LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean is another excellent entry in the LEGO-brand game series, which borrows familiar characters and throws them into an exciting adventure crafted out of LEGO blocks. Like other LEGO games based on films such as Lego Star Wars, LEGO Harry Potter, and Lego Avengers, Pirates of the Caribbean puts players in the middle of their favorite movies. Spread out across four worlds, each representing one of the major Pirates movies, you'll smash through blocks, collect studs, and journey across the seas as a brave pirate. Whether you're adventuring alone or bringing a partner along for the ride, LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean is a satisfying and straightforward experience that's a treat for any fan of the films.

Main Game Features

• Solo and cooperative gameplay options
• 16 levels based on the Pirates of the Caribbean films
• Nearly 80 playable characters

Story

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean features all of your favorite characters from the movies, including the legendary pirate Jack Sparrow, eager blacksmith Will Turner, and the cursed captain Davy Jones. Just like in previous LEGO games, the narrative plays out over cutscenes with no dialogue, packed with slapstick humor and easy-to-understand storytelling.

Generally speaking, the game follows Jack Sparrow on his continuous quest to plunder the Caribbean's many treasures while he deals with a variety of villains new and old. You'll swing through seaside towns escaping the law, engage in sword fights aboard massive ships, and even visit Davy Jones' locker yourself. If you've seen the original movies, following this LEGO version of the tale is pretty simple. However, the later levels can be a bit tough to understand, as the source material is notably convoluted. Despite this, LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean gives players a familiar tale of pirate antics that's satisfying and fun.

Gameplay

One of the best parts of any LEGO game is the comfortable and cathartic gameplay, which is a mixture of beat 'em up action and light puzzle-solving. There are a total of 16 levels, spread out across the game's four main sections. Like in previous LEGO games, there's a hub world to explore which lets you select your desired level. Here, you can search for valuable red bricks that give you extra powers, enter cheat codes, or visit a variety of shops with unlockable goodies. There are dozens of characters to unlock, each filling a specific role to help you solve puzzles. If you want to find everything LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean has to offer, you'll need to collect them all!

The individual levels contain key scenes from the movies, usually involving major action sequences such as battles, chase scenes, or escapes. Depending on the available character, players can run, jump, attack, or use a special power to interact with the environment. By breaking pieces of the environment, you can collect LEGO studs which are used to unlock extras in the hub world. Once you beat a level, you'll unlock a new character, along with the ability to replay the level in Free Play mode. In Free Play mode, you're allowed to play as any of your unlocked characters, letting you reach previously inaccessible areas and solve bonus puzzles. Since you never have to think about things too hard, LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean ends up being an entertaining and somewhat relaxing experience.

Conclusion

If you're a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean films or have played previous LEGO games, there are tons of reasons to try out LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean. In addition to the humorous storytelling, unique art style, and loads of unlockables, the game offers simple and satisfying gameplay that's fun for gamers of every age.

Pros

• Great cooperative gameplay
• Easy-to-learn controls
• Lots of replayability

Cons

• Some underwhelming characters
• Lack of gameplay improvements over predecessors
• Occasionally annoying puzzles