Users wrote

Sea of Thieves is most loved for its social pirate experience when played with friends, the open sea, and cooperative ship gameplay. Reviewers praise the visuals, music, and the freedom to explore and sail with a crew. However, many reviews highlight ongoing problems like toxic players, hackers, server instability, and bugs, as well as concerns about progression and monetization. Overall, the game shines in group play, but experiences vary due to ongoing issues.

Last updated: 2026-03-01

Most Mentioned Advantages

• Playing with friends and teamwork (28 mentions) - Reviewers repeatedly say Sea of Thieves shines when played with friends. Working as a crew to steer, sail, repair, and fight creates chaotic, memorable moments. The social aspect fuels laughs, teamwork, and shared pirate adventures. It's often recommended to play with a group to get the full experience.
• Stunning visuals and water effects (22 mentions) - Many reviews praise the art style, the seas, and the atmosphere. The water physics and weather effects add to immersion, and the visuals are described as beautiful. The visuals contribute to the mood of pirate adventures and exploration.
• Open world with freedom and pirate life vibe (15 mentions) - Players enjoy the open world and freedom to choose voyages, crews, and playstyles. Sessions range from relaxed treasure hunts to intense ship battles, making each voyage feel unique. The pirate theme and the ability to play alone or with friends attract many players.
• Diverse ship-based activities and dynamic PvP/PvE (11 mentions) - There are many ship-based activities, including sailing, cannon battles, boarding, and treasure hunting. The interplay between PvP and PvE creates dynamic sessions with opportunities for alliances or clashes. The open sea offers a lively, unpredictable experience that many players enjoy.
• Sound design and shanties (8 mentions) - Reviewers frequently mention the music and ship shanties as a strength. The audio contributes to immersion during voyages and battles. The voice lines and mood help set the tone of piracy.

Most Mentioned Disadvantages

• Toxic community and cheaters (26 mentions) - Multiple reviewers describe the player base as toxic and hostile, making sessions unpleasant. There are reports of griefing, trolling, and harassment in open crews. Hackers and a weak anti-cheat are also mentioned, which can ruin long sessions and loot. This issue pushes some players toward safer seas or avoidance of open play.
• Lack of meaningful progression and endgame (18 mentions) - Several reviewers complain that progression is cosmetic and there is little meaningful upgrade or endgame content. The content can feel repetitive, and some players feel updates focus on skins and battle passes rather than substantive gameplay.
• Bugs and performance issues (16 mentions) - Many reviews mention bugs and performance problems that persist across seasons. Examples include crashes, startups failures, and other unpatched issues. Some players report long-standing bugs like lavenderbeard errors and broken interactions.
• Server instability and lag (14 mentions) - Reviews repeatedly cite server issues, lag, and high ping. Some report hot garbage servers and disconnects during crucial moments. This affects the ability to play and chase loot, reducing the overall enjoyment.
• Monetization and cosmetics (12 mentions) - Critics note monetization that emphasizes cosmetics and season passes over gameplay, with some items perceived as overpriced or unnecessary. This has led to frustration among players who want more than cosmetic progression.