Sid Meier's Pirates! (Xbox) - T

A swashbuckling pirate adventure that is lots of fun and family-friendly.

Publisher: Take Two Category/Genre: Video Games - Action/Adventure Platform: Xbox Price: $39.99 Graphics: Medium. The resolution on most TVs makes finer details difficult to pick out when the camera view is zoomed out Playability: Easy. Players will master controls quickly, but gameplay is appropriately challenging. Reading Level: 8+. No voice-overs, so reading is required. Release Date: 07/12/2005 ESRB Rating: T

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that although there is some violence (duels, sinking ships), there is no blood or on-screen death. There are scantily clad barmaids, and the protagonist frequently goes to the tavern (though he does not consume any alcohol). The game doesn't deserve its T rating, and can even be educational.

Families who play this game might want to use this as a chance to learn the real pirates that the game describes and tells about. Also, parents may want to talk about why this game would be rated differently than the PC version. How would you have rated this game? Are you more attracted to titles that have higher ratings, like T or M? Why or why not?

Rate It!

Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Jeremy Gieske

For more information on this title, please see our review of the PC version

The Xbox version of SID MEIER'S PIRATES! is rated T, whereas the PC version is E; what's the difference between the two? Very little -- and most of these differences are driven by gameplay options, rather than actual content. Really, this game should have been rated for everyone.

There are accurate warnings on both versions of violence, alcohol reference, and suggestive themes. Players can duel enemy captains, sink enemy ships and plunder cities; however, death is never a part of the on-screen action. There is no blood, gore or depictions of death. The player does repeatedly visit the taverns at ports of call in order to discuss the latest gossip with the bartender and recruit new crew members. However, no characters are actually shown drinking. Finally, some of the female characters are wearing lower-cut dresses, but overall the sexual content is very minimal.

Both versions use the exact same cut scene clips, characters and sound effects for almost all aspects of the game. The biggest difference is that the XBox version has multiplayer capabilities. However, the multiplayer option appears to be more of a tacked on mini-game rather than a full addition; it is obviously not the main draw of the game. Up to four players select a ship and battle it out on a small piece of the ocean, attempting to sink all of the opposing players. As far as the Xbox Live capabilities, at this time players can only download patches and post their position on leader boards.

Otherwise, the differences are related to making the game easier to play on a console system, which by its nature has less screen resolution to work with (since it is on a TV) and fewer buttons for controls (no keyboard). An example: players no longer need to wander the countryside looking for buried treasure. Instead they just need to get close enough by sea and the game will tell them if they found the treasure or not.

All in all, the rating change doesn't appear to make sense. Perhaps the developers wanted a T rating in order to make the game appeal to an older crowd? In any case, the thrust of the PC review stands: This is an excellent and family-friendly game, and a worthy addition to your video game treasure chest.

Rate It!

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 player frequently goes to the tavern to speak with various characters, they do 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.