To start off my review, I'd like to state that YES, SEA OF THIEVES CAN BE PLAYED SOLO. ALTHOUGH IT'S EASIER AND WAY MORE FUN WITH PEOPLE, but if you have any interest, I'd recommend just getting the game and testing how it feels. That's what I did. THIS REVIEW IS WRITTEN FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF A SOLO PLAYER. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE GAME AND HAVE FRIENDS, JUST BUY IT ALREADY.

My friends have lost their interest for the game, so more than 90% of my playtime is done solo. First I was scared to solo, since in battle situations you're in a heavy disadvantage when compared to 4-man galleons or even to 2-man sloops. The solution? Avoid all conflicts. That's what I did for my first 100 hours, when loot and reputation actually mattered to me. Go to another island or outpost if somebody's already there, sail away, slow down the chasing ships' progress with fire and explosives, etc. It's important to know that sloop (the ship type for 1-2 players) is faster than other ships when sailing AGAINST the wind, letting you to get away from the ships with more manpower.

Outside of PvP, the game is still great fun when solo. Different voyage types from digging up chests to locating sunken ships, all great. Completing voyages will get you loot, which you may to sell at any outpost. Sold loot raises your reputation with the corresponding trading companies, allowing you to take on more complex but higher value voyages. There's also a clever risk/reward system known as emissaries that can make your loot up to 2.5x more valuable, while also making you a valuable target due to your emissary flag they can sell. World events, which give a lot more loot than voyages, are tough for a solo player, since anyone could just show up and snatch your progress. Many of the events aren't even balanced since they take forever for a solo player to beat.

However, Tall Tales are a great way to experience the game, even when solo. These take you on epic journeys, which include puzzle-solving, PvE fights, game lore and adventuring. What's so great about these is that you got nothing to lose. Tall Tales feature a checkpoint system, letting you resume from certain points. That's what helped me to learn PvP, funnily enough. I had nothing to lose, so I actually engaged with other ships, and even ended up with some stolen loot alongside the tale completion reward. The new Pirates of the Caribbean -themed Tall Tales mostly take place in a separate space outside of the main map, allowing the players to take their time with the experience. I'd recommend the original 9 Tall Tales if you'd like to learn the ropes. And don't worry about the puzzle parts, since there are detailed guides on the Internet on solving them, such as the website RareThief.

What I like about the player progression is that it doesn't depend on how much loot you cash in; a day 1 player has all the same tools as a seasoned veteran. Gold can only buy you cosmetics. Slowly mastering the weapons, ship controlling tricks and battle strategies is the progression.

The game itself is very beautiful, even with "cartoony" graphics. Music is extremely epic, and the world, alongside with its intriguing lore, keeps evolving with new updates. The developers really show their love for the game and its community.

Nowadays I don't really care about the loot, not afraid to sink. It's a pirate game after all. If you can't accept the fact that you may end up losing an hour of voyage progress every now and then, don't buy the game. Learn from your mistakes, enjoy the victories, and make some friends if possible, so you can actually play the game the intended way.

To start off my review, I'd like to state that YES, SEA OF THIEVES CAN BE PLAYED SOLO. ALTHOUGH IT'S EASIER AND WAY MORE FUN WITH PEOPLE, but if you have any interest, I'd recommend just getting the game and testing how it feels. That's what I did. THIS REVIEW IS WRITTEN FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF A SOLO PLAYER. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE GAME AND HAVE FRIENDS, JUST BUY IT ALREADY. My friends have lost their interest for the game, so more than 90% of my playtime is done solo. First I was scared to solo, since in battle situations you're in a heavy disadvantage when compared to 4-man galleons or even to 2-man sloops. The solution? Avoid all conflicts. That's what I did for my first 100 hours, when loot and reputation actually mattered to me. Go to another island or outpost if somebody's already there, sail away, slow down the chasing ships' progress with fire and explosives, etc. It's important to know that sloop (the ship type for 1-2 players) is faster than other ships when sailing AGAINST the wind, letting you to get away from the ships with more manpower. Outside of PvP, the game is still great fun when solo. Different voyage types from digging up chests to locating sunken ships, all great. Completing voyages will get you loot, which you may to sell at any outpost. Sold loot raises your reputation with the corresponding trading companies, allowing you to take on more complex but higher value voyages. There's also a clever risk/reward system known as emissaries that can make your loot up to 2.5x more valuable, while also making you a valuable target due to your emissary flag they can sell. World events, which give a lot more loot than voyages, are tough for a solo player, since anyone could just show up and snatch your progress. Many of the events aren't even balanced since they take forever for a solo player to beat. However, Tall Tales are a great way to experience the game, even when solo. These take you on epic journeys, which include puzzle-solving, PvE fights, game lore and adventuring. What's so great about these is that you got nothing to lose. Tall Tales feature a checkpoint system, letting you resume from certain points. That's what helped me to learn PvP, funnily enough. I had nothing to lose, so I actually engaged with other ships, and even ended up with some stolen loot alongside the tale completion reward. The new Pirates of the Caribbean -themed Tall Tales mostly take place in a separate space outside of the main map, allowing the players to take their time with the experience. I'd recommend the original 9 Tall Tales if you'd like to learn the ropes. And don't worry about the puzzle parts, since there are detailed guides on the Internet on solving them, such as the website RareThief. What I like about the player progression is that it doesn't depend on how much loot you cash in; a day 1 player has all the same tools as a seasoned veteran. Gold can only buy you cosmetics. Slowly mastering the weapons, ship controlling tricks and battle strategies is the progression. The game itself is very beautiful, even with "cartoony" graphics. Music is extremely epic, and the world, alongside with its intriguing lore, keeps evolving with new updates. The developers really show their love for the game and its community. Nowadays I don't really care about the loot, not afraid to sink. It's a pirate game after all. If you can't accept the fact that you may end up losing an hour of voyage progress every now and then, don't buy the game. Learn from your mistakes, enjoy the victories, and make some friends if possible, so you can actually play the game the intended way.