Sea of Thieves 2019 review: a year later, it’s a new game

One year after launch, Sea of Thieves is a pleasure thanks to Tall Tales, the Arena, and Hunter’s Call.

[LeeFender]

Yes, this game deserves more articles like this - one of my favorite games of this gen besides God of War and Bloodbrone - kudos to Rare for turning it around!

[Prubar]

Ha! My exact 3 games!!!

[Inzo]

"kudos to Rare for turning it around!"

But why? And why not just release a completed game? Im not talking about patching bugs. Why must it come to a point where devs have to "turn things around" and then get praised for fixing a blunder they caused?

[CorndogBurglar]

Couldn't agree more. They released a bare-bones title and then get praised for taking the next year to add more content and "fix" it. As if that content shouldn't have been there since day one.

[harmny]

Easy. Because it's FREE content. People hate developers when they cut features and then sell them to you. Rare completely changed the game in one year and they're all free updates

[lxeasy]

They actually did release the game completed. Rare didn't do a EA and pull content from the finished product, instead they got out feedback and went straight to work to add a ton more free content to the game for over a year now. The game is in a great place.

[Inzo]

@harmny
"Because it's FREE content."

With due respect, thats nonsense. Its only free content because of the initial poor sales and backlash.

[spicelicka]

They didn't release a game with enough content, and they also got the shit for it they deserved. Bad ratings, not enough sales, and tons of backlash.

So what happens then? Would you be happier that they leave it at that? Why SHOULDN'T they be encouraged if they release free DLC and start to turn things around? Are they destined to be hated forever?

I don't play this game (I did try it) but I would much rather praise a dev for trying to turn things around with free content than release a half-assed game on purpose and still charge for DLC, like Black ops 4.

From what I understand this was also their plan, to provide consistent post-release content to keep supporting the game. It's not like they just started working on DLC randomly to save grace. No publisher would allow that if it wasn't planned, they usually cut their losses.

[darthv72]

i think you are confusing two different types of games here. You are thinking this is meant to be a stand alone title but it isnt. it is an evolving title. Meant to have content added to it quarterly. Doing it this way keeps the game feeling fresh and new to even players who have been there from the beginning.

it is what is considered, episodic. think of it like the PotC movies. Each one continues off the previous and you actually get a more complete experience now than if you only watched the first. Same holds true with this game, it is a more fleshed out experience because that is the way it was made to be..... episodic.

[UnHoly_One]

The was no unfinished game and there was no "blunder" to fix.

The game at launch was the whole game, with updates planned to add to it later, all of which was always going to be free.

Yes, the game didn't get the best reception, but that didn't make them do all of this to "fix" the game. They were doing all of this anyway.

I'm sure it influenced what shape some of these additions took, but it was not like the initial plan was to drop the game and walk away from it. It was never meant to be that kind of game.

[lxeasy]

So glad this game is getting positive press now. They've done so many free add ons to build this ever expanding world and the game is vastly better for it.

[AK91]

Should have been like this at release.

[DuckOnQuack35]

Eh not really possible. The reason the game is like this now is because of all the feedback from players

[Xavi4K]

True

[aconnellan]

Then when do you release it?

I can garuntee there’ll be more massive updates like this in the next 12 months, so should they have waited until then to release? What about the year after that?

[TheSaint]

Agreed, but kudos to them for actually sticking with it. It's a lot like No Mans Sky.

[harmny]

Well it's like this now so why the hell are you complaining? It's not dlc
Or microtransactions. All these updates were free. You can imagine the game launched yesterday if you want and suddenly your dream is true

[akbennyewu]

Thanks captain hindsight, you have saved the day.

[DaDrunkenJester]

Sea of Thieves has done a major 180. For those that wished it had more content, an actual story mode, and more depth to its ship combat and such... I suggest giving it another try the next time you get a round of gamepass.

[Harryvok]

So worth a go? I tried it last year and thought it was awful. Looked pretty and sailing was nice, but there was nothing to do. If you came across a cool cave, you knew there wouldn’t be anything to find inside, nothing to find or collect. Just felt like a very light sailing simulator.

