Sea Dogs (video game)


Sea Dogs is a 2000 Russian role-playing video game for Microsoft Windows, developed by Akella and published by Bethesda Softworks. In it, the player is the captain of a ship and can serve as a privateer to a European power, or as a pirate. The game uses a custom 3D game engine and includes gameplay similar to Sid Meier's Pirates!, while also being a true inter-character dialog-centered RPG.
The game is often credited as one of the first successful Russian games, which had a notable influence on Russian game industry. It was followed by four sequels, one of which was tied in to Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Plot summary

The player's character, Nicolas Sharp, was raised by his mother since he was a child. The only memories left of his father are his departure on a ship, as well as a golden medallion he gave him. Nicolas grows, and as his father did before, goes to sea to seek adventures. Soon, he is captured by the Spanish, but manages to escape with a small ship and a crew. He arrives at the central British colony, where he has to start a new life.
Since the game is nonlinear, the player may work for any of the three nations, as well as start a pirate's career. Searching for his father is always possible, but in order to succeed, the player will need to change his ship's flags a number of times. This quest will reveal the secrets of the main character's father's life story and his death, as well as his legacy.

Critical reception

Samuel Bass reviewed the PC version of the game for Next Generation, rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "Flawed design choices and lack of atmosphere aside, Sea Dogs inarguably remains one of the finest action-trading simulations since the halcyon days of Elite."
Sea Dogs received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. IGN was impressed with it, calling it "one booty call you won't want to miss". GameSpot was also positive about the game, saying it's "an adventure that can be enthralling despite its many problems".

Sequels

Sea Dogs has received a number of sequels, most of which do not bear the same English title due to legal reasons. The first sequel, Sea Dogs II, was renamed Pirates of the Caribbean when Disney acquired the game in mid-development. Despite being marketed as a tie-in to ', which was released around the same time, it is largely unrelated to the plot elements of that film.
The second sequel, ', is a direct sequel to the original Sea Dogs. The title was changed because Akella wanted to create a brand name that they could control, rather than their publisher.
Two indirect sequels would follow: and Sea Dogs: To Each His Own in 2009 and 2012, respectively. Caribbean Tales and City of Abandoned Ships would eventually be digitally re-released on GOG and Steam in 2017 under the original Sea Dogs title.