69
MONSTER
Sea of Thieves offers the essential pirate experience, from sailing and fighting to exploring and looting – everything you need to live the pirate life and become a legend in your own right. With no set roles, you have complete freedom to approach the world, and other players, however you choose.
Game analysis
Monster Scorecard
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Story and Narrative
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66
Critics are divided on Sea of Thieves: Some praise its player-driven narrative and character experiences, while others criticize its lack of traditional storytelling elements and depth. The game excels in allowing players to create their own pirate adventures, but some find its absence of a guided narrative to be a flaw.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR STORY
Story Score
66
Positive (80-100)
22%
Mixed (50-79)
72%
Negative (0-49)
6%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the story and narrative.
TL;DR
story and narrative
Critics are divided on Sea of Thieves: Some praise its player-driven narrative and character experiences, while others criticize its lack of traditional storytelling elements and depth. The game excels in allowing players to create their own pirate adventures, but some find its absence of a guided narrative to be a flaw.
Gameplay Mechanics
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70
Sea of Thieves' gameplay earns praise for its thrilling ship-to-ship combat and realistic sailing mechanics, emphasizing teamwork and player interaction. However, critics criticize the repetitive fetch quests, lackluster combat system, and limited progression options. While the game excels in creating dynamic experiences with a full crew, it falls short in mission variety and solo play. Overall, Sea of Thieves offers a unique pirate experience best enjoyed with friends, despite its flaws.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR GAMEPLAY
Gameplay Score
70
Positive (80-100)
38%
Mixed (50-79)
60%
Negative (0-49)
2%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the gameplay mechanics.
TL;DR
gameplay mechanics
Sea of Thieves' gameplay earns praise for its thrilling ship-to-ship combat and realistic sailing mechanics, emphasizing teamwork and player interaction. However, critics criticize the repetitive fetch quests, lackluster combat system, and limited progression options. While the game excels in creating dynamic experiences with a full crew, it falls short in mission variety and solo play. Overall, Sea of Thieves offers a unique pirate experience best enjoyed with friends, despite its flaws.
Graphics and Visual Design
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84
Critics rave about Sea of Thieves' stunning visuals, especially the water effects and diverse environments, praising the attention to detail. Some critics note the game feels empty and lacks visual variety in certain areas. Overall, the majority of reviewers highly praise the game's graphics, finding them beautiful and immersive, despite some shortcomings. Sea of Thieves' graphics are a major strength, captivating players with a visually stunning and charming pirate world.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VISUALS
Visual Score
84
Positive (80-100)
86%
Mixed (50-79)
14%
Negative (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the graphics and visual design.
TL;DR
graphics and visual design
Critics rave about Sea of Thieves' stunning visuals, especially the water effects and diverse environments, praising the attention to detail. Some critics note the game feels empty and lacks visual variety in certain areas. Overall, the majority of reviewers highly praise the game's graphics, finding them beautiful and immersive, despite some shortcomings. Sea of Thieves' graphics are a major strength, captivating players with a visually stunning and charming pirate world.
Music and Sound Design
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76
Critics mostly praise Sea of Thieves' sound design and music for enhancing the pirate experience with immersive effects like wind and sea ambiance, as well as fun features like playing sea shanties and musical instruments. Some critics note a lack of diversity in the music and combat sounds, but overall agree that the audio elements greatly enrich the gameplay atmosphere and enjoyment.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR SOUND DESIGN
Sound Score
76
Positive (80-100)
65%
Mixed (50-79)
35%
Negative (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the music and sound design.
TL;DR
music and sound design
Critics mostly praise Sea of Thieves' sound design and music for enhancing the pirate experience with immersive effects like wind and sea ambiance, as well as fun features like playing sea shanties and musical instruments. Some critics note a lack of diversity in the music and combat sounds, but overall agree that the audio elements greatly enrich the gameplay atmosphere and enjoyment.
Voice Acting
NA
TL;DR
voice acting
Description unavailable
Technical Performance
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58
Critics praise Sea of Thieves for its stunning 4K visuals and smooth gameplay on Xbox One X, with efforts to fix technical issues. However, concerns arise about hackers on PC affecting stability, achievement glitches, and quest problems. Mixed reviews highlight ongoing technical challenges, but developers are dedicated to enhancing the gameplay experience for all platforms, promising a brighter future for players.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE
Tech Score
58
Positive (80-100)
0%
Mixed (50-79)
100%
Negative (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the technical performance.
