Games as a service tend to become bigger and better over time. Some launch with sparse amounts of content, and add campaigns, interactivity, or even entire worlds over the course of many updates released during the games life. Sea of Thieves, a Microsoft-exclusive game developed by Rare, followed this same trajectory.
When it launched in March of 2018, it was criticized for its lack of content and empty game world. Since then, large updates have brought numerous ways for players to interact with the high seas, as well as other players. Rare has shown their dedication to the game and their willingness to listen to their audience by creating a complex game with deeper engagement.
10 Special Events Come With Updates That Are Time-Limited
One of the first issues players took with Sea of Thieves was its lack of story content or any real campaign. Players were dropped into the world feeling adrift among the vast amount of islands and large ocean between them. They wanted a story to drive them and to give them direction.
Starting with The Hungering Deep update, story content was added to the game, which drove players to work together to reach the end of a questline where they would encounter new enemies, and even a raid-like final boss: The Megalodon.
9 Bilge Rats Offer Direction & New Items For Players
As pseudo-representatives of the developers and each update, the Bilge Rats are a trading company faction that allows players to explore new features through questlines that can be picked up at any outpost. They help to give players the direction that was lacking in the early game.
Often finding themselves at the heart of the timed campaigns, the Bilge Rats have made themselves a core part of the lore in Sea of Thieves. They even introduced their own currency, Doubloons, that can be spent on limited time items.
8 A Common Trope Makes Combat Much More Risky
When the game was first released, the enemy types were extremely limited. Players could only expect to run into gun or sword wielding skeletons that roamed the distant shores of unexplored islands, waiting for unlucky travelers to cross them.
Now, gunpowder skeletons have joined these roaming marauders, bringing with them more potential for explosive gameplay. As a staple in any adventure genre, these enemy types can be blown up by the player if a shot hits the gunpowder barrel. Additionally, players can use their harpoon to wrench the barrel from the hands of these skeletons to use later.
7 New Volcanic Islands Dot The Seascape
It's rare (no pun intended) that a game introduces vast new lands for free. However, Sea of Thieves added a new set of volcanic islands alongside their "Forgotten Shores" content update at no extra cost. Here, players could find new sets of items and pit themselves against new dangers.
With a few new outposts, as well as a variety of large and small islands, The Devil's Roar region created intrigue by progressing the lore of the world, and providing a new dangerous environment with lava floes and earthquakes dotting the larger islands in the update.
6 Sailing The High Seas Became Much Scarier With Megalodons
Introduced in the aforementioned Hungering Deep update, Megalodon's brought some extreme challenge to the high seas. Although they were a time-limited spawn with that update, they were brought back as permanent additions to the game when Shrouded Spoils dropped later on.
Taking coordination and strong teamwork to bring down, Megalodons have five different species that can be encountered throughout the world. Considered "raid-level" encounters when they first appeared, they made the originally peaceful task of sailing a much more tense pastime, keeping players on the watch for large fins spawning near them.
5 Players Can Opt Into PvP In The Arena
Since the release of Sea of Thieves, PVP has been a mainstay of the game. Players run the risk of encountering each other every time they make a run for some valuable loot, and could potentially lose their spoils should another player decide to attack for it.
The Arena brought this PVP to a centralized location. With two modes— Duo Sloop and Galleon— players can enter The Glorious Sea Dog Tavern to find the arena. There, they compete in 15-minute matches where the objective is to collect and deliver as many Sea Dog Chests as they can, which allows for direct or indirect confrontations.
4 A Sailing Game Without Fishing Felt Incomplete
When Sea of Thieves was announced as a game that focused almost solely on sailing, players assumed that fishing would be a core pastime that could be engaged in right away. They were disappointed on launch, however, to find that they couldn't so much as go handfishing.
With the Anniversary Update, this changed. Fishing was added to the game, allowing players to catch 10 different types, utilizing three types of bait in any body of water. Additionally, players can pull up resources as well as plunder from the deep.
3 The Spread Of Fire On A Boat Is A Real & Dangerous Threat
Fire as a mechanic is engrossing and endangering for any player. When an exploded gunpowder skeleton has the chance to set an entire ship alight, players have to play with caution, and be aware of their surroundings as well as their shots.
As part of The Seabound Soul, fire was introduced to create more strategy when approaching both PVE and PVP on ships. Players now not only have to contend with their enemies, but also the environmental hazards that a stray bullet could present.
2 Yes, Players Can Pet The Dog Or Cat
The importance of being able to explore the open seas with a trusty companion cannot be overstated. The ability to actually pet those animals has also grown to such importance that there are entire websites dedicated to tracking whether that ability is available in a game.
Introduced through multiple updates, players can now get both cats and dogs as companions that will follow them onto the treacherous islands they explore. With three breeds of dogs and three species of cats, and each having a variety of looks, players can find a pet that suits their style.
1 A Series Of Campaign Missions Helps Players Get Their Sea Legs
Perhaps the most important addition to Sea of Thieves was the introduction of Tall Tales. This series of campaign-like quests helps to guide the players through many of the main elements of gameplay such as sailing, combat, exploration, and treasure-hunting. Five new Tall Tales were introduced with A Pirate's Life that bring Pirates of the Caribbean into Sea of Thieves.
Additionally, Tall Tales have specific checkpoints that allow players to exit the game and come back later without having to restart the quest line, which is how many of the other bounties are approached.
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