Wow!! I didn't know what to expect, and certainly wasn't expecting anything this great.
User Rating: 8.7 | Sid Meier's Pirates! PC
I'm pretty picky about what games I buy. I research and review and generally only buy games rated above the 7.5 range. So why is it such a suprise that a game consistently rated in the 9.0+ range is so great? Simple, Sid Meier made it! Incredible depth in both gameplay and pirate history. The graphical presentation is beautiful, while the music is entertaining. It sort of combines Stategy and RPG elements into a nice little combo. Very easy to sit and say "this will be my last task" and 3 hours later you are finally getting up from your keyboard. Each time I play I have no intention of playing for hours on end, just looking to pass a little time, but that usually isn't possible. Either I'm plundering the coast of some unsuspecting country's ports, or I'm get addicted to chasing the bad guy for one more clue to save my kidnapped and displaced family. Well worth the investment. 
