Sea Of Thieves: A Pirate's Life Launch Results In 'Record-Breaking Month' For Rare

You know, I've really wanted to "get" sot for years. With this expansion it sounded more story driven. I jumped in yesterday, and still felt completely lost. I talked to the castaway, checked the books without knowing what's going on. One started as though it's a story, I still didn't know that to do. I sailed into the green portal, got the ride intro, how dumped into a foggy area with craggy rocks and no idea where to go or what to do it what was even there. Then hit rocks and sank, and I still never felt like I knew what was going on out 3 what I was supposed to do. There's definitely something about this game what isn't clicking even slightly for me, and I really wish it would. The Caribbean pack feels like the same aimless, directionless game I couldn't figure out before.

@NEStalgia I struggled with the Pirates opener as well. I really enjoyed the music and nods to the ride but fell off a rock and was stuck until I quit the game.

@NEStalgia I love SoT, but in all honesty, it’s really only fun if you’re playing with people you know. I’ve made a couple of solo runs to boost up my level, but it wasn’t actually fun, so I don’t not want play with my friends now. I would say that if you only want to play solo, it’s probably not worth it. Also, anymore, you almost have to be trained by other players. They’ve added features and haven’t really done a great job of explaining any of them. My son taught me. He was taught by randoms he played with.

@NEStalgia I have to completely agree with @SplooshDmg, the game is only what you make of it. Personally I love SoT but only when playing with people I know. I think it is one of the best Xbox exclusives out there but only in the right circumstances ie with friends/family. I've tried a few solo games and just get nailed by anyone I run into.

As for the Pirates of the Caribbean stuff, I've done the first 3 tall tales and honestly don't like them. Too much story and scripted set pieces leaves me bored, the fact they are set in private instances takes away the unexpected encounters from the game that I love so much.

I'm glad plenty of people are enjoying it but back to the open seas for me.

Sea of Thieves is amazing. Got one of my best friends to get an Xbox a month ago and it’s all we’ve been playing. I played it mostly solo for a year. We’ve concocted crazy scenarios and have achieved them and have laughed continuously. It’s definitely not a game for everyone but I love that it’s only cosmetics and it’s open world. Truly a unique experience each time you play. Seeing a vault two days ago blew our minds. You need to go in with the right frame of mind. It can be high anxiety too. Once you learn the mechanics it’s utterly amazing. My buddy says it’s the most fun he’s had since gears 1.

@SplooshDmg @Hypnotoad107 Thanks. I've heard before about how it's really only fun with others. I'm not really interested in group play. Solo, 1 person coop, I'll do. I did try coop on SoT back early on and still never had the sense I actually know what I was supposed to be doing at all, or how to really do it. Somehow I'm just completely lost. I'd wander the island with stores that seem to be unusable yet, sail the ship around and bumble into stuff, but never really knew at all what on earth I was supposed to do.

I hate "open ended" gameplay with no focus, really, I guess. Can't stand Minecraft, GTA Online, etc. either.

I thought the Pirates of the Caribbean thing was going to be more guided to one degree or another...I was hoping it would direct me to go to place x or do thing y. But starting and talking to the castaway was just stabbing in the dark hoping something happened, and then when it did, I couldn't find where it wanted me to go still until I figured the big green portal must be it? So I went through there, got spat out after the ride opening into the fog and craggy rocks....and then returned to having no idea what at all I'm supposed to do.

It's so weird, because I still feel like I should love this game....and yet any time I pick it up I go in circles, entirely clueless what's supposed to be happening, and 15 minutes later back out for another 2 years. I thought the Pirates of the Caribbean thing might finally fix that, but, no, not really. It's still seemingly empty and aimless with no actual focus?

@SplooshDmg It probably says something that I can't stand Minecraft and don't "get" things like GTA Online either. "Open ended with no idea of the next goal or objective and no short list of busy work either" doesn't click at all with me, I guess. It's a shame, there's a lot in there that I probably love....except the gameplay loop.

And I won't touch a game you have to play in synchrony with others with a barge pole. I don't mind one player coop, but it sounds like it's more of a "squad" game....ick.

@SplooshDmg It's just weird because it really seems like a take I feel I should like, but even just starting out never clicks at all somehow. Like I don't even get what you so at all. I gave up long ago, but hoped you'd expansion could pull me in. You spawn on an island then... Go where? Do what? And why? I guess I need structure in games. And I'm not interested in "team", and certainly no voice chat so it needs structure there to. I'll do 2 player but when I tried that it was just two people that had no idea where to do, what to do or why....

I've been playing the game since close to launch, and it's definitely come a long way. There were plenty comparisons to No Man's Sky when it came out as it looked good, but it was almost devoid of meaningful content just a loop of the same 3-4 missions over and over again with no story.

Though since then there's been a constant stream of changes and extra content added. This latest update has been one of the best when it comes to story as they really upped the quality of storytelling. It moves away from the game's usual "sail here, kill skeletons, dig up item, sail somewhere else" formula. So I hope we get more of this calibre in the future.