Review: Pirates VR: Jolly Rodger
Pirates VR: Jolly Rodger was a game I eagerly anticipated, but after trying it on PCVR, I felt a wave of disappointment. Now that it has arrived on PSVR2, have the developers at Split Light Studio implemented any improvements to help it reach its full potential?
Release Date: May 15th 2025
Developer: Split Light Studio
Publisher: VRKiwi
Price: US $19.99 / CA $19.99 / €19,99 / £15.99
Reviewed On: PlayStation VR2
* Access Provided For Review *
Find Davy Jones' Treasure
The only significant change in the game occurs in a brief introduction set in a pirate tavern, where you learn the backstory of your arrival on a remote island filled with thick jungles, steep cliffs, and the remains of sunken pirate vessels. Equipped solely with your wits and the help of an annoying parrot companion, will that be sufficient to face the obstacles this island has in store?
The Curse Of An Annoying Parrot
Pirates VR offers an action-adventure experience set on an island where you can navigate various terrains. You will briefly explore a beach, scale its steep cliffs, venture into dark caves, and swim through submerged areas. Your goal is to explore the island, tackle the challenges it presents, and employ your pirate skills to find Davy Jones’ Treasure – a classic pirate quest. The game excels in its VR mechanics, though the swimming aspect was a let-down. I had high hopes that the PSVR2 version would introduce a comprehensive swimming mechanic, similar to what many VR games feature, allowing for physical arm movements while swimming; however, it remains limited to analog controls.
As you embark on your journey of exploration, you will face a range of adversaries, such as cursed pirate skeletons and the souls of those who were unable to flee the island—perhaps on a mission akin to yours. Furthermore, you will discover age-old puzzles that can uncover secret paths, treasure maps, and ways to advance further. Nevertheless, the combat seems rather simplistic and lacks a sense of weight, while the puzzles do not offer much of a challenge, leading to a somewhat unsatisfactory experience beyond the exploration itself.
The parrot companion I referred to earlier was promoted as a witty and playful sidekick for your adventures, but after roughly twenty minutes, I found it to be more bothersome than enjoyable. Perhaps it’s just my perspective, but it swiftly transformed from a delightful addition into a frustrating distraction. It incessantly provides excessive hints and behaves like an irritating backseat gamer that you can’t mute. Even though I was aware from my PCVR experience that it would revert me to my last checkpoint if I eliminated it, I still couldn’t resist shooting it, demonstrating that it wasn’t merely my mood at the moment that made me find it so irritating so quickly.
On the island, you have the option to tackle two challenges, although they are not essential for your mission. While exploring, you’ll come across a speed climbing challenge and an axe throwing challenge. During my playthrough, I gave them a few attempts, but they didn’t quite captivate me, so I chose to concentrate on the main game instead.
A Beautiful Island Ruined
The team at Spirit Light Studio has created a visually striking game that showcases a stunning Caribbean island. This lively setting is teeming with various wildlife and the remains of pirate ships that have stood the test of time. Upon waking on this hidden island, you will be mesmerized by its beauty, and your curiosity will only deepen as you begin to explore. The graphics are crafted to fully immerse you in this magical environment.
Yet, this marvel quickly fades after your short time spent outdoors on the beaches in these lively settings. The other locations you explore on the island seem dull next to the stunning beaches and cliffs, making everything else feel somewhat dreary. I would have enjoyed dedicating more time to discovering the island or even navigating through the unremarkable caves to reach different areas of the island. The experience doesn’t stop there; even outside, the wildlife (aside from your parrot friend) features rather questionable animations that detract from the immersion offered by the gorgeous scenery.
The audio experience is generally impressive, drawing you into every location you visit with its rich environmental sounds. The pirate-inspired music enhances the atmosphere beautifully, offering cheerful melodies on the beach and a darker tone in the caves. On the downside, the voice acting is lacking; your character’s performance comes off as somewhat dull, and as previously noted, the parrot can swiftly shift from being an enjoyable sidekick to a slight annoyance.
Comfort
The Verdict
Pirates VR: Jolly Rodger had significant potential, but sadly, it doesn’t fully realise any of it. While the VR mechanics are generally solid and the island along with its beaches are visually stunning, the swimming mechanics fall short. They offer only analog swimming, and once you enter the caves, the visuals turn dull and lifeless. The storyline, which is quite typical for pirate-themed games, lacks the innovative twists that would make it memorable, and regrettably, Pirates VR fails to introduce anything new to the narrative. Returning to the gameplay, the combat and puzzles do not do enough to distinguish themselves, which is unfortunate since the climbing and exploration aspects are quite enjoyable. Although the audio effectively enhances the atmosphere, the voice acting leaves much to be desired, and the parrot companion quickly becomes a nuisance, lingering throughout the entire game. It’s disappointing that no significant improvements have been made for its later release on PSVR2, aside from providing a backstory for your presence on the island, which does little to enhance the story overall.