Where POTC truly stands out is in the ship-based sequences. While the graphics aren’t really technologically superior, the sheer novelty of the scenery and the attention paid to key details such as the water rushing past the ship or the stormy skies creates an exhilarating effect. Ship to ship battles or even trying to outrun formidable adversaries become exhilarating experiences. For me, it was these that made Pirates worth playing.