Naval battles largely balance the disappointment of melee combat with high seas clashes that are challenging and totally entertaining. Your ship essentially exists as an entity separate from your character; in short, its combat abilities aren't tied to your level. How you outfit your ship determines your effectiveness in combat. Even more, strategy plays an enormous role in shaping the outcome of naval conflicts. It's possible for a small team of low-level players to take on a more experienced enemy and win with the right strategy and tactics – using wind properly or using the right type of cannon shot.

Pirates of the Burning Sea fundamentally gets it right--a great balance between economic and action that involves you in every aspect of the game without uncomfortably cramming it down your throat. The lack of innovation isn't what causes the game to suffer; instead, it's a bunch of minor nagging flaws that prevent it from being perfect. Still, in the end the thrilling ship combat and deep economic model thrusts the game into the upper tier of current MMOs.