There isn’t exactly an abundance of Commandos-style tactical stealth games, so it’s always nice when a new one gets announced. The good news for fans of those sneaky romps is there’s another one to look forward to on the horizon: Frigato: Shadows of the Caribbean, the debut game from Poland-based indie outfit Mercat Games, due out next year.
Set during the Golden Age of Piracy, Frigato draws on various pirate myths and legends for a story about treasure, ancient curses, and monsters, as you lead a unique crew across the Caribbean Sea. As well as the usual assortment of tactical options for a variety of different approaches, both lethal and non-lethal, there’s also an element of managing the loyalty of your crew: some will respect the elusive, gentleman-pirate approach, while others prefer a bit more violence, and they’ll respond in kind depending on how you play. Your actions also influence the state of the world for future missions (“Murder and torture may be more profitable now, but they will motivate your future targets to invest in better security”), and the treasures you plunder can be used to improve your equipment, pay for bribes, and the like.
Basically, it sounds like everything that makes games like Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, Desperados, and Commandos as enjoyable as they are, with a dash of light RPG flourish and a hefty dose of pirate mythology.
“In Frigato, we combine the elements of pirate adventures, dark legends and rowdy humour into a unique whole. The game will loosely refer to the so-called golden age of piracy – the 17th and 18th century. Gameplay-wise, it should appeal to fans of games like Shadow Tactics, Desperados,
Commandos, War Mongrels and Partisans 1941” – said Jakub Brzeziński, game designer at Mercat Games.
Frigato: Shadows of the Caribbean is still a little while away, with a release planned for 2023 for PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. However, anyone wanting an early taste will be able to do so soon: there’ll be a demo available during Steam Next Fest from June 13 to 20.