For those who already know and love the Civilization games, the heart of it hasn’t changed. Improve your cities, explore the world, research technologies, forge alliances, and fight wars. The combat changes are going to annoy some players, but I think it helps focus the game on a more subtle, political approach to winning the game, rather than just trying to build the biggest army as quickly as possible.

Rather than try to explain what type of game Pirates is, it may be easier to just say that it’s not a first-person shooter, and it’s not a hidden puzzle game. It is pretty much everything else. Pirates combines action, adventure, turn-based strategy, resource management, people sims and rhythm games (yes, rhythm games) into one unit. Each element stands on its own, but they work together well.

The story is that your happy and apparently well-off family was about to sit down to a tasty meal, when the traditionally evil government-types barge in and send everyone away to prison. You escape, and grow up resorting to a life of piracy to get by. Throughout the game, the locations of various family members is revealed. Find them, and you’ll be rewarded with treasure tips and such. But, you don’t have to find your family. The beauty of Pirates is that the goal is simply to retire rich and married, and it’s completely up to you on how you get there.

Full review after the break.

In an effort to prove that sometimes game publishers do exactly what I want them to, Feral Interactive has announced Friday, August 29th as the release date for the Mac version of Sid Meier’s Pirates!, the game that’s so much fun it comes with its own exclamation mark. The game of which the 1988 Apple IIGS version is still one of my all-time favorites. The game with well-coiffed hero (just look at that handsome fellow on the box cover) who knows how to both plunder and love…sometimes in the same night, if you know what I’m sayin’. High five!

Based on Sid Meier’s masterpiece, Sid Meier’s Pirates! invites you to live the life of a 17th century Caribbean pirate captain in this epic, open-ended seafaring adventure. Face down dogged enemies, duel enemy captains, woo fair maidens and raise the Jolly Roger high above the seven seas in pursuit of glory and riches.

“Feral Interactive is thrilled to release Sid Meier’s Pirates!,” said Feral Interactive’s David Stephen. “Its universal appeal and wonderful gameplay makes it the perfect launch title for the Feral Legends series.”

Excuse me, what? Legends series? Read on for details.