Graphics : The graphics for Pirates is impressive. The game supports resolutions up to 2048X1536 if you have a powerful system and of course, the appropriate screen. The models for the ships are represented in great detail and unlike the first Pirates, you can recognize the type of the ship from afar. The reflection of the ships in the water adds marks to the final verdict. The cities are well designed and so are the game characters, despite the cartoon like appearance. But the most obvious improvement has to do with the graphics for the terrain. The trees, hills, Indian totems, all look real. I remembered the difficulties I had faced when I tried to find a treasure in the first Pirates due to unrealistic landmarks. This time it's just impossible to get confused. All the waypoints (could be a totem, a big tree, a stone head, etc) are clearly visible making the navigation to a lost treasure a piece of cake. In conclusion, the graphics manages to transmit the magic of the 17 th century.

Sound: The music for the game is at a high level though it is not as good as the graphics. The music score for the naval battles with its epic tone is my favourite. Sound effects will not leave anyone disappointed. The salvoes of the cannons, the clash of the swords, the gunshots, all perfectly meet the high standards of the game. The ambient sounds are also very realistic - you can hear the sound of the waves when you are travelling, the sound of the tropical storms etc - and they combine to achieve the atmosphere of the Caribbean..

Gameplay: The biggest advantage of Pirates is its incredible gameplay. The game belongs to the �elite game� category which means that it practically never ends. Moreover, Pirates is an �open� game- it doesn't restrict the gamer at all. You can travel to anywhere in the Caribbean Sea right from the beginning, while the numerous roles you can assume increase the time value. There are five difficulty levels ready to add an extra challenge to anyone who finds the game easy. Finally, I have to congratulate Firaxis for the really clever idea to allow you to change the game difficulty during the game (when you divide the plunder, the game allows you to increase the difficulty if you have exhibited exceptional performance until then). It's a very useful feature since it saves you from playing the game all the way from the beginning again. However, the game has some small defects. There is no continuation between day and night during your travels. Another thing that annoyed me has to do with the villain who holds information about your family (you learn information and liberate one member of your family at a time). You always capture and interrogate the same person! I can't think why on earth you woudn't kill him or why you dont "convince " him to reveal the places where each of your family members are held. I think Firaxis has to give more attention to this...

Summary: Sid Meier and Firaxis didn't disappoint us! Having to remake one of the most addictive games of all times, they managed to respond beyond every expectation. The new Pirates is better than its predecessor, not only in graphics and sound (an easy task with the progress we have seen in the last years), but also in playability. Sid Meier kept the excellent gameplay from the original Pirates and enriched the sequel with many new features (ship upgrades, interesting scenario etc) making it a truly new game. This is one of the best purchases you can make on the market.

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