This game is crack.
I’ve dabbled in it for since launch, playing for an hour or so with family. Never truly knew what I was doing beyond the core gameplay mechanics.
After finishing Gears 5 a week or two ago I turned my attention to Sea of Thieves. I had 30 achievements out of 270 and I want to close that gap. I set about learning how to actually play this game.
I’ve had 2 4 hour sessions this week. I solo a Sloop, and can’t get the game out of my head. The map reading and navigating with the compass becomes second nature early on and adds to the sense of discovery and adventure.
In my first session on Sunday I completed the Maiden Voyage for the first time and then the initial Order of Souls, Gold Hoarder’s and Merchent quests. After that I completed The Shoudbreaker Tall Tale. This was a really fun session. The gameplay loop clicked with me for the first time. I had one interaction with another player prior to cashing in The Shoudbrealer at an outpost. He was on deck when I returned to my ship, he played an instrument for a minute then jumped off and let me on my way.
Yesterday’s session was different. A storm was raging when I started. I need to complete The Shoudbreaker 5 times for an achievement, so I started the quest again and set off. Managing my ship in a storm, now that I care about staying afloat, was an experience. The waves rocked me and I needed to repair, bail water and steer on course at the same time. Eventually the storm settled and I came across a wreck and some floating items on the way to The Shroudbreaker, one of which was a Reaper’s Chest. I got The Shroudbreaker problem free and set off to an Outpost. Knowing that I was showing up on the map, and carrying a lot of treasure, I sailed past the nearest outpost and carried on for one that was a way away to avoid an ambush. Pull out my Spyglass for a look around; a Brig is following me. Going by the name ‘Francois Baguette’. I’m no expert at combat in this game, and I know griefers really grief in SoT, so I keep sailing. I sail around islands, I sail against the wind, I sail to the end of the world. They gain at times and narrowly miss me with cannonballs. I look at them and throw my Reaper’s Chest overboard, they collect it but still pursue. After 45 minutes with my heart pounding I sail in to another storm and they lose interest. Just as I arrive at an outpost a shark appears, luckily it can’t stop me from dropping anchor and cashing in my loot. 30k gold up, Shroudbreaker complete again, I’m happy.
There’s a server merge shortly after and I see a shadowy ship on my map. I go to it and there’s 2 other Sloops slugging each other. I join in for the three way and spend the next 45 minutes griefing and being griefed. In the end I don’t so much like this element (some people don’t know when to stop).
Personally I want to continue playing this game a a solo treasure hunter, being nice to nice people, and evading and outpacing enemies in a game of cat and mouse.
It is so fun, not been pulled in to 4 hour sessions so easily for YEARS and not been able to stop smiling when I think about this game. Each session is its own story, sublime.