Sea of Thieves is one of the more divisive first-party games released this generation. Where some people see a gorgeous sandbox with near-religious devotion to mechanics and gameplay, others see an empty oasis that is desperately starved for content. The criticisms were especially valid at launch, but Rare has been working hard since then to right the ship.
Now, 18 months in, the Sea of Thieves is as vibrant as ever, with all sorts of new content ranging from shipwrecks and new islands to pets. You have to pay real money for pets, but Rare worked on the game for 18 months before adding in a single microtransaction, and you have to respect that. However, Tall Tales have arguably been the biggest and best addition to the game yet. They added them in about six months ago (so about a year after launch), but I’m slow and didn’t get around to them until now.
What Are Sea of Thieves Tall Tales?
Sea of Thieves Tall Tales are long, expansive story quests. In fact, taken together, they kind of make up the singleplayer campaign (though you can of course play with friends) that people have been asking for for so long. As opposed to the short quests given by the various trading companies, Tall Tales are designed for long gaming sessions. If you want a walkthrough of the various Tall Tales, you can access one here. Of course, I recommend you try doing them without resorting to walkthroughs at first.
Become A Detective At Sea
For each Tall Tale, instead of being given a treasure map or a wanted poster, you’re given a book with clues to help you on your quest. The books in these Tall Tales make Sea of Thieves feel like a detective game on par with Return of the Obra Dinn. Instead of being told which island to go to, you might have to decipher a ship’s log to figure out where they threw a chest overboard. This is right in line with the rest of the game in terms of trusting the player on a level that few modern games do. In other words, you won’t find any waypoints in Sea of Thieves, and the Tall Tales take this concept to another level.
Give Yourself Enough Time
One of the things that can be frustrating about Sea of Thieves is how long it takes to make concrete progress. For example, you might spend half an hour finding treasure for the Gold Hoarders, but none of it counts if you don’t get to turn in the chests at the end. This is especially true for Tall Tales, so make sure you block out about two hours or so before you get started. You don’t have to do all of the Tall Tales at once, but you do have to completely finish a book before you log out if you want your progress to be saved.
That being said, give Sea of Thieves Tall Tales a try. I’m sure you’ll have more fun than you’ve ever had at sea. Also, if you’re like me and jumped on the chance to get a pet (a Sunset Capuchin, personally), a long Tall Tale is the best way to bond with your new friend.
