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Black Sails
Game Design Document

Written, Designed, & Created by Alex Stout

Story
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Cinematic Opening: There are two brothers who belong to a pirate gang known

as The Wicked Waters Brigade that is headed by their father. In a night raid by the
military, their fatherthe Captainis killed by General Bonney. In the following days, the
role of leader remains undecided as the sons of the ex-captain argue over important
decisions. Finally, it comes down to a fist fight, gone sword fight. Our protagonist
William Bennettis cornered to the prow of the ship by his brotherDuff Bennett. Will
has a dagger sheathed on his hip. He attempts to draw the dagger and Duff strikes with
his bayonet, goring Will near his kidney. Will falls into the ocean. Blood rises to the
surface. He never surfaces. Duff is named captain of the ship, to many of the
crewmens dismay.
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On the shore of a desolate island, Willalivehallucinates for 2 days. In a daze,

he peers into the sunlight pouring through the overcast. He hears a caw and a crow
emerges from the light. The crow lands by him and speaks. It introduces itself as
Elemiah and tells him hell be okay. The crow brings him water. Elemiah works on
healing Williams side. The crow flies high, turns around and dives straight into his
side...Will shoots up, screaming in agony, holding his side. Hes now conscious, he
peers around the shore, looking for the crow. Its nowhere in sight.
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Gameplay Begins: He looks around the island for anything useful. After circling

the small island entirely, he stops and looks out to the cloudy sunset over the ocean.
He stands on rocks as his frustration sets in. He picks up a large rock and hurls it into
the ocean, and groans in agony as his hand flings to his side to grasp his injury. He
falls on his hands and knees panting, crying. He hears a caw. He looks to the sunset,
squinting to see. Another caw as the crow appears from the sunlight. Elemiah lands by
his side. The crow tells him he cant give up and theres a prophecy that lies ahead. Will

stands tall. The crow guides him on the island. Tells him to make shelter for a storm.
The next day, Emeliah tells him what to use to make a spear to catch fish. The crow
tells him what to collect and how to make fire for warmth and for a smoke signal.
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Another 2 days pass. Finally, a small ship comes ashore. A couple men get off

the boat. They ask Will how he got stranded. He tells them hes a sailor in the Navy
and was injured in a pirate attack. They take him onboard and feed him and care
further for his wounds. The ship sets sail and the crow flies off into the distance. The
men say theyre researchers and explorers. They tell stories. They tell him theyre
headed back to the mainland and they are only two days away. Will is asked to do
various tasks until they reach mainland. He enjoys the work. He is healing well.
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They reach the mainland at sunrise. Luckily, Wills appearance is a bit scraggly

(and aged) since last seen by mainland patrols. He helps the men carry crates onto
wagons on the dock. The explorers part ways telling Will theyll set sail again in 5 days
if hed like to join them.
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The crow lands by William once hes alone. The crow tells him about the

mainland and where he can go for jobs, sleep, fun, and food.
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There are several jobs and things that Will can do to kill time here. He can

choose to pursue jobs with a fishing crew, the military, outlaws, butchers, blacksmiths,
patrolmen, farmers, etc. No matter what he chooses, he will soon be able to explore the
oceans and different shores. He does a mission where he gets a map of the mainland.
He learns that he can use the crow to do quick flyovers for an overhead view.
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His spirits remain dark with the loss of his father and the betrayal of his brother.

He desires to confront his brother and set him straight.

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After spending a few days on the mainland under the name Bart Dicky (to avoid

suspicion with the law), he has the option to set sail.

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When he arrives on another island (depending on who he sailed with), he is

given more missions, some important to the story, some fun and some for learning and
building skills. On one land, his identity is quickly discovered and he is sought for

execution. He is captured and detained...as Will walks the line, he recognizes the
officer in chargeCommander Gifford. He tells Gifford that he knows who killed his
beloved brother and knows where to find him. He proposes helping to attain the killer.
Gifford accepts his offer. They set sail and Will knows what ship to seek. They find the
ship and raid it only to find the man is already dead. Will promises redemption to the
officer and is granted a pardon. Will can easily get himself into trouble with the police
again if hes not careful.
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Will comes into contact with two crewmen (Gabe & Zeke) who were on his ship

