Black Sails Overview
Black Sails was one of those games you'd find in the Flash Classic era, a time when browser games offered surprisingly deep experiences. It came out in 2008, a straightforward naval strategy title that didn't need much fanfare to pull you in. The setting was a contested Caribbean, with three major powers locked in a stalemate that left the seas open for your ambition.
You command a single ship, moving between ports and open water with the arrow keys. Your main goal is to seize control of every city on the map. Moment to moment, you're managing supplies and crew in port, then sailing out to hunt. Combat involves positioning your ship to fire port or starboard cannons with the Z and X keys, watching health bars dwindle. If you close the distance, you can ram and board an enemy vessel, triggering a deck battle resolved automatically. The pacing is deliberate, with a steady difficulty curve as you capture more territory and face stronger fleets. It feels like a methodical campaign of conquest, where every successful raid makes your ship a little more formidable.
