Game: Pirates of the Caribbean: Isles of War

It seems sort of blasphemous to say, but old Captain Jack Sparrow got overexposed. Sure, we all love Johnny Depp's eccentric rogue; it's just that he wears on you after seeing him in four movies, video games, and everything else Disney has devised. Ironically, Pirates of the Caribbean: Isles of War could use more of Captain Jack or his friends to keep it from turning into just another social RPG/builder with a pirate theme - which it does a little too often.The shame of it is that the game starts out with oh so much promise. Right after we learn that Isles of War is set before Curse of the Black Pearl, we get a quick reintroduction to Sparrow while we're learning the click-and-drag controls so we can navigate the high seas. In classic Pirates fashion, Jack ends up deciding that discretion is the better part of valor the first time there's trouble, forcing the "Two Brave Heroes" chapter to become "One Brave Hero" as he heads the other way. With the familiar music from the films playing in the background, it sets the perfect tone as you begin your adventures."A double cross ensues, naturally, and without giving too much away, let's just say you end up in need of a ship and Sparrow possibly requires rescuing. That's when we get down to business learning the builder side of the game, as you set up shop on an island that needs your aid as much as you need its resources. There's really not much new to see here: you build structures to increase your stores of lumber and iron, while erecting defenses on the island and researching new ships and cannons.