when he was in the Wicked Waters Brigade. They tell Will that they saw Duff betray his
father and trap him so he could be easy bait for General Bonney. Will is infuriated by
his brothers betrayal and now seeks revenge.
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In the end, Duff is the most powerful man in the criminal world and Will is the

most influential to the rest of the world. Will and Duff fight in a village that was raped
and pillaged by Duff. Its dark, the village is lit only with candle and firelight. The fight
progresses up a trail through the woods. Will backs Duff to a cliffs edge in firelight. A
few heavy words and Will drops his sword. Duff begins to laugh, calling Will a coward.
The mob of angry villagers comes up from behind Will, torches and weapons in hand.
Will says goodbye and disappears behind the mob as they lunge at Duff ensuring his
demise.
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Will is seen as a hero to the villagers. From here, gameplay is open-world and

he can change his image from good to bad depending on what things he chooses to do
to kill time.
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The Wicked Waters Brigade says theyd take him as their captain, good or bad.

There are some small missions afterward (more to come).

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Setting
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Its set in a fictional rendition of the British Isles and surrounding waters and

countries. The time period is the late 1690s and plays through the turn of the 18th
century. There are two militaries softly at naval war, basically just to show off naval
power (The countries are fictional renditions of the British and the French). There are
often naval battles seen while out at sea and there are a couple missions and mini
games involved in ship battles.

Objective
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His overall objective is redemption. Williams brother Duff is evil so William seeks

justice on him, as well.

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William is wanted on several shores for his crimes as a pirate. William wants to

pay his dues and bring peace and justice to the people of the surrounding world.
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William does various missions for the townspeople, military, patrolmen, etc. And

brings an end to the mayhem of Duff Bennett making him a respectable hero to the
known world.

Flow
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To go from one point of the story to the next usually involves climatic changes in

the story and skill changes such as earning the ability to sail a ship or ride a horse. The
story will have major shifts as Will discovers more about the truth of his brothers
betrayal and his location. There are also shifts as Will becomes more beloved to the
people of the known world.

Difficulty
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The game gets more difficult because enemies become more skilled and

numerous and tasks become more difficultObjectives become more obscure. The
player will earn more skills along the way to accommodate for the increased difficulty,
but never too much to offset the challenge.

Ending
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As Will gains the trust of all the towns people, it becomes a war of Duff vs. The

World. The townspeople, the military, some outlaws, and patrolmen alike want Duff
gone. Will coaxes Duff to an innocent shore where Duff thinks Will will be easy prey. A
sword fight between Will and Duff ensues. Will now a challenging opponent for Duff is
able to corner Duff to a cliff. He chooses not to kill his brother and turns away. Duff
laughs and calls Will a coward as he disappears into the trees. Out from the trees
arrives an angry mob who swarm Duff ensuring his demise.
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Will is seen as a hero. The world is still his vessel, and there are open mini

games once the story ends. The player can become an outlaw and try to smuggle
stolen goods from coast to coast, evading the sea patrols. Or join the military and fight
battles against other navies to gain control of water passages, etc. He could join the
patrols and hunt outlaws. Or join a fishing crew, and still may continue various land jobs
for money to buy goods and property. There is one more mission unlocked after 10
mini-missions are completed after the story that will unleash undead pirates, ghosts,
ghouls, a cycloptic ogre, and a Kraken (or perhaps it will included through DLC).

Characters
Protagonist: William Bennett !

A thirty-something lifelong pirate bearing a

resemblance to the modern-day celebrity Clive Owen. Hes

known for sailing the seas on his fathers ship, pillaging
towns, raiding ships, and the like.
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His father is killed and he is betrayed by his

brother Duff. He is left for dead in the open sea. He

William Bennett

withstands his near death and takes a new perception

on life. He seeks redemption and seeks to end the turmoil his brother causes as the
worlds most feared pirate.
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The name William is derived from the word will; which in the English dictionary is

defined as control deliberately exerted to do something or to restrain one's own

impulses (Apple Dictionary [Software], Definition of Will).

Antagonist: Duff Bennett !

Also a thirty-something lifelong pirate, who grew

up alongside brother William always competing to

impress their father. He is overcome with greed for
power and betrays his father and brother. Becomes the
most powerful pirate ever known to the world pushing his
power beyond the waters onto the surrounding land.
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Hes selfish and literally cares for nothing

but power and riches. He finds pleasure in the

suffering of others.
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The name Duff is Gaelic meaning dark in

characteristic (http://www.thinkbabynames.com/
meaning/1/Duff).

