Customer Reviews

Swashbucklers

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I really enjoyed this game. It's quite simple but it has a unique setting and feel to it. Plenty of side quests and the boat battles add to the fun.

I purchased this game because of the unusual theme (I love RPG's but get tired of trolls, zombies, etc.) and the price ($6.21 from Amazon). Since I am only the second reviewer I will try to be more descriptive of the basics of the game than I usually am.

It is not a fully explorable world like Elder Scrolls. Some elements are similar to Sid Meier's Pirates. You sail your ship around on a world map, go to various towns and cities (19 total), trade, attack ships, etc. The graphics on the world map are actually quite good - mists, reflections, wakes, etc.

Maneuvering through the cities is very awkward as the first reviewer noted. Your character is shown from a third person perspective in a very small scale. You cannot rotate the view or zoom. WASD controls are standard but W is not forward and S is not backward. Instead W is up (on the screen) and S is down regardless of how your character is facing. Adding to the confusion is the fact that the streets are not aligned directly up/down and right/left but instead are shown at a slight angle. You cannot interact with people on the street anyway. You just go to the various shops etc. It would have been better if when going to the town you were given a list of places you could visit and just click where you wanted to go. When you enter an allowable building you are given a still scene with a list of options. Again, no real interaction with NPC's. Game saves are limited. You must go to a town, then to a sheriff's office (not every town has one) to get a save option.

The naval battles were really the only fun part of the game for me. When you get close to a ship on the world map you have the option of attacking it. (Other ships never initiate an attack on you no matter how many of that country's ships you have previously attacked) If you decide to attack, the game shifts to a larger scale scene. In this case you can rotate the view. The graphics are again good in this part of the game. Your standard battery of cannons has unlimited ammo but you can upgrade your ship with 4 different "uber" weapons: howitzer, Gatling gun, mortar, and rocket launcher. For those you have to buy ammo. An aiming point is shown on the screen but you can't just put it on the target ship and fire away. (unless you are very close) The shells follow a trajectory (each weapon has different characteristics) so you have the adjust your aim for the target's distance, speed and angle of incidence. This was the only part of the game where I was ever killed but I didn't find it next to impossible as the first reviewer stated.

If you succeed in doing enough damage to the other ship you can board it. At that point the scene switches to a mid range view of part of the ship. For the boarding battles the graphics are just o.k., nothing great. You then have to eliminate the other ship's crew, fighting through three separate scenes with probably 20 to 40 men. You can have one sword and one firearm equipped. If you do get in trouble you can pause the game and consume some food or medicine to restore your health. As you advance in the game you can also learn special combat moves. (one memorable one was boomerang in which you throw your sword and it flies around severing heads and limbs before returning) These battles are so easy that they become almost boring - I never lost a single one. After dispatching of three screens of men you get to face the opposing captain. The scene switches to a large scale but you can only move forward or back. Just hack away till your energy is out, then block his attacks till your energy recovers, attack again, etc. Again it would seem to be impossible to lose.

You can only have one quest active at a time and you have to switch between main story quests and side quests which are pretty routine. All in all the role playing aspects of the game are not very well developed. You can enter boxing matches at taverns (and bet on yourself) but that is the only diversion in the game. (and again it would be hard to ever lose a match) There are a couple of funky looking women in some of the taverns (still scene only) but you can't do anything with them. There is no poker or blackjack etc. There are no attributes like strength and agility but rather three basic skills (fencing, shooting, and defense) to increase as you level up plus "perks" you can select. Some are active perks like the special combat moves (tied to keys when selected) and others are passive (like an increase in cannon reloading time for naval battles).

Overall the game was a disappointment. As noted only the naval battles were challenging (and for that reason fun). I started playing RPG's years ago in the paper and pencil era and there were rule sets for just about any era/theme you could imagine. (like Bushido - feudal Japan, Boot Hill - western, and En Garde - three musketeers) I give Atari credit for trying something other than the standard fantasy or science fiction genres but I wish they had put more effort into the game. I would rate the game about a 2.5 if Amazon allowed decimals but I will round up because of the unique theme. Also the game itself is very stable - no freeze ups or crashes at all. It also comes with a nice printed manual. I don't know what the game originally sold for but I'm glad I only paid $6.21.

This game reflects the progamers lack of programing skill/design talents,and the Atari company manager reveal their greed for fast profits, NOT QUALITY!!

GOOD POINTS: of the game; Graphics are average, Theme interesting.

BAD POINTS: Main character moves in town like a drunk man because of poor keyboard controls.

No options to customize the game, such as skill level,or choosing what Nation or ship you want.

You cannot purchase weapons as you want, but have to wait until you reach various levels to make
the weapon purchase that you want.

Storage is another problem, ships hold is restricted,as well as your personal storage for food,power ups etc.

No romance available, no promotions, and quests are limited.


Battles on land or on ship are difficult to win due to poor controls.



Each new game start means that you have to endure basic keyboard control training AGAIN, and AGAIN and AGAIN,you get the point.

Sea battles are difficult to win , but are the only fun part of the game.

Interaction with people walking in the town is not possible due to poor game programming.

No incentives such as Bounty levels to aquire, or raids on enemy ports.

All in all, the game is a dissapointment.

You are better to buy a six pack of beer than to purchase this usless game.