FutureFive New Zealand - Consumer technology news & reviews from the future
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Thu, 1st Mar 2007
FYI, this story is more than a year old

Listen up, me hearties! Sid Meiers’ swashbuckling adventure/strategy classic is coming soon to a PSP near you,   courtesy of the folks at 2K Games. Basically a straight port from the PC and console versions, Sid Meier’s Pirates! places players in the role of a wet-behind-the-ears captain, as he attempts to steer himself and his motley crew from alife of obscurity to one filled with notoriety and booty (both varieties).

But becoming the terror of the Caribbean trade routes and wooing the fairest damsels is not all plain sailing; an aspiring  pirate captain must first master the arts of dueling, dancing, and pimp his fleet with the best gear to improve his chance  of victory during sea battles.

Of course, first class chandlery doesn’t come cheap – and neither does a good crew, so our young captain must  plunder other vessels to finance his growing ambition. Early on in the game, a letter of marque from a local governor  gives him license to declare open season on vessels from certain nations. This is but one source of income however;  others include trading commodities and going on an old-fashioned treasure hunt to loot another pirate’s booty.

One of the best features of the game is its open-ended nature. Players might decide to play the role of a merchant  trader rather than pirate, or even focus on the background story and search for the young captain’s missing family – a rollicking adventure that will take him to all four corners of the map.

The PSP version features extra treasure maps, a multiplayer option for up to four players, Ad-Hoc wireless play and of  course those crisp widescreen graphics. Sid Meier’s Pirates! is currently on track for release on (Date).