Vendetta - Curse of Raven's Cry

[Konjad]

This is honestly the best pirate RPG I've ever played. It has low Steam ratings because of a really botched release version, but as of late 2020 all bugs seem to have been squashed. Although I haven't finished the game yet, after hours of play I did not encounter a single issue with the game at all, not even a minor bug, so it seems all is fine by now.

The atmosphere of the game is superb. It feels quite grim and violent, which fits the pirate theme perfectly. It's more akin to Black Sails TV series than any other pirate game I ever played. Music is very pleasant, from calm ambient sounds and quiet theme to tavern sordid songs sung and played by NPCs, it all fits perfectly. Visuals are just as good, the game is fairly gloomy, nonetheless, there are not only dark jungles or dirty docks, but also beautiful beaches and wealthier town parts which look authentic and pleasant.

The main storyline might not be the most interesting one with its theme of vengeance, but it is properly delivered and side quests can be quite interesting. Moreover, the main character, who is a pirate, acts like one. A deranged man with no morals and you get to play the bad guy, which is rare even in pirate games - which usually while allowing you piracy, have storylines about saving someone or the world or you always act like the nice guy helping others and just receiving payment as a reward, or becoming a merchant. In Vendetta it's the complete opposite. I especially appreciate the complete lack of any political correctness and realistic portrayal of the times. Lots of swearing from pirates, as well as "dirty talk", no "poor and defensless native people" just trying to stay alive against evil colonizers like in Risens. Here they are portrayed in a more authentic way of the brutal world and in their interactions with outsiders. They are depicted as uncivilized and often as immoral as invaders, if not more. Women are clearly presented in the game more to be either wives or prostitutes, there's only one female captain. Piracy is more profitable than trade as well. While this all might sound a little harsh and degrading, it is a realistic depiction of the times and places.

Combat is outstanding. Both land fights and sea battles are enjoyable and challenging. A lot of people in Steam reviews complain about the combat - I suspect these people don't enjoy the challenge. When you fight in melee you need to time your attacks correctly and block properly. Mashing LMB will get you killed quickly. Fights require patience, not throwing yourself at the enemy. When fighting multiple enemies, they will not allow you to duel them in succession, but instead stab you in the back as soon as they can. To win unfair fights you're often going to need some dirty tricks, including kicking, using second weapon that is your hook, or using pistols - and you can carry up to three of them loaded simultaneously. There are skills improving your possibilities in combat, but more important are the player's skills.

Sea battles are also well made, but more similar to other pirate games. You press a button to give command to shoot from left, right or front, and have option to use three different kinds of ammunition. Boarding is also possible, although you don't take a part in it directly, but just give orders. There are different ships to use in the game and each of them can be upgraded so as to make it better in some ways, such as you can sacrifice some space for cargo to load more cannons on the ship. My only complaint is that you can only have one ship. There is no way to hire another captain and create a fleet, which is a shame because I'd really like to make a fleet and besiege a town, but I guess that was beyond developers' time or capabilities.

There are also multiple factions to join, but you don't need to join anyone and are able to remain a lone wolf throughout the game, however, you can get more quests if you join one of them, i.e. the French. In addition, you never have too much money in Raven's Cry, as often is the case in other RPGs. There are always multiple things to spend money on, and ships can be very expensive.

Recapitulating, this is a properly done Role-Playing as well as pirate game with fantastic land and sea combat, marvelous realism and authenticity of the world and decent enough story. All activities in this game give plenty of entertainment, whether it is combat, dialogues, exploration or piracy. There are no weak or poorly made parts of the game, which is extremely rare in pirate games. Bugs seem to have been fixed too. Overall, it's a really great game worth time and money. Unquestionably the best game from Reality Pump. If you enjoy RPGs, then I strongly recommend playing Vendetta as it's an engrossing and gratifying experience.

[GothGirlSupremacy]

Can I get scurvy like my favorite user Scruffy?

[Galdred]

So, how does it compare to the Sea Dogs series then (Sea Dogs, Pirates of the Carribean, City of abandoned ships, Sea Dogs: To each their own)? They were also very janky, but they had cool open worlds, and from what I recall, ship combat and finding good crewmen was cool.

[Watser]

So, how does it compare to the Sea Dogs series then (Sea Dogs, Pirates of the Carribean, City of abandoned ships, Sea Dogs: To each their own)? They were also very janky, but they had cool open worlds, and from what I recall, ship combat and finding good crewmen was cool.

Bear in mind it's been a long time ago I played Sea Dogs, but the naval combat is very similar and the ship management is also done in a similar way. Making sure you have enough men, choose ship based on cargo or battle capabilities, sacrificing cargo space for munitions etc.
Tbe game is surprisingly enjoyable after all the memes that circulated upon its initial release. While the new version is still janky (melee vs animals made me rage hard) there are no major technical issues. All the islands are very beautiful but unfortunately vary wildly in content. So many great locations you only have to visit once without ever having a reason to return. The game is stretched too thin, and while the game isn't particularly long it's a chore to complete.

I'd still recommend it if you have an itch for some pirate jank, it's a surprisingly fun game.