Lego Pirates of the Caribbean

[The Sarge]

Demo is up - 952mb.

http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-GB/Product/LEGO-Pirates-of-the-Caribbean-The-Video-Game/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8024256880a

New Trailer - At World's End

[errollw]

I NEED THIS GAME. Lego games are the only local co-op game for me and I just 100% the Harry Potter one. But alas I cannot find any specific details about this one's PC release! I've gotten all the others through Steam and will be happy to do the same, but there's no sign of it on the horizon over there. Can anyone confirm this will be released for PC somewhere in the next few days / soonish?

[John0]

Eurogamer review up.. 8/10

[deKay]

Excellent. I'm hoovering through Harry Potter at the moment, so will get LSWIII when the price drops (soon, as POTC will force it to like every previous game has done the same to its predecessor) then POTC when the next one is out - I'm guessing the next Harry Potter is likely to tie in with the final film?

Can we have another Lego Batman then please? Or Lego Justice League?

[j.m.ratkos]

has anyone played the 3DS version yet? and if so, what are your thoughts? (eg. is it worth the purchase price or should I just grab the 360 version?)

dekay:

the next lego harry potter is supposed to cover years 5-7 (the final 4 films), but we probably won't see it until next year given that Tt just brought out the pirates title

[Distinct muttering]

Eurogamer review up.. 8/10

Can you paste the text please?

Still playing through Harry Potter with the GF, is the new Star Wars one supposed to be any good? I have igniored it thus far due to my prequel aversion.

[deKay]

has anyone played the 3DS version yet? and if so, what are your thoughts? (eg. is it worth the purchase price or should I just grab the 360 version?)

dekay:

the next lego harry potter is supposed to cover years 5-7 (the final 4 films), but we probably won't see it until next year given that Tt just brought out the pirates title

Yeah, but there's a new Lego game about once every 6 months - so there'll be another by Christmas.

[moosegrinder]

They needed to get Deathly Hallows 2 out of the way anyway.

[John0]

Can you paste the text please?

Still playing through Harry Potter with the GF, is the new Star Wars one supposed to be any good? I have igniored it thus far due to my prequel aversion.

Maybe a bit late now, but here goes....

One of the unsung strengths of the Lego games is that their reductive approach to plotting allows them to skip or gloss over the weaker elements of their inspiration. In the case of Pirates of the Caribbean, that's several hours' worth of storytelling bloat - and at times, TT Games punctures it perfectly.

In particular, the ludicrous convolutions of third film At World's End are beautifully skewered in one single scene where the characters rapidly exchange places until half are on one side and half on the other. Who needs two hours of cross and double-cross when a single thirty-second sequence can cover similar ground without the audience looking at their watches - and offer a knowing chuckle into the bargain?

Just as the Star Wars prequels were shorn of midichlorians, younglings and dialogue about sand being rough, and transformed into lean, exciting, set-piece-driven action films, the Pirates movies suddenly become much more appealing in Lego form. Sure, there are perhaps too many stages where you're fighting aboard a ship at night and/or during a storm, but you can blame the apparently light-phobic helmsman Gore Verbinski for that.

The parodies, as ever, are on the money, and the naturally dark tone of the Pirates films was clearly more fun for the developer to subvert. Here, the dramatic climax of Dead Man's Chest sees Jack Sparrow happily embrace his imminent demise, stepping into the mouth of the Kraken not wielding a sword, but a toothbrush with a generous squirt of Aquafresh.

The Pelegosto stage sees you roll around in ball-shaped cages, and immediately made me yearn for a Lego Katamari.

As with the films, Jack is the undoubted star. That walk - half stagger, half swagger - is even more of a hoot in miniature. He constantly looks on the verge of toppling over, leaning backwards then forwards as he capers along.

In fact, Lego Jack is an idealised version of the character - a little more akin to the dashing anti-hero Bruckheimer and co. imagined before Johnny Depp decided his portrayal needed a little more kohl, Kilo Kai and Keith Richards. He might not have the walk of a swashbuckler, but his swordfighting skills are much more impressive than in the films. Michael Bolton would surely approve.

Finishing flourishes see him revert to type, distracting his enemy by pointing one way before whacking them with an empty rum bottle, or stepping back and lobbing a banana skin under their feet. Best of all is when he picks up a guitar; while most characters will strum a gentle acoustic melody, Jack scratches out a scuzzy rock riff. Try to move while playing and - brilliantly - he adopts Chuck Berry's famous duckwalk.

On 3DS, Lego Pirates offers decent depth but looks a little fuzzy; otherwise, it's a trimmed-down version of the home game.

When he's not clashing swords with guards or piratical foes, Jack's compass is his most important weapon, used to find secret items by following a twisting path highlighted in blue, with the added bonus of a breadcrumb trail of Lego studs. Most items can be located simply through thorough exploration, but it's much more satisfying to find them properly - where X marks the spot.

