Sid Meier's Pirates! Critic Reviews

We can't recall another PC game that challenged us to furious one-on-one sword fights and strategic warfare with cannons blazing -- interspersed with a test of ballroom dancing skills in which each click of our keyboard's keys translated into a deft move on the dance floor.

An evocative gem of a game, one all Long John Silver or Johnny Depp wannabes should thoroughly enjoy.

This is a fantastic update to a truly classic game. It’s just plain great on every level. If you don’t like Pirates! you must be allergic to fun.

Simple and deep gameplay that sucks away hours of your life.

It is wonderful in all aspects. I loved it.

A completely engrossing ride on the Spanish Main. All that’s missing is the smell of rum and powder.

An exciting gaming experience, its versatility makes it accessible to a variety of gamers, and it possesses dynamic game play that eliminates the monotony plaguing so many single-player games.

It’s truly one of the most addictive games we’ve played this year, and teaches the mildly boring Port Royale 2 a thing or two about how such sims should be done.

An amazing, wonderfully lighthearted game that boasts an intoxicating blend of strategy and action, and as such it's a dire threat to your professional and personal productivity...Quite simply one of the most enjoyable games to come out in years.

One of those rare games that can engage you for hours each day while never getting old.

Pirates! is unlike any other game in the current PC catalog. Unless you hate fun, you'll love it.

While you do many of the same things over and over again, Firaxis has made it fun. Really fun. "Just a few minutes more"-until-three-in-the-morning fun.

Voices have been done in grumbling Sim’s style that really adds to the charm of the game.

Sid Meier's Pirates! is as magically playable as its forefather was in the ancient times.

"Port Royale" was the closest that anyone has come to the original Pirates, until now. All hail Sid Meier, the master of the computer game.

The game truly stays faithful to the original Pirates! except with extended difficulty settings, added gameplay depth and fancy graphics.

Combat is extremely fun and very easy to control - you can play the entire game using just your keyboard's Numpad.

It's got a simplicity and elegance that you just don't see in PC games anymore: It's pure gameplay, fun from the opening credits onward. As a player you'll be constantly engaged.

Each gameplay aspect has its own place, joyously gelling together to create a diverse but pleasant experience.

An absolutely fabulous game that is nothing but fun from start to finish. And as an extra bonus it is family friendly. No blood, not wound and no death.