A real-time action strategy game based on Beyonce’s most famous asset! What could be better than that? Not much, we think you’ll agree. Which is why it was such a disappointment to learn that Age of Booty is nothing to do with the singer’s booty, but is actually a ‘casual real-time multiplayer strategy game’ set in the swashbuckling era of pirates.
Set for release this Autumn on the PSN, Age of Booty (AoB) will put you in control of your own pirate ship, and your mission in life will be to sink your enemies ships and loot and capture towns for your own pirate faction.
It’s not a one-pirate wonder though, oh no. Teaming up with online pirates or AI-controlled ships, you’ll be raiding, pillaging, sinking (other ships, hopefully not your own), and destroying in the grand tradition of nasty-ass pirates everywhere. We’re not talking the type of low-life Knock-off Nigel scum that copies DVDs, we’re talking the full-on cutlasses and pistols and waging war for dominance of the seas sort of pirate. Grab as much plunder as you can and use the proceeds to upgrade your ship to make it even more deadly. There are 25 challenges to overcome, and 7 pirate factions to give a good kicking. Online leaderboards will showcase the best pirates, and you can also share custom maps created using the game’s map creation system.
The game has other features. Although one of the features isn’t really a feature, it’s just a shameless attempt to make you think AoB is Halo in disguise. Here it is:
“Single player and multiplayer real-time action strategy from Certain Affinity, lead by Max Hoberman, designer of Halo 2 and 3’s multiplayer game.”
The other feature not already mentioned is:
“Up to four players on one console, up to eight players over LAN or the Internet.”
That sounds like a proper feature. And not an advert for Max Hoberman.
Apparently, the game will be £6.99/€9.99 when it’s released. But we’re not paying for it, ‘cos that’s hardly getting into the spirit of things, is it?