Not that you'll be able to find them all on your first play. Perhaps even more so than previous Lego games, the real meat of the game is found in the Free Play mode. To truly complete a stage, you'll need to have unlocked and purchased a wide range of characters - from the Flying Dutchman crew members able to slip through strange, slimy portals to the blunderbuss-wielding bit-parters whose weapons can blow a hole in silver objects.

Frequently, it's simply a case of switching to the right character in the right location, but rather than just being handed the ship-in-the-bottle minikit piece you were after, often whole new areas will open up, hiding multiple secrets and unique asides. One of the later levels sees a mermaid's singing reveal the den of a large Lego spider which you then ride into battle against other arachnids. The same stage also carries a miniature ship skirmish where you steer your craft across a small pool, blasting enemy galleons with cannon fire.

Otherwise, it's that familiar blend of enjoyable, simple-minded combat, rudimentary puzzles and Lego-stud kleptomania. I don't know whether it's down to the noticeably improved game engine, but even Lego veterans may be surprised at just how many tiny shinies the game seems determined to hurl at the player.

Perhaps surprisingly, such a cascade of Lego bits doesn't seem to cause any kind of technical hiccup. Indeed, the tearing and slowdown that have blighted previous Lego games are conspicuous by their absence. Graphically, this is the most impressive in the series to date, with some exceptional lighting complementing the sun-kissed island environments and making the storm-lashed, seaborne set-pieces more visually exciting.

Unlockable red hats provide optional modifiers, multiplying treasure, speeding up construction and best of all, magnetising the player for easier stud hoovering.

If Pirates seems less ambitious than the last two Lego titles, lacking the cohesiveness of Potter's Hogwarts hub or the epic scale of Clone Wars', um, wars, then it makes up for it with an overall confidence borne from TT Games' experience with the licence. The highlight of Dead Man's Chest - that three-way swordfight atop, around and inside a giant water wheel - probably wouldn't have been attempted a couple of years ago, but it's replicated here in all its remarkable silliness. It's arguably one of the few moments where the game's reach exceeds the developer's grasp, the sole occasion where the platforming feels a little awkward, but it's so audacious that you can't help but admire the effort.

Otherwise, everything feels that bit more polished. There are sticky platforms that make it harder to lose your footing, and while AI characters still have their moments - at one point I was convinced blacksmith Mr. Briggs was trying to parody Jacob's Ladder, though his rapid shaking was merely because he was stuck on a piece of scenery - but for the most part their behaviour is a vast improvement on previous games. The lone player certainly won't be pining after the comparative reliability of a human partner quite so often.

By the look of things, On Stranger Tides offers a return to the simpler storytelling of the first - and best - Pirates film. Fingers crossed, eh?

It still irks me slightly that a game based on a construction toy spends more time on destruction, even if the compulsion to smash everything and siphon up those lovely studs remains so strong. One day, I'd love to play a Lego game that allows me to build anything I want, like that giant starship I built from four different sets of space Lego as a kid.

Until then, we have formulaic but tremendously enjoyable games like this - not that you can blame TT Games for sticking to the template that has brought millions of young gamers such enjoyment over the past few years. It's true that those who've played the last two or three Lego titles might experience a little déjà vu, but the rest will likely find that a pirate's life is very much for them. Savvy?

8/10

[Rudderless]

has anyone played the 3DS version yet? and if so, what are your thoughts? (eg. is it worth the purchase price or should I just grab the 360 version?)

I'd just grab the 360 version. There's a nice sense of depth, but it's a trimmed down and simplified version of the 360 game. Feels more like an upscaled DS game than the slightly downgraded console title you might expect given the 3DS's capabilites (and the price of the games).

[deKay]

I'd just grab the 360 version. There's a nice sense of depth, but it's a trimmed down and simplified version of the 360 game. Feels more like an upscaled DS game than the slightly downgraded console title you might expect given the 3DS's capabilites (and the price of the games).

I'm sure you're right, but this seems odd to me. TT have previously said the 3DS version is almost a direct port of the Wii version, so are they wrong, or is the Wii version also cut down?

[Rudderless]

Not played the Wii version, so I wouldn't like to say.

[Wistful]

I love the lego graphics anyway but this level looks good enough to eat:

http://www.giantbomb.com/quick-look-lego-pirates-of-the-caribbean/17-4102/

[Rudderless]

I love the lego graphics anyway but this level looks good enough to eat:

http://www.giantbomb.com/quick-look-lego-pirates-of-the-caribbean/17-4102/

It really is a lovely-looking game. Some of the lighting is genuinely impressive, and I encountered far fewer technical hiccups than in pretty much any other Lego game. There's even motion blur and depth-of-field effects. It's obvious they've been tweaking the engine as they've been making these games and they've reached a definite peak with it here.

[bradigor]

That does look very pretty. Loving some of the little touches too.

