Real Talk By: KJ

Don’t Sink is a Pirate adventure game from Studio Eris and Hitcents.  DS features a retro graphic style, equipped with a rich color palette.  We see this implemented throughout the game in locales, and Character Customization.  You’re the star of this expedition. Give the pirate a name.  Go for a menacing appearance (Peg Legs, Hooks, Ext.) or, make them look ridiculous as possible.  Longer hair, colorized shirts, Eye-patch options also.  Once your avatar arrives, the next step is to build a formidable crew.

Participate in missions taking place on different islands.  Travel Music has a Wind Waker laid-back style to it.  Tour areas in any order.  Plan ahead.  This is more of a necessity when longer distances are factored in.  Taking care of your crew is very easy.  Give them medicine, food, and of course rum.  There’s a solid arrangement of goods to keep the family happy.  When your group is fully equipped, your pretty much unstoppable. Overpowered.

Deliver key items to an NPC and report back.  Repeat those instructions.  This is a massive chunk of DS.  I found the trips in-between missions to be a tad more enjoyable.  Using funds from quests to get bigger and better ships is welcomed, but it doesn’t change the gameplay issues.

During travel sessions DS will pit gamers against other Captains.  Longer trips make for more opportunities to fight.  Ship battles come down to Buccaneers with the best resources and fastest button pressing skills.  There is an option to flee for those feeling overwhelmed.  While both sides can tango from long-range, another approach is to go head-on.  Avoiding major damage to my craft, often times I regularly selected the speed-up command.  My Ship would slam into the rival.  This method allows you to have sword-fights with Captains.  Even then, the fights control awkwardly whether you’re attacking or blocking.  Players are better off sticking to cannonball battles.  Having no incentive to significantly alter my strategy takes the fun right out.  Treat them all the same.

There’s several ideas floating around Don’t Sink, but the execution is off.  Expect a Two-Hour completion time.  Priced at $10 the content you’re getting simply doesn’t balance out.  Repetitive in its gameplay and overall presentation, Don’t Sink needed more time before setting sail.

Dont Sink Gets

2 out of 5

What’s Legit?

+Unique Art Direction

What’s Perpetrating?

-Repeative Missions and Music
-Lackluster Combat Mechanics
-Too Short