I'm reviewing this from the point of view of a party that likes a campaign to be a living story more so than a hack and slash fest.
The problem with this installment is the fact that it fails to advance the plot in any meaningful way. Yes, there's lots of freedom in where your newly minted pirates can go and what they can do, but in the end it all means very little.
After raiding a couple of ships and a couple of villages, the pirates quickly find out that a pirate's life is pretty monotonous. You pull up to a boat, you hop over, slaughter the crew, and move on. Sell plunder and ships at port, boast about your accomplishments. Rinse and repeat ad nauseam. There are several plot-based events which are great, definitely the high point of this installment.
Overall, my players were mostly bored with it. There is really only one NPC that they get to interact with extensively in the book, which is generally the most fun part of the game for us. I'm sure this is great for a party that loves to sail around and slaughter innocents by the dozen, but if you're looking for a story-driven creative outlet, this isn't it.
