The silence you hear after successfully unloading an entire volley of cannon fire into a now sinking enemy ship in HeroCraft's latest release, Tempest [$7.99] , is euphoric. The only problem is that a stop in the action is guaranteed to be short lived. The pace and pay off of being a pirate captain may feel highly romanticized in this sea-worthy offering, but I approve. Any time a developer cooks up an ARPG that even seems half-baked, my ears perk up and this time I am really glad they did. This game taps directly into a whole lot of what makes the genre great and does it in a way that is original enough for you to sit up and take notice too.
Tempest currently lacks a tutorial or anything that would function as an orientation. Upon loading the game, you are dropped directly in the water with your first ship and an interface that you have to explore for yourself. Although it takes a few minutes, there is nothing that is wildly counter intuitive as to what you have and what you can do. You have a crew, you have ammunition, medical supplies, assorted loot and ship enhancements of various types. Each faction has their own set of quests you can complete and most items you can purchase, including new ships, are only available at certain ports. You can upgrade your captain skills, the skills of your crew, or any equipment or ammo you use in combat.
This game really feels like you have to jump into the deep end to figure out what it's all about, and it has little to do with the...