22 Best Pirate Games 2023

Pirate games are fantastic if you wish to embark on an adventure on the open seas and the thrill of seeking treasure and hunting down enemies. Typically designed in an open-world format, such games allow players to go wherever they want and do whatever they want. On the other hand, a good pirate game is challenging to perfect because so many variables can impact the game’s look and feel.

To assist you in finding the best pirate games today, we’ve compiled this list, where we will give you a brief overview of the games, so you select the ones that tickle your fancy and see where the adventures take you.

Pirate games aren’t the only open-world genre games out there; many different types of other games and genres will provide you with a similar sense of adventure, but the difference is that you will be limited to being on land.

Our top picks are all lined up and waiting for you below

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag
Sea of Thieves
Elite Dangerous
Blackwake
Lego Pirates of the Caribbean
Skies Of Arcadia
Tropico 2: Pirate Cove
Sunless Sea
Sea Dogs
Risen 2: Dark Waters
Furious Seas
Sid Meier’s Pirates!
Tempest
The Legend of Zelda – The Wind Waker HD
King of Seas
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4
Return to Monkey Island
Pirates, Vikings, and Knights II
Ultimate Admiral: Age of Sail
Windward
Man O’War: Corsair – Warhammer Naval Battles

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

From the most successful pirate movie franchise of all time comes our first pick – Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. This Pirates of the Caribbean game revolves around the main plot of the same-named film. In this game, you take on the role of Captain Jack Sparrow, who must travel to find the Lords of the Brethren Court in order to prevent the loss of more pirates at the hands of Davy Jones.

The Combat and gameplay feature the same much-loved level of craziness and acrobatics found in the movies, which is a huge plus point, especially for the fans of the franchise.

Furthermore, while based on the film, the game’s story is very well-crafted and has been appropriately adapted to fit the scope of a video game. Hence, fans appreciate the game even more because of its faithfulness to the source material. It stands to reason that a blockbuster pirate movie inspires the best pirate games out there.

2. Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag

Hands down, Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag is the ultimate pirate experience in the gaming world. Before this game, Sid Meier’s Pirates! topped the list of pirate games of all time, but Ubisoft turned the genre on its head in 2013. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag revolutionized the game industry, introducing a new definition of “amazing.”

Ubisoft went above and beyond with this title. The players are introduced to a young Welsh pirate who sets out to prove that he is deserving of more than his station in life. Players could interact with popular historical figures and legendary criminals from the Golden Age of Piracy in the game, giving the game a unique thrill.

This game made players feel like pirates, which shows that Black Flag was exceptionally immersive. Players were engrossed from when the cannons were fired at another ship until the moment they ran their swords through the enemy captain’s throat.

Until Assassin’s Creed Odyssey was released, Assassin’s Creed IV was regarded as the best game in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Ubisoft recognized this fact so much that they decided to create Skull and Bones, a pirate-exclusive game, which is expected to come out in spring 2023.

3. Sea of Thieves

Every pirate-loving player’s fantasy came true when they started playing Sea of Thieves. It’s a multiplayer online game with a twist. The game deviates from the typical RPG mechanics where you need to level up the equipment and items. Sea of Thieves Black Dog pack places you in sessions where everything is reset from the start other than your experience and perks.

Sea of Thieves lets you form a team of five with online multiplayer. The main focus of this game is on sharing the experience with friends and exploring and getting into adventures together. There are hidden dungeons with puzzles awaiting you, making you feel like Indiana Jones. Collecting artifacts and learning about the secrets of the secret world gets you started.

Ask your friends to join your server and compete against each other for control of your ship for a fantastic time. Although the game offers basic melee combat, the ship battles are where the game focuses on complex battle equipment and tasks where each player’s job is unique and crucial for keeping the ship afloat.

4. Elite Dangerous

Space pirates? Count us in! Elite Dangerous is truly unique as it allows you to play as a space pirate, unlike any other space game, despite the fact that many of them do. If customizing your ship is something you would be interested in, the ED offers the best ship customization option and gameplay. It makes being a pirate very rewarding, whether bringing down NPC ships or hunting other players. If you come across a player mining ship piled high with ore, there is nothing stopping you from destroying their ship and claiming the loot.