[DaDrunkenJester]

Yeah it is MUCH different. They have rewards everywhere. Caves now have loot and traps. There are lore items all around. There is an actual quest and story mode that brings you to a brand new island and has you do a bunch of puzzles Indiana Jones style. AI skeleton ships roaming the seas. There are more of the merchant activities that include fishing and cooking. Ships have harpoons so you can attache to megaldons, other ships and can use them to make quick turna around rocks. You can shoot down other ships sails, steering wheels and anchor cranks. There is a ton more to explore and find, entire new areas with active valcanos and such... there is a ton of new stuff if you haven't played in a year.

[NecrumOddBoy]

They really turned the ship around 😎

[DaDrunkenJester]

Oh you!

[akbennyewu]

I see what you did there

[PhoenixUp]

I’m tired of this practice of releasing games with bare bones content at launch and waiting a year for it to get noticeably good

[Imalwaysright]

Buy at full price today, get the game you paid for year(s) later.

[UltraNova]

Going forward we should all stay away from GaaS games for at least 6-12 months as a principle. If we don't protect our rights will?

That said, Rare did good here they finally made the game they should have released day 1.

[dekke]

next topic will be smt like >> "SoT best to play on Switch" ^^

[King_Noctis]

It is nothing different from releasing a buggy game and waiting for updates upon updates to fix the game.

Both practices need to go away.

[PowerOfTheCloud]

This!
Even if you buy it later ,you still support that practice. Devs should release a complete and do additional content later, not only release a foundation with no content to add content later and expect people to pay full price. Then they should go full f2p ffs

[Cmoney007]

It is quite pathetic, and certain people don’t mind at all just accepting it.

[harmny]

You're getting old

[mcstorm]

Phoenixup you do realise the fans changed this game. Rare had an idea and put it out there fans gave them feedback and created what it is today.

[Cmv38]

So games can make a complete turn around? Hmmmm...same group of gamers didn't give games like driveclub the same love.. I wonder why.

[DaDrunkenJester]

Driveclub didnt really get much different, just fixed all the issues so it was playable. I'd compare SoT 180 to the likes of No Mans Sky

[Obscure_Observer]

@Cmv38

That´s BS! Driveclub was given proper kudos and respect when Evolution fixed their game. Same thing happened to SFV and Killer Instinct.

[akbennyewu]

Because your memory is either awful or selective.

[Kumakai]

so pretty much its doing just as they planned it to do but everyone gave it crap anyway because it wasn't NOW NOW NOW... this review is the whole point of games as a service.

[Phoenix76]

Whilst it good they turned it around, and a few games have done the same, games should not and never should of been a service. Its a plague of the industry sadly

[Imalwaysright]

Yeah! Now is like so lame after paying full price for a game! I mean eww who does that?! Years later is where is at.

[DuckOnQuack35]

Well considering most of the changes came because of feedback from players PLAYING the game

[Imalwaysright]

Feedback as in gamers wanting more content from a game that they paid full price for?

https://www.cinemablend.com...

"the majority of the feedback from gamers has been that Sea of Thieves is fun to play, but it needs more content."

Yay it's like so exciting to see people defending what's obviously another anti-consumer practice to add to the list of this anti-consumer joke of an industry. Buy a game at full price today, get the game you paid for year(s) later.

[akbennyewu]

Anti-consumer? You call responding to consumer feedback and implementing changes based on that feedback anti-consumer?

Have you never purchased anything besdies videogames in the last 10 years.?

Toasters have updates now, cars, clothes irons, light fixtures, and even electric can openers get updates via WiFi now. Almost everything in this free market economy is about being first to market, and then optimizing via updates.

Don't act like this is new and unbearable, it's life now and has been for a while.

[Imalwaysright]

akbennyewu

Why are you asking? Wasn't I clear enough in my comment?

"it's life now and has been for a while."

