"What I am seeking is fortune and fame - now that is an adventure!"

Tales of adventure on the high seas seem to be in vogue right now. There is other releases dealing with pirates and Caribbean, as well as a major film being released.

Port Royale has primed its cannons and hopes to drop anchor into the market, and just might do exactly that. This is a game that is well crafted and while it does have a few setbacks in some areas, the game does have depth of gameplay. Ascaron and Tri Synergy have teamed up for this PC release and provided game players with high-seas adventure, a touch of role-playing and civilization building against a rich tableau of changing politics and marauding bandits.

"On these seas lurk those who think they can have easy pickings with their cannons and cutlasses - pirates!"

The vice governor of Cat Island has that aristocratic air to him that either speaks of his disdain for most of those he comes in contact with, his sense of humor or his stupidity. However, there is little to doubt about the 6500 gold coins offered by the Spanish government for Jean Fleury, infamous pirate known to sail the seas around Tortuga. Find him on your journeys, battle him and win, and your coffers grow.

But that is not the main way of succeeding in this game. Each port in the Caribbean has some supplies and each lacks supplies. By playing the classic marketing game of buying low and selling high, you can quickly increase your wealth, standing as well as your fleet and armament.

In many regards, this game plays out like a classic civilization game, with some mini-adventures thrown in along the way.

The mapboards are nicely designed. This is a point-and-click game. You can use the keyboard to move around the maps, but for the most part, you click where you wish to go and your ship sets sail for that port, or that spot on the open sea. Finding pirates and engaging them is hard, and you will need to check in each port to see who is wanted, how much they are now worth and where they were last seen. If they were last spotted nearby, be prepared for a sea battle.

Also, other NPC ships are thrown into the mix and what each port has a stock of, or needs changes constantly. You must preplan and then be prepared to be disappointed. The evolving nature of this game is quite good.

Game features include more than 60 towns to visit as well as secret places to discover, treasure to find, battles to fight, developing farms and plantations, the option to be either a merchant or a pirate, and a rich historical back that will embroil you in a territorial fight. Want to capture towns? You can certainly try. While the game does have a historical perspective, and while there are missions that you can undertake, Port Royale is amazingly non-linear.

The game’s sound is full-bodied and fits the time frame well. From ambient ocean noises to a variety of music and the sounds of industry, the game makes certain that what you see is supported with solid sound elements.

And what you see is very good. This is a three-dimensional game that is lush to look at. The mapboards, viewed from god-perspective or from the clouds, look much better than the boat icon sailing upon them. The towns are bustling with activity and look very nice. If, indeed, there are any elements that don’t carry the graphical tone of the game, overall, it would be the rendering of the ships. At times they look like quickly made models plunked into the world.

Be prepared for a bit of a learning curve. Though this game has a slow-paced tutorial, you will likely spend at least 40 minutes getting comfortable with the various aspects and control elements. The game also comes with bonus material including earlier renderings used in the game.

Port Royale has great depth of gameplay. The missions, the battles and the opportunity to create your character the way you see fit is very well done. This is a game that requires thought, more so than physical action. Port Royale is very well done and is an enjoyable adventure in a time when surviving was an adventure unto itself.

This is the type of game that will appeal to fans of economic-style games, as well as those who enjoy a good sea battle.

This game is rated for Everyone.

Gameplay: 8.5
The game maps are huge and the game plays out in real time. There are three phases to the gameplay, the sailing, the ports and the battles. Players do have the ability to speed up time rather than have it drag by as they voyage from one port to another.

Graphics: 8.3
Lush and colorful, this game looks very good - unless you zoom in too close and then the details pixilate.

Sound: 8.5
The ambient sounds are very well done, and the musical score has that rich sound that speaks well of the style of the game.

Difficulty: Medium
This game does have a learning curve of perhaps 40 minutes, and you can adjust the level of difficulty for your battles. The game AI is very good and this game will keep you on your toes.

Concept: 8.4
Port Royale is the type of game that combines elements of board games, sea combat and economic models with a solid look. The interface is relatively simple, and getting comfortable with it is a combination of getting comfortable with it and the game’s concepts at the same time.

Multiplayer: 8.3
This game can be played over a Network or Internet. There are 4 main scenarios to choose from and the competition requires thought and planning.

Overall: 8.5
Set sail for adventure in a game that allows you to create who you wish to be - honorable but shrewd merchant or ruthless pirate. The world is well designed with lush graphics and solid sound. Port Royale has depth of gameplay and presents this enjoyable but challenging escapade against a rich background of a battle for power in the Caribbean.