Live the life of an actual space outlaw and rebel in Elite Dangerous, thanks to the entertaining bounty system and a variety of ways to play as a pirate. The game is essentially a space sandbox, and you are the badass pirate oc of the final frontier.

5. Blackwake

Blackwake is one of the finest pirate video games, which is why it had to be on our list. Its gameplay is similar to Sea of Thieves in that cooperation and organization are essential for success. You can choose your crewmates from among your friends, and together you sail the open seas looking for other ships to attack and steal from, as real pirates back in the day would do.

You have a wide range of weapons and equipment in your arsenal, from bombs to old-timey guns and even swords. Combat is typically conducted in an artillery manner, with your crew manning the cannons and firing at the opposing ship. And If you successfully manage to get close enough to the other ship, you can always sneak up and attack head-on.

Although this technique is somewhat risky, the reward is bountiful if you manage to succeed and not get everyone on your side killed. Remember, teamwork is vital. Sailing the seas, surviving, and thriving as pirates is no easy task. So convince your friends to join your crew and set sail.

6. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean

Despite the art style, which may not be to everyone’s taste, Lego games are delightful to play because of the different gameplay mechanics which make things exciting. In this game, you take on the roles of the much-loved Pirates of the Caribbean characters, each with their own abilities and gameplay advantages.

Each character has strengths and weaknesses. One might be better at sword fighting than others, while another can breathe underwater. When it comes to gameplay, most missions are selected at the Port, and as you progress through the main storyline, you’ll notice that the Port evolves with you, growing larger and more complex as you discover.

This game delivers a fun sense of adventure that feels tuned with modern times, making the experience worthwhile. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean has earned its place as one of the top pirate games PS4 around.

7. Skies Of Arcadia

Skies of Arcadia is a role-playing game with ship-to-ship battles as its primary focus. It’s a genre classic that has influenced the indie game Black Skylands. The main characters are Vyse and Akika, Blue Rogue air pirate faction members. This game features thrilling ship-to-ship battles that are handled in an unconventional manner, more akin to a type of quick-time event. You will experience the best applications of QTE of all time, which will keep you on your toes.

Although some battles have been stretched out and take a little too long to complete, they are fun and well executed. Skies of Arcadia’s graphics are cartoon-like and brightly colored, which gives it a different appeal.

The cartoonish look of the graphics has aged well, even though this is an old game. However, some might argue that the graphics might not be the best choice for a game about battles.

8. Tropico 2: Pirate Cove

Let’s take a look at a game with a different gameplay style than most of the other top pirate games featured on our list. Tropico 2: Pirate Cove is a city builder in which you manage a pirate-infested island. You aim to loot the materials you need to keep your pirates and captives happy and progress your land.

You can accomplish this in Pirate Cove by ensuring that all of their needs are met in order for them to be satisfied and, as a result, to improve whatever activities they are assigned to. You will be able to enhance your island in a variety of ways as you progress through the game, such as upgrading the ships in your boatyard and your pirates, as well as their skills and a lot more.

This game is all about strategizing how you will manage your resources and your people. If strategic management games are your thing, try Tropico 2: Pirate Cove for a pirate-themed twist to the popular game genre.

9. Sunless Sea

Sunless Sea is another game you’ll enjoy if you like old-school tabletop games and text-based adventures. Set in the Lovecraftian world of Fallen London, this roguelike with a dark art style will take you across the Zee, a mysterious underground sea.

You’ll encounter strange civilizations and sea monsters that are beyond human comprehension. And, while you’re not necessarily a pirate, the game’s choose-your-own-adventure storytelling allows you to act as a transport vessel, an explorer, a smuggler – including mummy-people who are forbidden from traveling – and so on.

10. Sea Dogs

Sea Dogs is more of a pirate role-playing game than an action-adventure game; there is more to Sea Dogs (video game) than just being a pirate.

After you escape with a group of prisoners, you can take your tiny sloop and are free to do whatever you want from there. You can progress through various storylines, accept missions from multiple countries, transport cargo, and even become a trading merchant if you desire.