Duff Bennett

Confidants:
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Elemiah The Crow - Elemiah is Williams number one. He is his guide, his

mentor, and his only trusted friend from the beginning. Elemiah enables William to see
the world from a live, birds-eye view. He trains William survival skills and educates him.
Elemiah is the Angel of Inward Journeys. Elemiah protects those who travel by water.
Guides us to recall insights from our subconscious (http://www.angel-guide.com/namesangels.html, definition of Angel name Elemiah)
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Commander Gifford - A commander known for ridding the world of criminals,

hanging at least one criminal a day. Befriends William when he promises to help him
catch the killer of his brother.
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Old friends Gabe & Zeke - Gabe & Zeke are messengers who were in the

Wicked Waters Brigade with William but jumped ship when Duff took charge. They help
William find Duff and tell him of his true evils.
Opposers:
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General Bonney - A Naval General who takes pride in destroying pirate ships and

ridding the waters of pirates and other naval armies. He is the killer of Williams and
Duffs father. This all seems like good practice, but hes corrupt and is helping Duff
become the most influential pirate ever. He is gradually seen as evil and corrupt and
becomes known to the world as Terrible Bonney after a ship battle goes awry and
several innocent bystanders are killed on a nearby shore.
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Captain Titus - Titus is the captain of the Raining Fire gang. A gang that joins the

Wicked Waters later on becoming another pawn of Duffs. Titus is killed somewhere
near the end of the story in a ship fire. The name Titus by the Greek definition is fire, to
burn (http://www.20000-names.com/fire_names_hot_names.htm, definition of name
Titus).
Units:
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In general, there are three different types of combatants: Standard swordsmen

(easy, close combat), acrobatic swordsmen (hard, close-to-distant combat), and

riflemen (medium difficulty, distant combat). The standard swordsman is most skilled at

blocking, other than that they suck. Lookout for the acrobatic swordsman. He can
swing from one end of the ship to the other decapitating foes in one fell swoop (it will
take more than one strike to kill William, however). The rifleman, is best at using the
rifle, can only fire once every few seconds, and can defend himself well in close combat
with a short sword.
Unlocked units after main story (perhaps through expansion):
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Undead pirates - Generally easy, except they are overwhelming in number.

Ghosts - frustratingly elusive, best destroyed by fire.

Cycloptic Ogre - Lurks in caves protecting treasures. Smaller easier Ogres carry

wooden clubs. Larger Ogres are slower but carry a mace hammer and can take several
blows. Best destroyed by taking out the feet and giving a couple blows to the head, or
causing a cave to collapse on it.
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Kraken - Cant ever be completely

destroyed. You can only remove all its

tentacles rendering it useless. Lookout
though, Its tentacles will eventually heal and
grow back.

Level
Design
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Certain lands will be blocked by bridges,

Kraken

dams, or other obstructions until the story takes

the player there. The world is open otherwise. The world basically just grows as the
player reveals more of the story.
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Land terrains differ. Some are more mountainous, some are cliffy, one is deserty,

others are tropical. Water ways differ as well. The Devils Gorge at the center of the
map is known for being high rapid and tumultuous. There is rain and high winds at

times. They make sailing difficult, sloshing tides on deck and blowing the sails every
which way. Weather on land can cause flooding and mudslides, as well (these things
can destroy property, but also bring new jobs).

Maps
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There is one map. Its one big open world. Its mostly surrounded by land with

islands in the middle. And one major body of water filling the middle. Edges of the map
are blocked by obstructions such as bridges, damns, and rocks to keep the player from
wandering off the map. Heres a concept of the map:

Aesthetics
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The style of the game will be dark and

piratey. Its like a gloomy Pirates of the

Caribbean as if it were co-directed by Zack
Snyder (director of 300 and Watchmen) and
Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill series and Inglorious
Basterds) and made by Rockstar San Diego on
the RAGE game engine which was used for
Grand Theft Auto IV and Red
Dead Redemption. The
physics are realistic, the
waters vast and dark, the sky
often gloomy, the clothing
mostly tattered, the language
filthy, the blood prolific, the
sound of canons in the
distance, and the music is
dark and cinematic. The style
will evoke the desire to fight.
Will needs to bring himself out of the
dark; killing the evil forces will bring
light to his life.

