Rogue Waters draws in both veteran and new players with bold ambition. Released on PC on September 30, 2024, it ushered in a wave of daring adventure to the gaming world. Console versions arrive on February 4, 2025, ready to bring the experience to more players. Strategy and chaos collide, delivering a mix of memorable moments and untamed excitement. A thrilling journey lies ahead.
Sailing into chaos
Rogue Waters is a new twist on classic pirate lore. Developed by Ice Code Games and published by Tripwire Presents, it combines turn-based strategy mechanics with rogue-lite randomness. Players assume the role of Captain Cutter, tasked with commanding a ship as they sail through regions rich with legend. Success requires cunning, skill, and the ability to withstand the wrath of the Caribbean seas. As repetitive as it may become, players will find it rewarding, charming, and well-crafted.
A story based on betrayal and revenge
The story revolves around Cutter, an 18-year-old angry pirate, out for revenge on his master who betrayed him during a coup he led, Captain Blackbone. Accompanied by the cynical yet pragmatic first mate Mr. Wilkes, who helps steer the story forward. The narrative is embellished with a classic pirate touch and ghostly twists, voiced by a character called “Voice in the Head”. Dialogue is brilliantly crafted with dry wit and delivered through excellent voice acting, including the morally grey portrayal of Blackbone, a captain who undermines his crew and justifies it as being pragmatic, like Wilkes.
Gameplay
Before boarding an enemy vessel, adversaries engage in three rounds of cannon fire. Captains strategically employ specialized ammunition — chain shots to disable a vessel’s mast, firebombs to set enemy decks ablaze — to weaken foes for melee combat. The risk, often leading to tough trade-offs, is prioritizing too much firepower and losing valuable crew members.
Deck combat
The meat of the game rests on grid-based melee combat where tactics like control over the position and environment matter. Important features comprise:
- Push attacks. Aggressively shove opponents into danger zones (for example, off the ship or into burning barrels).
- Fear meter. Execute impressive kills to fill the meter and force surrenders.
- Mythic allies. Call forth the Kraken or other water creatures using precious energy from The Abyss.
Classes like the Duelist, who focuses on backstab attacks, and the Bombardier, who relies on area-of-effect damage perks, allow for some creativity, but the risk of permadeath adds tension to every choice.
Progression
Each failed run sends players back to an inaccessible location in the underworld, where they:
- Recruit new crew. Employ buccaneers with randomized and unique skill trees.
- Upgrade ships. Add features like reinforced hulls or specialist cannons.
- Unlock trinkets. Add buffs that increase the chances of critical strikes by 20%.
While early meta-progression offers some relief from the pains of the early game, upgrades in the endgame are lackluster and tend to drip-feed currency, encouraging an endless grind.
Strengths and weaknesses
Highlights:
- Ultimately addictive combat. The tug and push of the naval and melee phases lead to one of the most addictive combat experiences in gaming.
- Visual presentation. The cartoony, bright colors blend beautifully with the grim reality of piracy.
- Spectacle. The ghost ships and the Kraken leave a cinematic touch to the battles.
Drawbacks:
- Rinse and repeat. The lack of a variety of enemies and objectives dampens motivation over time.
- Very shallow progression. The constructible builds are fewer compared to competition like Darkest Dungeon.
Technical performance
On PC (RTX 3070, Ryzen 7 5800X) Rogue Waters was buttery smooth at 1440p/60FPS, on the Steam Deck it runs on medium settings without too much hassle, although, the smaller screens do make text harder to read.
Verdict: great fun for tactical buccaneers
Rogue Waters does not change the formula but mixes tactics, piracy, and rogue-lite nuances for good fun over 10-15 hours. Unlike the old-school strategists drowning in the depth of the game’s mechanics, newbies are bound to enjoy the chaos and easy-to-learn systems. Just know it is not XCOM — more of a grenade drill for the Royal Navy and less of a raucous brawl over a tavern.
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S.