Alternatively, take over the missions from the pirates and become the biggest, most dreadful privateer on the seven seas. Yes, the graphics and voice acting have aged, but this is still a strong contender for the best PC RPGs.

Sea Dogs 2 was repurposed by Disney and turned into the official Pirates of the Caribbean game alongside the first film. Unfortunately, it is not currently available on PC due to the IP. Still, the original is probably the better game, and both of its excellent expansions are available on GOG.

11. Risen 2: Dark Waters

Risen 2: Dark Waters is another third-person RPG in knee-high boots, this time with a supernatural twist. In the world of Risen 2, voodoo is authentic and very powerful, and it provides some spectacular class abilities. If you’ve been reading this far and lamenting the lack of trained monkeys and parrots distracting enemies or voodoo magicians inhabiting their bodies using a voodoo doll, we have good news for you.

Risen 2 stands out because of its flexibility in defining what it means to be a fantasy pirate. The production values weren’t up to par for 2012, and the meat-and-potatoes combat is more of a necessity than a flourish. However, investing your skill points in a stealthy thieving buccaneer or an unexpectedly powerful inhibitor of unwilling enemies gives it an advantage over the other titles that share the seas.

12. Furious Seas

Virtual reality allows you to fully immerse yourself in a pirate experience, steering the ship and firing cannons. Put on the virtual reality headset and pilot your ship through a naval battle against other pirates.

Power-ups, land mines, and ramming ships are available at each stage. Although the campaign mode is exciting to play because it keeps players engaged in a battle, it is too short to experience the joy of naval warfare fully.

There is a free roam mode, but it does not provide the same level of excitement as the campaign mode. It is the first VR pirate game, with stunning graphics and oceans so lifelike that you can almost hear the gunfire and the smell of sea salt. For this game, you will need to purchase a VR headset.

13. Sid Meier’s Pirates!

Sid Meier’s Pirates!, first released in 1987 and updated in 2004, is a comprehensive look at the life of a pirate. A story-driven ship sailing game. Sid Meier’s Pirates is an addictive game! You’ll spend hours maneuvering your ships to battle or fleeing from enemy ships.

Because Sid Meier’s Pirates is an older game, the graphics may not be up to par with today’s big triple-A games, but the gameplay and content are refined to meet players’ expectations. You can be a merchant, a pirate, a rebel, or all of the above. The main goal is to have fun while doing things you enjoy.

Develop relationships with others or challenge them to a sword fight. All of this helps you improve your skills and luck, such as having a high chance of winning against enemy ships, comfortably steering your ship in the sea, and many other things.

It’s a charming game with memorable characters. All of its stories and gameplay are intertwined to ensure you have a great time playing Sid Meier’s Pirates!

14. Tempest

Tempest is primarily an open-world role-playing game in which the player takes on the role of a pirate. Tempest allows you to sail across the open seas between three continents. The interface for organizing your crew is quick and simple.

You can train your crew to perform better during battle. Tempest’s ship-to-ship battles are enjoyable, but they could be improved, as with Port Royale 4. While sailing the open seas, the isometric overhead view is visually appealing. The water is exceptionally well done, with changing surface conditions as the weather changes.

15. The Legend of Zelda – The Wind Waker HD

Both visually and gameplay-wise, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker has stood the test of time. You set sail across lands, encountering monsters, sea, and land. In high definition, the shell-shaded graphics and adorable characters look stunning.

Hardware capabilities limited the older version, but the HD version has overcome this by displaying stunning-looking seas due to its increased draw distance.

Despite the fact that the game is old and the HD version has improved in many ways, it is still the Wind Waker we know and love. Wind Waker’s endearing character, memorable moments, and active combat ensure that it will be enjoyed by today’s generation and future generations.

16. King of Seas

King of Seas is a story-driven game. The gameplay is shown from above, with you controlling your ship through the vastness of the seas. The world has fallen into disarray, and it is your responsibility to save your kingdom.

The battle mechanics are not typical of a pirate game xbox. You can use not only cannons and guns but also magical spells. During ship battles, you have a total of twenty magical spells at your disposal.

Every spell works to your advantage, but being able to cast those spells efficiently while surrounded by enemy ships is what makes spells so important.

