Home :: Software :: PC Games :: Strategy  

Action
Adventure
Cards & Casino
Classic Games & Retro Arcade
Collections
Online
PC Games
Role-Playing
Simulation
Sports & Outdoors
Strategy

Age Of Sail 2 - Privateer's Bounty

Age Of Sail 2 - Privateer's Bounty

List Price:
Your Price:
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 3 4 >>

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Some day it will be good
Review: It's too bad that this was released well before it was ready, because it is plagued with bugs. Due to the lack of any real documentation I struggled with the interface. After finally resorting to searching the internet I found that I was not alone. Many of the features just don't work, while others cause the game to crash. After downloading the first (and only) patch for the game a few bugs were fixed, but there are still many more.

On the upside, the game is beautiful to look at, and if you can work around the bugs (emphasis on work) it is pretty cool. I'm hoping that it'll actually be playable by summer, so I'm packing it away for now in hopes of a better future.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Its always better on the outside of the box
Review: Listen when i bought this game i thought it was going to be the best game i have ever played i was way off the graphics are absolutely amazing and i must admit blasting the hell out of an inosent ship thats running away isnt bad eather but the AI is terrible the ships running and keeping of before and after a battle arent realistic enough.Ill tell you what they should of done they should of had a guy go on a real man of war or a big sail boat and for him to study the way it moves around how you work it how to keep the ship what jobs to assign to people it would make it three times more realistic.And they also could of
allowed you to build like you take over a city you become the ruler of it ectectect well thats my thoughts but i truth DO NOT
BUY THIS GAME not a blockbuster game.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Buggy but has potential
Review: TalonSoft basically released a beta version of this title and have been working to get out patches ever since. The promise of this game is really high, so if they can get their act together, it could be quite good once finished.

Not for people who like fast-paced action games; it is RTS, but remember that real-time sail combat was a game of patience and skill, not slam-bang action. Lovely graphics if you have the right hardware.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Beta tested in Europe, but not available in Europe
Review: The AoS2 community is really waiting for this game. Quite a few of them were beta testers from Europe. What happens the game does not come to Europe! Very dissapointed.
The game seems to be better then AoS2, more realistic...

Arno

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Great graphics, OK AI, Decent Play, Atrocious documentation
Review: The game delivers good ambience - both graphics and sound are very pleasing, but this is basically a sailing game, and sailing vessels are SLOOWWW, so if you need constant adrenaline, 200
lasercannon shots a second action, this ain't your game. The historical information provides a great background to the game. Ambience Grade: A-

An interesting twist (bug?) to the AI is that at the same difficulty level, sometimes opponents simply hang around and wait to be blasted into oblivion (fun, but boring after a while) - other times, the enemy is as aggessive as a pit bull chasing a mailman with a t-bone steak. AI Grade: B-

The documentation stinks... I admit that I am among those who just install a game and start playing, and refer to the manual only on a "need to know" basis when I can't get the game to do what I want (it's a guy thing)... But when this manual is needed, it is sorely lacking. There is just barely enough information in the small, 32 page (including five pages of advertisements and credits) "manual" to explain the interface menus and do basic operations.

The manual lacks explanations for non-sailors (e.g.; "Anchor on Springs") and enough detail to tie related actions together (e.g.; grappling and boarding), and ignores how to recover from running aground (shame on me for running aground, but try to figure that out on your own as a 38 gun enemy ship is pounding your vessel to splinters). To address this shortcoming, an "official strategy guide" (e.g., a proper manual) is available for an additional $20. Maybe I'm being picky, but shouldn't a game manual completely explain at least all of the game's controls? Documentation Grade: D

I have commanded a group of vessels only a handful of times in the game, and it reminds me more of herding cats than combat on the high seas, but that perception may be change with more practice.

Sailing characteristics are belevable, and while it's clearly no Sid Meier brainchild, the interface is well designed and easy to use, and the game has a good balance of ease of play and complexity to keep interest up. A minor complaint is that at very high resolutions, the menu script becomes very difficult to read. Since the sailing combat genre has few games to choose from, AOS2 is better than nothing, but is not "3 AM addictive", where I start playing at 9PM and the next think I know it's 3AM... But it is an interesting game, and when closing for combat or sustaining damage, it does require very fast multi-tasked thinking, even though the ship is moving at only 6 knots.. Playability grade: B

Overall, AOS2 is an adequate game that's fun if you are interested in sailing or the history of 18th-19th century naval combat. Otherwise, I think the game will be disappointing.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: What AOS2 should have been
Review: The game looks great and it is fun to play. It is what Age of Sail 2 should have been. Most of the bugs seem to be worked out. It still has problems, but it is a lot of fun for anyone interested in the genre.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: What AOS2 should have been
Review: The game looks great and it is fun to play. It is what Age of Sail 2 should have been. Most of the bugs seem to be worked out. It still has problems, but it is a lot of fun for anyone interested in the genre.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: SUPERB - COMBINED STRATEGY AND ACTION USING AI
Review: This Form Of Battle Is Unique, and no one has done it better. Would anyone have thought it possible to capture the science and graphic excitement of this ancient yet exotic method of warfare with a PC? Because It is not just what occurs in this strategy and action game, but how it occurs that distinguishes Age of Sail II from anything else. With computer code executing in real time taking into account hundreds if not thousands of variables to include wind, time, current, resources, crew readiness and your own tactical decisions makes this game equal to high level Artificial Intelligence like a "LISP" machine. No boredom here, any thinking person with a spirit and willingness to bravely encounter whatever lays ahead and risk everything for glory and bountiful treasure will return again and again. Risk having your ship slowly torn to ribbons and seeing your crew stand their ground or jump ship. The stakes are high. You will bite your nails while doing absolutely whatever it takes to project your nations power on the High Seas and make glory and fame yours to keep.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not to be confused with the original
Review: This game (Privateers Bounty) should not be confused with the original Age of Sail or Age of Sail II. Talonsoft produced the originals which were widely lambasted by the gaming community, quite rightly so, as prone to crippling and damaging system crashes. Global Star has now taken over the game and have produced Privateers Bounty. Along the way they have made changes some good some bad. Crashes are no longer a problem (at least a serious one) and some new gaming elements have been introduced. The ability to use a scenario editor to create your own fun is a big bonus. The inclusion of primitive submarines is also interesting but the airships are a big bust. If you can hit anything from a balloon youve done extremely well. Unfortunately this game lacks the ablity to jury rig fallen mast so when your ship has been demasted its a sitting duck. Also when ships collide they no longer suffer hull damage. Depending upon your point of view this can be either good or bad. Likewise the ability to rotate and zoom the camera was as simple as using the mouse in the original but this version requires a series of key strokes. This is not a serious setback but isn't an improvement. All that was really needed to make this game work was to fix the crashes but Global Star has tampered. As it is now the game is at least playable and should entertain those who liked the original. However some of the lost original features may cause others to get a little sea sick.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great Game!
Review: This game has many scenarios with multiple battles and historic battles that cover the whole range of difficulty. Some are simple and some impossible, and you can change sides once you have beaten it on one side. The graphics are fantastic, although the land could have been much more detailed, but this is a sea game not a land game. The other fault is I thought that the game should have had more campaings where you could buy and service your fleet. This is the best sailing game I have played. I recomend it.


<< 1 2 3 4 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates