Sid Meier's Pirates! (PC) - E

This is a fun -- and even educational -- title for families to plunder, er, buy.

Publisher: Atari Category/Genre: Video Games - Action/Adventure Platform: Windows Price: $49.99 Graphics: High. Scalable graphics makes sure the game will run on your PC. Playability: Easy. Players can quickly mastercontrols, but gameplay is appropriately challenging. Release Date: 11/22/2004 ESRB Rating: E for Alcohol References, Suggestive Themes, Violence

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that players battle it out with ships and swords, but there isn't any blood, guts or gore. In fact, the cut scenes at the end of a battle show enemies either surrendering peacefully or jumping into the sea to escape. Barmaids wear skimpy clothes and some gameplay takes place in a tavern, but that's about it. The game even contains some educational elements that may spark your kids' interest in history.

Families who play this game might want to use this as a chance to learn about the real pirates that the game describes. Also, parents may want to ask: Why are we so intrigued by pirates? Think of other books or movies that feature them; why do you think they glamorized -- or at least made to look fun-loving? Do you think this is the truth?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Jeremy Gieske

For more on this title, please see our review of the more recent XBox version.

SID MEIER'S PIRATES! brims with adventure, action and good-natured fun. This remake of the original game released in 1987 lets players traverse the Caribbean plundering enemy ships, rescuing governor's daughters and doing all things piratey.

The game will appeal to the adventurous side of all you family members. It offers an open-ended plotline with lots of choices. Players start by attempting to rescue the pirate's family from an evil duke. However, players quickly realize there are many other things to do: For starters, there is buried treasure to be found, rival pirates to defeat, and even governor's daughters to be romanced. All of this leads to a game that has a lot of replay value.

At the start, the game is deceptively easy, but quickly becomes more challenging as play progresses. At the higher levels, the crews become mutinous more quickly, enemies are better swordsmen and the gold doesn't flow as freely as it once did. As time passes the player's character ages, making it more and more difficult to live the hardy life of a pirate.

All in all, this is a nearly flawless example of good family-friendly entertainment. You'll want to add this title -- or it's XBox counterpart -- to your booty of great games.

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Some of the barmaids and governor's daughters wear low-cut dresses.
Violence Players can partake in duels and battle it out with other ships; however, characters are never shown being killed on screen.
Language
Message
	Social Behavior Players can sack cities and towns, attack enemy ships to plunder them and betray friends and foes alike. However, the game takes a very light-hearted approach to all of these activities and appeals to the sense of adventure and action rather than dark, violent deeds.
	Commercialism
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Although the protagonist frequently goes to the tavern to speak with various characters, he does not consume any alcohol.
	Educational Value Players can learn about the history of real pirates through the excellent manual and in the game's "piratopedia". Players learn basics of sailing and navigation, as well as some economics through trading with different cities. In addition, without any voice-overs, players need to read in order to play the game.