In the game, you can also select from five different types of ships. You can strategically apply balance into combat from a 30-gallon hunk that deals more damage but moves slower to a Swiffer boat with fewer cannons but top-notch speed.

17. One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4

The greatest franchise, with millions of fans worldwide, the best pirate games’ list cannot be complete without mentioning One Piece. Relive all of the emotional highs and crazy lows of pirate nations. A Musou warrior-style game in which you must defeat hundreds of enemies by yourself.

Even with all nine hundred episodes stitched together in a single game, its beautiful storytelling never fails to stir emotions in players. Although it is impossible to include every detail of the anime series, what is included in the game is seamlessly tailored to the storyline and gameplay.

Watching my favorite anime scene in the full 3D swing is a visual treat. You can choose from various characters and try out different move sets as you fight hordes of enemies with fluent combat machines that match the game’s aesthetics. You can also play One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 online with up to four others or in a two-player split-screen mode.

With its fast and exciting fights, you’ll spend hours perfecting combos with various styles. If you like One Piece, you should play this game.

18. Return to Monkey Island

If you love classic adventure games, you should check out the Monkey Island series. It’s an absolute classic. This business was very successful in its heyday, and fortunately, the intellectual property has seen a bit of a rebirth in recent years. Return to Monkey Island, the sequel to the game released in 2022, continues the story of our cherished former captain, Guybrush Threepwood.

While exploring Monkey Island in quest of its fabled secret, players will be treated to yet another exhilarating adventure that, for the most part, adheres to the gameplay formula established in the first iterations of the series. In addition, if you loved the games that came before, you might remember some of the more important locales that we’ll visit. Prepare yourself for yet another action-packed point-and-click escapade.

19. Pirates, Vikings, and Knights II

Pirates, Vikings, and Knights II is a free to play game, and it challenges three teams against one another in competition for wealth, power, and dominance. Through a variety of game options, you will have the opportunity to choose the side of either pirates, Vikings, or knights. Fight for gold on an island in the tropics, shed the blood of your foes to satisfy the gods, and seize control of the valuable badlands territory. To achieve victory, employ a wide variety of weaponry, including swords, axes, guns, and even explosives, and do whatever it takes.

20. Ultimate Admiral: Age of Sail

The American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars serve as the backdrop for this tactical wargame, which has two campaigns and conflicts akin to those found in the Total War series. It offers a wide variety of ship models and great customization options, making it ideal for those passionate about sailing.

The similarities between Ultimate Admiral: Age of Sail and Total War are unavoidable and should be expected. The DarthMod updates this former prolific Total War modder has been putting out for the Ultimate General series have added critical enhancements to the gameplay experience.

21. Windward

Windward, released in 2015, is a simple multiplayer trading game based in a randomly generated universe. It’s also an enormously influential cooperative game, following Sid Meier’s Pirates! Footsteps, with players tasked with delivering consignments while destroying marauding pirates.

Windward is a simple, pleasant, and peaceful game that lets you play from a top-down perspective with the arrow or WASD keys and runs perfectly on low-spec PCs. Meanwhile, the images represent a virtual, imaginary Caribbean in the Age of Sail.

22. Man O’War: Corsair – Warhammer Naval Battles

When thinking about Warhammer, most people would first picture beefy space marines with big pauldrons rather than sailing pirates. But this tabletop game-based universe is more extensive than most people realize, and there are all kinds of adventures to be had within it.

Developer Evil Twin Artworks filled the oceans in this game with bizarre ships to board and fearsome sea monsters to defeat. There are also several ships to buy & upgrade with the resources you’ll get from exploring, trading, and, of course, a little piracy.

This game is so good because it manages to keep things grounded and successfully brings together the usual pirate fare with one of the most bizarre settings you can imagine.

Conclusion

That’s it for the top 22 Pirate games in the world. If you like pirate games, you will surely enjoy the games on our list. So, what are you waiting for? Start playing the best pirate games right now. Have we forgotten about your favorite Pirate game? Please share it with the TechProReviewers family in the comments section below.

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22 Best Pirate Games 2023

Our top picks are all lined up and waiting for you below