Online game "Tidal Trek"

When we hear the phrase "Tidal Trek" we immediately imagine a ten-by-ten cell field with letters and numbers, rectangular ships, E4 - wounded, E5 - sunk. Meanwhile, there is a free browser RPG with the same name and battles on cage cards. However, other aspects of its different from the desktop entertainment: there is a pirate environment with an admixture of fantasy, instead of cruisers the sea plowing sailboats, around a lot of monsters, and the world is much bigger than a notebook page. Let's see what else makes this work noteworthy.

As it should be for a story about sea robbers, the game takes the bull by the horns right away, not changing it for a romantic prologue. The ship is attacked by pirates, the captain is wounded in the battle, after which he wakes up inside a dinghy stuck to the shore of Golden Island. By the way, instead of a hero, there can be a heroine, because at the beginning you are put before the choice between two classes - warrior and mage, and female and male appearance. But whoever you take, this does not affect the plot and further events. These same events begin immediately and in large numbers, often accompanied by battles, because the archipelago is inhabited by both peaceful characters and monsters and gentlemen of fortune of all stripes. One of them must be helped, others must be defeated in battle.

In the Sea Battle universe, you move only under sail - if you need to talk to someone, all you have to do is get to the pier near the house of the right person. While traveling on a mission, you can turn on automatic navigation, but nothing prevents you from cruising the waves on your own to explore the map in detail. And there's a lot to see here: the detailed scenery and the actors in the story, drawn with great taste. Rarely a browser game can boast such beautiful pseudo three-dimensional graphics. We had to sacrifice scale for aesthetics: there is no giant open world here - only locations connected by portals. However, they do not get bored after an hour or a day.

Most of the issued to the hero's errands are reduced to the fact that it is necessary to get to a specified location and to engage in battle. Sometimes a gang of pirates is asked to pacify, then the sea monster to cut up for fish, or to help someone good in the fight against someone evil. The battle opens in a separate window, with your forces on one side of the squared-off field and the enemy forces on the other. From there you have turn-based maneuvers: you can either wait for the enemy's attack, or move towards him. You can't cross the water area in one fell swoop, because you're only allowed to swim a few squares per turn, so even stomping on the spot is tactically advantageous. For example, the enemy spends his turn to get close to you, and you, without moving anywhere, invest action points in the attack. The maps on which the battles unfold are not empty: here and there, obstacles in the form of rocks or islands stick out of the water - they can be used as hiding places.

One of the important features of the game is that monsters and pirates do not attack you in free-floating mode - to engage in combat, you have to specially click the mouse pointer on the enemy. So you can explore the sea without unnecessary fears. Except for the accomplishment of feats brave captain is involved in other activities: to gather a squadron of allies, making friends managed by other players, dives into an analogue of the widespread MMO-roller games "dungeon" ("Sunken Bay") and fights with the bosses in the "sea of destruction" to get the reward. Not without the traditional development of the genre, from improving the hero and ships to training a pet. And, of course, the cultural program includes a treasure hunt.

Tidal Trek has a very original development system. It works in three directions at once: level growth, captain recruitment and ship improvement. But let's talk about everything one by one. The first thing you should pay attention to is the level of your hero. It depends on it what equipment is available to you, how many sailing ships can be under your command and what is the total strength of the squadron. According to the canons of the genre, the level increases as you gain experience by winning battles and completing missions. Also, this figure affects the number of available activities: gradually you open up and duels in the arena, and a personal estate and pet, which gives bonuses. Finally, the level determines the hero's skills - the more experience you have, the stronger the techniques used in combat.

To hire helpers, just drop into the tavern, where both free captains and mercenaries, who must be paid for, await their fate. A recruited sea wolf will be under your command along with your ship - for example, if you have three allies, you can summon four ships to the battlefield, including a hero ship. The squadron has a total of seven sailing ships, but only the flagship can be controlled directly, while the mates move and fight automatically.

A separate part of the pumping is dedicated to the fleet. You start the game on a small boat, soon get a stronger ship, and there to the powerful frigates nearby. Especially nice that the three-masted dhow is given at level ten for free. Each ship has its own merits. One, for example, further moves in a turn, and the other is able to shoot through two squares, while usually you have to get up close to the enemy. In addition, there are six improvement boxes on any board: gun, bow figure, deck, rudder, handrail and ammunition storage. By acquiring items in adventures, such as a new cannon or sturdy decking, you can fortify your ship with them for advantage in combat. This applies to both the flagship and allied captains' sailing ships.

Of course, both ships and their equipment can be obtained not only as prizes, but also created in a personal shipyard. To build a new ship, all you need is a blueprint. In addition, any production needs resources, which are issued for victories in battles or disassembly of unnecessary items. For example, disposing of the launchboat, when it is no longer needed, brings wood and sailing material.

Tidal Trek invites you into the community of other players long before the newcomer enrolls in the Legion, the local equivalent of a "guild" (as the MMO genre usually calls permanent user collectives). First, you can add yourself as a friend of anyone present on the server at any time. Secondly, every time you descend into the "Sunken Bay" location, where you fight a succession of enemies for a reward, your character is joined by a friend. Since you can't take the whole squadron there, this support comes in handy. To these features are attached and chat to communicate, and trading platform, and joint defense of the estate from the attack of enemies, and the battle between the users - in PvP mode. However, it's not so simple anymore.

Battles between fleets of live players are automatic, so no one can use tactical tricks, even using cliffs-hiding places. Here we compete by brute force - the algorithm simply moves the ships "wall to wall" and the cannonade begins. In the end, the one who is better packed ascends to the podium. Getting access to the arena after reaching level 15, the newcomer often has to deal with exactly the same development of opponents, who somehow managed to equip their ships to the full program. But in fact there is no secret here - like any other browser RPG, "Battleship" offers to buy special equipment, paying real money. And many people take advantage of this. However, those who would like to fight without spending, there are many options to reduce the gap in power: just wait with the arena to collect all the necessary items in other activities, and at the same time join the legion to receive bonuses from companions.

The theme of pirates and sailing is not very spoiled by the developers. All the more pleasant that here it is disclosed at a decent level, and among the characters there are even people familiar from historical books. In addition the game is rich with elements of fantasy - monsters, spells and magical artifacts. To stand out against other representatives of the genre not only by design, it offers an interesting mechanics of replenishment and development of personal fleet. In short, here you will find many ways to have fun - at least to get acquainted look at the "Battleship" is definitely worth it.

March 2021