”
grinding
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in this game is a significant and often frustrating aspect, characterized by a heavy reliance on time investment and, for many players, real money to progress effectively. While some players appreciate the grind as part of the experience, others find it tedious and exacerbated by paywalls, leading to a sense of imbalance between free-to-play and paying users. Overall, the game is designed with a grind-heavy structure that may appeal to dedicated players but can deter those seeking a more streamlined experience.
- “Not so fun with too much waiting and grinding, gameplay locked behind timers and upgrades behind a paywall.”
- “Without spending money, you'll get the 'new player' free daily stuff and play happily for a couple of days until it stops and you'll run out of currency and parts since the cost of building new ships skyrockets and will require intense grinding to achieve without spending real money.”
- “Everything is deliberately grindy, but if you eliminate the grind with cash, there's not actually a whole lot of game left.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, crashes, and frustrating glitches that disrupt gameplay. Additionally, issues with in-game chat restrictions and unexpected disconnections further contribute to a lack of reliability. Overall, players find the experience marred by these technical problems.
- “The game is so buggy that simple gameplay may cause annoying bugs.”
- “The game is buggy, crashes frequently, and has no bucentaur.”
- “The in-game chat is very restricted and sometimes buggy.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized, particularly following a recent patch that introduced performance issues and crashes. Players note that the Steam version is poorly optimized, demanding more from their systems than other resource-intensive games. Additionally, the interface appears to be designed for mobile devices, resulting in oversized fonts and a layout that doesn't translate well to standard monitors.
- “The game is well-optimized for mobile devices, providing a smooth experience even on lower-end hardware.”
- “The optimization allows for seamless gameplay, ensuring that even in high-action moments, the performance remains stable.”
- “I appreciate how the developers have focused on optimization, making the game run efficiently without sacrificing graphics quality.”
- “The most recent patch has also created a lot of performance issues and game crashes.”
- “The Steam version, however, is very poorly optimized. I could play GTA 5 and Skyrim with 1000 mods and my laptop would be fine, but this game makes my laptop work harder than AAA games.”
- “(Optimized for mobiles, so you get extremely large fonts on a normal monitor, like 3 rows of text with 5 words on each row sometimes). It's also clear that it's made for dual thumb inputs on a mobile phone.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a strong response, with some players appreciating the lack of pressure to engage deeply, while others report feeling profoundly depressed throughout their experience.
- “I can't think of another game that has ever made me feel so depressed.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted through its playful combat mechanics, likening them to a rock-paper-scissors dynamic with amusing enhancements. Players find the concept of managing multiple admirals from different nations on a single account to be particularly funny, adding a lighthearted twist to the strategic gameplay. Overall, the blend of quirky mechanics and entertaining duels contributes to a fun and humorous experience.
- “The combat system is basically rock-paper-scissors, but with a twist! You can make rock harder, paper tougher, and scissors sharper. The bonuses remind me of EVE, where you get 0.1% or 1% to some skills, and all these multipliers I found hilarious. The duels are also a lot of fun!”
- “The funny part is that you can have more than one admiral, which means you can represent different nations all on one account.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users praise "Uncharted Waters" for its exceptional atmosphere and immersive setting, often citing it as the best they've experienced in any game.
- “Uncharted Waters has the best atmosphere and setting of any game I've played.”