No kids!

Rules
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Mechanics will be based on the RAGE engine used by Rockstar San Diego. The

physics will be realistic. The playeron footcan sprint, run, jump, roll, switch weapons,
swing a sword, fire a gun, block attacks, rope swing when under sails, mount a horse,
mount the helm of a ship, enter cover, check his inventory in his satchel, crouch, rotate
the camera, climb things, enter control of Elemiah, do a quick birds-eye view, and look
at the map.
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The player is bound to the map. Theres no way of escaping beyond the edges

of the map. William can climb a lot of things, including buildings, signs, fences, ships
with ropes or ladders, masts, luffs, jibs, and booms of a ship, some trees, some cliffs,
and some rocks.
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The player cant fly as William, but can as Elemiah. Elemiah is bound by the

ground, water, invisible walls, and an invisible ceiling. On horse, the player is bound to
land and cant climb anything. On a ship, the player is bound to the waters. They can
shipwreck onto rocks, beach the ship, and dock the ship, as well. The map edges are
bound by land, bridges, structures, and rocks.

Controls
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On Foot
Control

Elemiah
Action

Left Joystick

Move

Left Joystick Button

Crouch

Hold Left Trigger

Zoom / Telescope

Hold Right Trigger

Fire Firearm / Swipe

Sword

Control

Action

Left Joystick

Pilot Controls
(inverted)

Left Trigger

Roll Left

Right Trigger

Roll Right

Left Bumper

Elevate

Right Bumper

Dive

Y Button

Snatch object / Drop

object

Left Bumper (Hold)

Weapon Select
(wheel)

Left Bumper (Tap)

Draw, Holster, Sheath

Right Bumper

Block / Enter Cover

B Button

Slow Down

Right Joystick

Rotate Camera

A Button

Accelerate

Right Joystick Button

Look Behind

X Button

Free Fall / Play dead

Y Button [tap] (by

horse / by Ship Wheel)

Get on horse / Helm

the Ship

D-Pad Up

Nothing

D-Pad Right

Nothing

Y Button [hold] Under

Sails

Rope Swing
D-Pad Down

Zoom Out

B Button

Focus on action

D-Pad Left

Control William

B Button

Reload gun

Back Button

Nothing

A Button (Hold)

Run

Start Button

Pause Menu

A Button (Tap)

Sprint

X Button

Roll (holding left

trigger)

X Button

Jump, climb

X Button

Dodge (holding left

trigger)

D-Pad Up

Whistle for Horse / Call

for help (if available)

D-Pad Left

Control Elemiah

D-Pad Right

Quick Birds Eye View

D-Pad Down

Zoom Out Mini-map

Back Button

Satchel

Start Button

Pause Menu

On Horse
Control

Ship Helm
Action

Control

Action

Left Joystick

Move

Left Joystick

Steer

Hold Left Trigger

Zoom / Telescope

Hold Left Trigger

Veer Left

Hold Right Trigger

Fire firearm / Swipe

Sword

Hold Right Trigger

Veer Right

Weapon Select
(wheel)

Hold Left & Right

Trigger

Slow

Left Bumper (Hold)

Left Bumper (Hold)

Left Bumper (Tap)

Draw, Holster, Sheath

Weapon/Strategy
Select (wheel)

Right Bumper (tap)

Slow

Left Bumper (Tap)

Fire Canons Left

Right Bumper (Hold)

Stop

Right Bumper (tap)

Fire Canons Right

Right Joystick

Rotate Camera

Right Joystick

Rotate Camera

Right Joystick Button

Look Behind

Right Joystick Button

Look Behind

Y Button

Dismount

Y Button

Unhelm Ship

B Button

Focus on action

B Button

Focus on action

B Button

Reload gun

A Button (Hold)

Speed Up

A Button (Hold)

Trot

X Button

Dock, Rear

A Button (Tap)

Gallop

D-Pad Up

Nothing

X Button

Jump, Hitch Horse,

Rear

D-Pad Left

Control Elemiah

D-Pad Right

Quick Birds Eye View

X Button

Dodge (holding left

trigger)

