7th Guest

This is one of those games that, while it fails to knock your socks off, is thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. Playing as the anatomically improbable Katarina, you roam the sea in a variety of boats and travel by foot over islands filled with forts, monkeys, and pirates. The game includes a story about a secret birthright, a one-eyed bad guy, and some handsome dude whom I call Marquis de la Moustache--you can fill in the blanks. All you really need to know is that you have to wander around collecting stuff and killing giant crabs. This turns out to be surprisingly pleasant, in no small part because of the heroic soundtrack. Dispatching enemies to the sounds of swelling strings and resounding brass is guaranteed to make you feel spiffy. It's like starring in an expertly crafted B movie.

Pirates: The Legend of Black Kat is in fact surprisingly fun given that none of its component parts are all that impressive. The graphics are nothing to write home about, the combat system is ordinary, the characters generic. But everything about the game, even its standard-issue story, has an earnest, irresistible charm. Though there are plenty of battles, the vibe of the game is gentle. After all the bloody, "edgy" games we have seen lately (and believe me, the deluge of blood and edginess has barely begun), there is something refreshingly old-fashioned about a game whose vanquished characters disappear in a discreet poof. With a straight face, the game asks you to collect magic seashells, travel through magic portals, and talk to birdies. I almost found myself looking around for My Little Pony.

The only really annoying thing is Katarina's inability to walk uphill. Here's a woman who can dispatch three pirates simultaneously while doing a backflip, but who can't walk up the gentlest grassy incline. Ascend more than a few feet, and Katrina slides down like a snowboarder. She looks darn sporty doing it, but when you're trying to investigate a burning mansion or some other interesting feature, it's very frustrating.

This game is a good time, even if your socks are still on when you finish. 

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