So to start out, I would say this game is awesome and full of potential. It is the first title in years I've actually been excited about. If you are with close friends, or other players (who have mics) it's not hard to have a good time. That being said, it did get repetitive and there seems to be very little incentive to grow in the game besides buying cosmetic items. I know it's still early, and I am hopeful the release will reveal more engaging content.
Playing the beta felt like the frequency and variety of encounters were lacking. There was a session where I went an hour and a half without seeing another ship. Also, the amount of time you spend sitting on a boat without something to do becomes mundane. When you do get around to fighting other boats, it really doesn't feel like losing your ship has much significance.
Some things I hope they add for release include:
- Mini-games like fishing, and gambling while at sea. (This incorporates the ability to sell fish at outposts, or gambling your share-percentage of the treasure).
- Temporary, uncommon, and unique weapons that can be found on islands. Something like a boarding-pike, buckler, harpoon-gun, and cross-bow would be cool. (If you die, they are dropped/lost).
- An on-screen message indicating that a player has been killed and by whom. (It is really helpful when using cannons or sniping)
- Ship killstreaks a.k.a Sink-Streaks. A crew's ship will receive bonuses for sinking "X" amount of ships in a row. (Maybe this would unlock an instance, or put the skull and bones flag on your ship).
- A fine tuned formula that maximizes player engagement through a diverse set of frequent encounters. (This includes fighting other crews, krakens, scavenging ship-wrecks, ect...)
- More quest variety.
- An ability to steal another crews ship.
I appreciate the developers opening up the beta to the public. Rare really has something special, and I am confident they will make any necessary adjustments at their own discretion. See you all on the 20th!
