Well starting with the Box and components: the artwork and quality of the pieces for this game are excellent dripping with theme.
The cards are of good quality stock, the miniatures well made and impressive to look at, each player gets a treasure chest to stash their horde as well as a useful player board to store their items on. The cargo cards are used both for Cargo and during some combats which is a really neat mechanic.
The rules are not overly complicated and relatively easy to pick up. Combat is handled well and not to be undertaken lightly by new captains fresh out of port. Captains picked by players at the start each have different strengths and weaknesses in the core skills, each Captain also has a special ability all of which may influence whether they run as a Merchant or Pirate.
Even if you start the game as a Merchant temptation may come you way as the game progresses to go after that fully laden pirate ship to gain that last bit of glory to win the game.
This is not a short game but it is very enjoyable, the theme is built into every aspect of the game and you can't help but get caught up in it all. Each event, rumour and glory card just adds to the atmosphere of the game with you playing to the strengths of you chosen Ship/Captain combo.
Excellent game with lots of replayability, a worthy addition to my collection and one I will be playing again.