D-Pad Down

Zoom Out Mini-map

D-Pad Up

Nothing

Back Button

Satchel

D-Pad Left

Control Elemiah

Start Button

Pause Menu

D-Pad Right

Quick Birds Eye View

D-Pad Down

Zoom Out Mini-map

Back Button

Satchel

Start Button

Pause Menu

Interface
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The game is in third person at all times whether as William on foot, horse, ship,

or as Elemiah. There is a mini map at the bottom left that looks like a compass with a
the surrounding map in the center of the compass. There is a health meter around the
compass and a little image of the current yielded weapon and (if necessary) the amount
of ammunition left in that weapon. When the player enters a new area, the name of the
area appears at the top of the screen for a moment and fades out. Subtitles are an
option. The player selects weapons by holding the left bumper (Xbox360) and pointing
the right joystick in the direction of the desired item. The player has other inventory like
food for health, letters, maps, collectibles, etc. These items are stored in the satchel
which is browsed to via the back button (Xbox360).
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When the player is on horseback, he can see the health of himself, the health of

the horse, and the stamina of the horse around the compass, as well as his yielded
weapon information.
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When at the helm of a ship, he sees the health of the ship, the amount of

ammunition for the canons, and the amount of crewmen of the ship.
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When controlling Elemiah, he sees the health of William, the health of Elemiah,

the yielded object, and the elevation is listed below the compass.

Sounds &
Music

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While sailing, the player can often hear ship battles in the distance. You can hear

the wind and the flap of the sails, the water sloshing at the bow, gulls flying overhead,
dolphins, whales, and seals can be seen and heard from time to time. When on land,
the player hears the chatter of the busy people around, the trot of horses, the clanging
of blacksmiths, etc. When at the shore of any land, you can hear the wind and the
waves splashing ashore, the occasional bark of a seal, and the squawk of seagulls.

Music will be a little eclectic. The main inspiration for this entire game (which

originated as a movie idea) is derived from a an Epic Metal band known as Grand
Magus. Their song Black Sails drove the entire conception of this game (hear the
song on youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8juJ3pd4SQ). This song is likely
to play only at sea and during opening and ending cinematics. The Epic Metal band
Epica would likely make the soundtrack including their song Montagues and
Capulets (hear it on youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdEBIazXELU), along
with music from the band Nightwish (hear it on youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=hTdhXxxWREo&feature=relmfu). These are songs that play at intense moments in
the game (during battles and rainstorms). So the music is epic and dramatic, but it
swings from modern to 18th century. If you know the music of film composers Hans
Zimmer, Danny Elfman, and Howard Shore, you may have a decent idea of the rest of
the music (heres an example of Hans Zimmers work on youtube, http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=21jW-ZpPDcA).

Genre
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The genre is an open-world, third-person action adventure. Its open world is

pretty large and doesnt limit the player to where he can go within the bounds of the
large map. Its third person because the player can see William from outside his body.
When hes on horseback, its a little more zoomed out, and when at the helm of a ship,
its zoomed out even further. When in control of Elemiah, the view is above and behind
the crow. The player can control the camera and swing it around William or Elemiah.
But the camera is weighted at the home position above and behind the character.
Finally, its an action-adventure story. The player begins a story and completes
missions and objectives to progress the story.
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Similar
Titles
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The most similar games are:

Red Dead Redemption (Xbox360, 2010) which is the main

inspiration for the flow, gameplay, interface, and game
engine for Black Sails.

Red Dead Redemption

(Xbox360, 2010)
Grand Theft Auto series. More great titles from Rockstar
San Diego. GTA IV (Xbox360, 2008) in particular is very
similar to Red Dead Redemption.

Grand Theft Auto IV

(Xbox360, 2008)
Fable series. This game is similar in the way William
takes jobs and chooses missions. Clothing and weapons
are quite similar, as well.

Fable III
(Xbox360, 2010)

Risen 2: Black Waters (PC, 2011) is a pirate game that is

pretty similar to the idea of Black Sails. The man-to-man
combat looks a bit sloppy, and the physics dont look the
best. The graphics and style are pretty good though.
Risen 2
(PC 2011; Xbox360 & PS3 2012)

Target
Audience

this guy

The target audience is young adult males who have

had the thirst for a great gritty, bloody, pirate game to be

made from Rockstar San Diego for years. Gamers
who play Rockstar titles are likely to enjoy this
game. The most likely ESRB rating will be Rated
M for Mature due to language, violence, blood,
gore, and all the other little fun ones like crude
humor, cartoon violence, animated blood,
intense violence, yada, yada, yada.
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