Pirates of the Caribbean Online

Oct 30, 2007

It looks like Disney wants their Pirates of the Caribbean MMO to have broad appeal, so it makes sense that they've brought VR Studio, the developers of the kid friendly online game, Toontown onboard. Part of achieving that broad appeal means the game will have to run on everything from a state of the art gaming rig to the loathsome family boxes on stacked on pallets at the local Costco. Unfortunately, this also means that the game won't blow your mind on the visual front.

What's surprising however is how this more casual MMO also sports combat features that you've been hearing a lot about in some of the more hardcore RPGs and MMOs on the horizon. Melee combat with swords works off a timing-based system, much like The Witcher and Age of Conan. Switch over to ranged muskets and pistols, and you'll use an FPS-like targeting system, similar to Tabula Rasa or The Agency.

Above: Hey professor, what's another word for pirate treasure?

Pirates of the Caribbean Online has all the swagger you'd expect from an MMO based off the popular film and ride. Expect to be able to jump right in to cheating at card games, sailing your personal ship (no crafting required), and questing for pirate treasure right from the get go. And of course, there will be plenty of occasions to see a Jack Sparrow NPC doing his best Keith Richards impression.

If you liked the freedom to pirate as you please in Sid Meier's Pirates!, you might want to give this free-to-play MMO a chance before discarding it to the pile of generic MMOs you don't care about. The final game client will be available to download at midnight (Pacific Time) on Oct 31 at the Pirates of the Caribbean Online homepage. In the meantime, treat your eyeballs to the latest trailer below.