[sprite]

I'm going to give the 3ds version a go as I never get near the tv at the mo, will report back when I've got it and played

One review I read suggested the main differences to be lack of proper multiplayer, increased ability to gauge jumps, slightly shorter cut scenes and pirate duel street pass.

[The Shockmaster]

i want lego salo next

[sprite]

I'm going to give the 3ds version a go as I never get near the tv at the mo, will report back when I've got it and played

One review I read suggested the main differences to be lack of proper multiplayer, increased ability to gauge jumps, slightly shorter cut scenes and pirate duel street pass.

Indie didn't get it in! I am cry.

[sprite]

Got it now! Lego Pirates on 3DS is fun, first of all. The cut scenes are shorter than the console counterparts I've seen on YouTube (e.g the initial bit with Jack saving Elizabeth is all cut, it's basically just Jack arrives in port, oh he's a pirate, get him! But the explanation of the pirate gold was lengthy and very amusing). The graphics are great, I'm inclined to say the colours are a bit bland in comparison with Pilot Wings, but it's still very pretty. The 3D effect on collectables is lovely and there have been moments I've stopped with a chandelier in the foreground to just admire it's pop out effect . The cut scenes have 3D bits too, and the pirate gold cartoon tale was very effective.

Gameplay fun as always, fabulous music! Neat little tricks that different characters have. It's easier to follow I think than Harry Potter, which I found difficult to come back to after a while with the big hub world. I prefer the simpler approach but I know I may be an exception there.

Frame rate drops a bit in 3d when there's a lot of say smoke effects on, but remains smooth in 2d. Not an issue really, just worth a mention.

[Rudderless]

There's something weirdly washed out about the graphics on 3DS, like there's a light mist over everything.

[Matt G]

Started playing this with the missus over the weekend, has anyone else had weird problems with the brightness in it? On the second level we could hardly see anything so I went into the options rather than mess about with my tv settings. I moved the brightness one notch from 1.0 to 1.1 and there was a huge increase in brightness so I put it back to 1.0 and it was still much brighter than it was to start with. From that point onwards the brightness would randomly change - I say randomly but I think it quite often happened when we moved away from each other and the screen dynamically splits. Almost like the two modes have separate brightness settings and we only changed one?

Other than that it's been pretty good though, cutscenes are funny and get the plot across well given that I can't remember most of it, the fact that a lot more of the achievements work in co-op now is great and at least the first player only ones are marked as such. We both shit ourselves and then died laughing when we decided to cross over the seaweed barrier for the first time

[dunni]

Started playing this with the missus over the weekend, has anyone else had weird problems with the brightness in it? On the second level we could hardly see anything so I went into the options rather than mess about with my tv settings. I moved the brightness one notch from 1.0 to 1.1 and there was a huge increase in brightness so I put it back to 1.0 and it was still much brighter than it was to start with. From that point onwards the brightness would randomly change - I say randomly but I think it quite often happened when we moved away from each other and the screen dynamically splits. Almost like the two modes have separate brightness settings and we only changed one?

I had the same problem with it looking too dark and when I moved it up to 1.1 it seemed too bright. But I left it at 1.1 anyway and got used to it, and I've not noticed it changing at all. However I am playing single player.

Other than that it's been pretty good though

Yeah, it's good fun. The only other slight annoyance I'm having is that the screens can get very crowded with people. As sometimes there are five guys in your party and there can be NPCs hanging about that aren't bad guys you're meant to kill and get out the way.

[Matt G]

Yeah, it's good fun. The only other slight annoyance I'm having is that the screens can get very crowded with people. As sometimes there are five guys in your party and there can be NPCs hanging about that aren't bad guys you're meant to kill and get out the way.

I thought that too - it's not got the same clear cut distinction between players and enemies as jedi vs stormtroopers in Star Wars for example - it's just a big bunch of similar looking pirates on screen, some of which you need to kill.

[moosegrinder]

I picked this up for the bargaintacular price of £25 from Sainsbos (because I've not really seen it cheaper elsewhere. Although I haven't been looking, to be honest) and it's proper addictive. I'm currently on a grind for the 1,500,000 studs to get the 6X Treasure hat. Only 564,000 ish to go.

[deKay]

Did you get the 4x at 500,000? It's the first one available, then you can get both 2x soon after. Once you've those you don't need to grind.

Mind you, you don't need to grind anyway - they're all much cheaper than in other Lego games.

[moosegrinder]

I haven't found the 4 X one. I haven't used my hat finding hat much, though.

[scottcr]

3DS version of this is 23 quid on amazon and very highly rated! MUST RESIST!

[Yewone]

I picked this up for the bargaintacular price of £25 from Sainsbos

Nice..been waiting for this to drop so I can get a copy for the wife. 360 version I assume?

[moosegrinder]

Yuss, and worth every penny IMO.

[deKay]

I haven't found the 4 X one. I haven't used my hat finding hat much, though.

I didn't use the hat finding hat at all. I think it was my final purchase

The 4x is

on the beach in the middle section of the hub. Jump on all the poles.