"For those who have that itch to explore..."

Gameplay 8/10

You are the captain of a Portuguese fleet of ships. You start the game with one ship, but later you can build huge merchant vessels and powerful battle ships. The majority of your time will be sent establishing trade routes. As you introduce goods into a market, you affect that nation's overall economy. Thus, there is some strategy involved in driving down prices in some countries while increasing prices in another. As you progress through the game you can meet people who will give you hints about treasure locations, request goods from you, etc. This leads to a very entertaining simulation of life on the high seas. You can hire mates to control additional ships in your fleet. As you explore the world, you'll no doubt need to draw a map of the world (as there is no in-game map feature).

There are also pirates and such out at sea, and it's possible that you could turn a nation hostile against you. For moments like that, you will engage in typical Koei turn-based battles. The level of strategy involved is similar to other Koei titles, such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

The controls leave something to be desired. The menu seems unresponsive at times, and moving around at sea can be extremely tedious.

In towns you can play a rousing game of poker or blackjack at the bar inn, along with visiting the shops and such. All in all, if you are interested in exploration, sailing, cartography, or the like, you will no doubt have hours of fun.

Story 6/10

You are the captain of a Portuguese fleet trying to make a name for yourself. As you progress through the game, you will gain the attention of kings, who will commission you to various tasks. The world of Uncharted Waters isn't exactly historically accurate (nor geographically accurate, if you look at a map), but it does have a good historical feel to it. The characters, mostly your mates have a slight personality, and they talk to you (and are generally the ones you will hear the most often) so you do feel a bit of attachment to them. But they aren't consciously developed.

Presentation 6/10
Music: 7/10
Sound: 4/10
Graphics: 4/10

The music is very catchy, but there simply isn't enough. Sound effects are also very lacking. The graphics are below average. When you consider how much time you spend at sea, looking at that dull water can really deter from your fun.

Replayability 7/10

Because it's so non-linear, there are many ways to play the game. It will take a few minute to get used to controlling your ship and understanding how the game functions. Once you do get it, you can probably have fun with it for a few days. Unfortunately, you spend a lot of time trading, which can get old after awhile.

Overall: 8/10

If you don't mind slow moving games, you should have a good deal of fun with this one.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/22/05