4 Games That NEED to Happen in 2016

Written by: Adam "ManKorn" Korenman, CC2K Video Games Editor

3) Pirates of the Caribbean: Where Monsters Hide

Okay, let’s address the elephant in the room. I’m not going to ask you to play as Johnny Depp. Not gonna happen. He’s about 60-years-old and doesn’t need to be the hero for this particular story. But, we are talking about the universe he helped create.

You may not love the films, but you have to admit that Pirates did a great job of making naval battles awesome and the pirate life look fantastic. There have been a few games set in this world as well, and they have mostly been garbage fires. So let’s forget those and focus on the best pirate game to come out in the last decade: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag. That game had some of the best pirating I’ve ever seen. The on-land work was still set in the AC world, and therefore not the best for our new Pirate franchise, but the naval combat was simply outstanding. 

Here’s how this one works. You start out as a naval conscript. Pulled from your cushy home in England, you are forced to serve on a naval boat. After a particularly nasty battle, your ship is destroyed and you are presumed dead. You awake washed ashore near a Caribbean port and begin your journey. You have nothing to go back to in England, the world thinks you’re dead, and you’re penniless. Luckily, you have a few skills that make you a sure fit for a pirate. 

Start out at the bottom, working aboard a ship and training to pillage and plunder. You’ll spend the first short act learning the ropes of boarding ships, seizing villages, and getting your “Arrrrr” on. Then, in a pitched battle with the East India Trading Company, your beloved captain dies. You’re rescued at the last minute by a fearsome pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow. The commander of the Black Pearl is always on a search for treasure, and he sees in you a chance for some real piracy. You are given control of your ship and can begin your journey toward infamy. 

Pirates would use a system much like Monolith’s Nemesis. When you meet up with other ship captains, you might not kill them. They can escape, building a grudge against you that will last a lifetime. Your exploits will earn you nicknames in various ports, and put a bounty on your head. Everything you do builds the legend of your pirate, until you’re as famous as Captain Jack himself. 

But what about the monsters, and their hiding spots? Good question, avid reader. 

The supernatural features heavily in the game’s main story, as well as the world itself. You may be attacked by ghost ships, witness the Flying Dutchman bringing another pirate to their knees, come across strange voodoo practices and elder gods of the sea. You might even find the Fountain of Youth. There is plenty of lore to draw upon for this game, and the more you put in, the more unique the world becomes. 

But my favorite part of all of this will be the swordplay. In Assassin’s Creed, the art of the blade is simplified to the point of tedium. An enemy swings, you counter (and cue a sudden slowing of time) and then you kill them. Rinse repeat. Most games just have you bash your opponent with a sword until their health dwindles down. In Pirates, your sword battles will be tests of skill and reflex. Better opponents will need to be studied and whittled down. When you counter, your timing needs to be crisp in order to capitalize. And you won’t deliver a killing blow unless you want to, allowing for unique solutions to combat. Maybe that pirate captain would make a fine addition to your crew? 

Yo ho, yo ho, the pirate life’s for me.