TL;DR
technical performance
Critics praise Sea of Thieves for its stunning 4K visuals and smooth gameplay on Xbox One X, with efforts to fix technical issues. However, concerns arise about hackers on PC affecting stability, achievement glitches, and quest problems. Mixed reviews highlight ongoing technical challenges, but developers are dedicated to enhancing the gameplay experience for all platforms, promising a brighter future for players.
Replay Value
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55
Critics have mixed opinions on Sea of Thieves' replay value. Some praise its potential for player interactions and creativity, while others criticize its repetitive quests and lack of meaningful progression. The game offers cooperative gameplay and endless adventure opportunities, but struggles with limited content variety and rewards. Overall, Sea of Thieves may need more variety and depth to maintain long-term engagement for a wider audience.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR REPLAY VALUE
Replay Score
55
Positive (80-100)
7%
Mixed (50-79)
64%
Negative (0-49)
30%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the replay value.
TL;DR
replay value
Critics have mixed opinions on Sea of Thieves' replay value. Some praise its potential for player interactions and creativity, while others criticize its repetitive quests and lack of meaningful progression. The game offers cooperative gameplay and endless adventure opportunities, but struggles with limited content variety and rewards. Overall, Sea of Thieves may need more variety and depth to maintain long-term engagement for a wider audience.
Overall Verdict
69
MONSTER
OVERALL SCORE DISTRIBUTION
Monster Score
69
Positive (80-100)
30%
Mixed (50-79)
66%
Negative (0-49)
3%
Based on analyzing all available reviews that scored and critiqued the game.
TL;DR
Sea of Thieves impresses with stunning visuals and engaging ship mechanics, praised by critics. Cooperative play is fun and immersive, but the game lacks depth and content variety, drawing criticism. While offering charm and ambition, the game falls short in providing substantial long-term engagement due to content limitations. Critics see potential in future updates but agree that Sea of Thieves needs more content to reach its full potential.
69
MONSTER
Reviews
194 reviews found90
Hooked Gamers
Mar 28, 2018
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
The reviewer gives the game a fun score of 9.0 and expresses excitement for the future of the game.
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90
PLAY! Zine
Sep 5, 2020
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Sea of Thieves is praised for its captivating pirate atmosphere, engaging gameplay, stunning visuals, and immersive sound design. While it may have initial content issues, the continuous updates and free additions have significantly improved the game, making it one of the best multiplayer experiences available.
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82
Cheat Code Central
Mar 21, 2018
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
The game provides fresh character-driven experiences but lacks content and progression.
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80
Post Arcade (National Post)
Mar 23, 2018
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Sea of Thieves is a great pirate adventure, especially when played with friends.
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80
Trusted Reviews
Mar 23, 2018
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Sea of Thieves is praised as a return to form for Rare, offering charm, humor, and a world that begs to be explored. The reviewer acknowledges some areas for improvement, but overall sees the game as a treasure.
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80
TheXboxHub
Apr 6, 2018
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Sea of Thieves delivers a fun and immersive pirate experience, especially when played with a full crew. While it may have some flaws and limitations, it offers a unique gameplay experience that rewards player imagination and teamwork.
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80
TrueAchievements
Mar 27, 2018
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
The review states that the game is enjoyable and addictive for the right kind of player, but it may not appeal to a broader audience. It suggests that completionists may want to steer clear unless they are happy with the game's niche loop.
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80
Telegraph
Mar 27, 2018
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Sea of Thieves is a hilarious sandbox game with a gorgeous visual design, high-quality sound design, and engaging gameplay loop. However, its longevity and future updates are uncertain, which may affect its replay value for some players.
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77
Vandal
Mar 25, 2018
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Unique and ambitious game with charm and potential, worth exploring despite flaws
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75
Game Debate
Mar 24, 2018
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
The game is recommended for players who enjoy creating their own fun and are willing to take a long-term approach.
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