Not for me it hasn't. That's for damn sure. When I buy a book I expect it to be complete. I don't expect to get the 1st 50 pages of it day one and having the remaining 100 pages delivered 1 year later. When I go out to see a movie I expect to see it until the credits start rolling. I don't expect to see someone coming in 45 minutes after the movie has started and telling me that I'll have to comeback 1 year later to watch the final 45 minutes of it.

Also don't give me that feedback nonsense. Gamers aren't the ones designing this game. All they want and justifiably so is for the game that they paid FULL price for to have more content. This isn't something that gamers should have to ask for.

[phoenixwing]

so polygon when days gone gets updates that fix its technical issues is it like a new game or do only microsoft video games get the we love it later treatment?

[Xavi4K]

What are you talking about...Days gone got updated to fix issues that shouldn’t be in the game like bugs and such.

Rare update added new contents and stuff to do in game plus 1000 more achievements to collect all of that for free so it deserve to be praised.

[phoenixwing]

oh well besides the bugs Days Gone is a complete game day 1 but i'm sure you already know that. I'm just saying now both games are more complete. You had to wait for content days gone had to wait for bug fixes, it already had content :P But polygon hated on days gone whereas this microsoft game seems to get a golden treatment. we both know what i'm saying is true.

[mark_parch]

to be fair sea of thieves didn't have many bugs it just lacked content. If I had paid full price at release I would have been pissed but that's one of the benefits of game pass

[PowerOfTheCloud]

"it just lacked content"

That's probably worse than having some bugs here and there.
Most bugs aren't gamebreaking, lack of content is always because no content, nothing to play

[Longadog]

"new game" ...... riiiiiiiiight.

i see people are still trying to salvage this ship

[marquisray]

all the haters, go play days gone lol

[Inzo]

Huh???

[cyber_daemonx]

I'd rather play anything than sea of z's lol.

[Longadog]

not sure in what world does that constitutes as an attempt to insult... :(

[PlayableGamez-]

Pfff
MS and Rare missed an opportunity.
They should of delayed this game 1 year and release it in this form.
Or at least make Sea of Thieves Early Access.

[Xavi4K]

Well done Rare ...I hope they continue support for it.

[Cmoney007]

I’m glad it is getting better, but SOT could use some other content like jails and guards on ports or bar fights. This game had good points at launch, but I still feel that this could be a better pirate game. It has more content now, but why didn’t SOT have more content at launch? This is one of my major problems with MS lately. Their last few games published by MS haven’t been great. But SOT is getting better. Does it finally feel like a sixty dollar game? This should always be up for debate.

[DaDrunkenJester]

Bar fights? Pretty sure you can fight anyone not in your own crew if you find them in the bar. There is also jail, but that's used to punish your own crew if they're grieving you.

Ir are you taking about more lively towns full their own AI. Like it's an RPG or something?

[Cmoney007]

You really believe that SOT is a great pirate game? A game that still needs more content like AI pirates. Have you even played other pirate games? Is this your first one? SOT has fun PVP. Sailing is fun with a crew. Ports are still boring. The game has more story content finally. But it could still be a better pirate game because people have seen bar fights or ports taken in other pirate games. Pirates of the Burning Sea still has more content than SOT. It is game that went F2P a few years ago. SOT is a much better game than it was at launch, but it shouldn’t have any timed events. I will admit that it is fun to grab a treasure chest and run while your crew is backing you. Killing skeletons is also fun. The PVP is still probably the best part of SOT, and it is cool looking for new islands. I’m glad that they have a jail for crew members that act up. But this game should’ve never been sixty dollars at launch.

[chris235]

alright, next time do it right away and my wallet will be open. praising the game now is like screaming for more barebone releases without content. thumbs down!

[Cmoney007]

The fact that anybody believed this game was sixty dollars at launch is ridiculous. I will admit that the game continues to improve. But as other people pointed out, a lot of this content should’ve been there at launch.

[_LarZen_]

Like so many service based games it needed some time. Time has passed and now it's better then ever.

[mark_parch]

I'm really happy with all the content they've added but the combat is still terrible and there definitely needs to be more enemy types.