In Pirates of the Caribbean, it's the 17th century, and you're Nathaniel Hawk, a sharp-witted captain of his own modest ship. He's trying to make ends meet in the Caribbean, a collection of small islands ruled over by European nations including the English, the French, the Spanish, the Dutch, and more. The Caribbean archipelago is home to some good weather and plenty of lucrative natural resources, which have made it an obvious draw for the world's powers--as well as the perfect place for pirates and privateers to set up shop. The game's story begins when the French make a play for an English colony, and Hawk barely escapes with his life. He ends up helping put the French back in their place and then becomes embroiled in a greater plot, which even has some supernatural overtones. The presence of some undead pirates is apparently what ties this game in with its namesakes, but other than the occasional encounters with the living dead, you'll find that Pirates of the Caribbean pretty much plays it straight.