When we think of pirate games nowadays the first names that spring to mind are Assassin's Creed Black Flag, Sea of Thieves, and, possibly, Skull and Bones. Go back in time 14 years however, and it was Captain Blood, an extremely God of War inspired seafaring hack-and-slash, that was keeping the genre alive. Stylish, bloody, and gleefully profane, if you haven't heard of Captain Blood it's probably because it never actually came out - despite a concerted publicity campaign and several restarted attempts at development, the last time Captain Blood was seriously in the public eye was back in 2010. But that's all about to change. Long believed dead, somehow, someway, Captain Blood is now playable on Steam.
While aesthetically Captain Blood is a pirate game, it plays more like the original versions of God of War, or maybe classic Devil May Cry. The eponymous plunderer uses flintlock pistols, but they're rapid fire and he dual wields them. You get axes, cutlasses, and all the hallmark weapons of the 17th-century maritime era, but you can swing them around like Kratos possessed, stringing together long-form combos and severely gory finishing moves.
First revealed back in 2006, Captain Blood was originally called Age of Pirates: Captain Blood. It disappeared for a while before resurfacing in 2010 under the direction of Realpolitiks, Forgive Me Father, and Graven publisher Fulqrum. And that was that. It vanished into obscurity. Now it's been revived by Seawolf Studio and a new publisher, Sneg, and there's an actual demo that you can play today.
"The game underwent several iterations throughout the '00s and was last showcased in 2010 before vanishing for years," the team says. "Now, we are excited to bring it back, combining its original glory with a series of modern improvements for today's gamers."
What we have here is a piece of forgotten, almost mythical gaming history - in the age of boomer shooters, remakes, and remasters, Captain Blood is authentically a game from an older generation, brought to life for 2024. If you want to give it a try, just head here.
Otherwise, treat yourself to some nostalgia with the best old games, or maybe try the best action-adventure games on PC.
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