Virtual Skipper 3 Preview

The open sea beckons and though it would be a joy to simply set sail for the horizon, there is that buoy and turn looming, and a race to finish.

Virtual Skipper 3 is a PC release from Enlight and challenges players to navigate sailing ships around courses, battling other ships, a clock or just testing themselves.

The game features a very intuitive control system, easy-to-understand interface and some of the most spectacular sea physics seen in a game. But there are some problems as well. Bear in mind that this was only a preview version of the game. The game does not release until August 1, so changes can take place.

To begin with, according to the manual, when one pulls up the solo races options there should be a list of the available races. The races should be displayed in the window to the left. Well, that was blank. In fact the only way to finally create and compete in a race was to create one. Creating an online account was another area that will need work before final release. When you launch the game, you are asked to enter the game key, which comes with the game. This is a series of numbers and letters with each set separated by a hyphen. When you try to enter that code in the key portion of creating an online account, you run out of room, unless you drop the hyphens.

The default game perspective is above and behind the ship, but this game features a rotatable, zoomable camera, so you can get right onto the deck of the ship. This reveals two things. First is the static nature of the ship’s crew in the build we received. Some are frozen to the railings along the side of the ship; others are hunched over winches as though they are operating them for the sails. The other aspect of the game is that the sound is proximity based. With the camera up above and pulled back, you may hear the faint whispering of the wind. Zoom into the deck and you will hear the water splashing the hull of the ship, the sounds of crew, and a more dominating wind sound.

You may also notice that the Virtual Skipper 3 logo is splashed on a number of things, like the uniform of the crew, the beam of the mainsail and the like.

This is a game about time. If you engage in a race seriously, you will have a course laid out (and there is a navigational arrow to guide your direction), buoys to navigate around, and a start and finish line. It takes time to move around and you need to angle the boat to grab the most wind possible to increase your speed.

Now, if you are playing for fun and just using the pretense of a race to free sail, that is fine as well. That was one thing done during the review for this story. San Francisco Bay was the location, with the bridges and buildings of downtown looming on the distant shore. With the terrific lighting, this all looked wonderful from a distance. Just for fun, sailing to that downtown shore was the task. While the landlocked environments look fine from a distance, they don’t hold up on close inspection. And running into the pier is not an option either. The boat skipped to the side, and got stuck, though the boat’s wake ran under the pier. Perhaps this will also be addressed in the final build.

The game features several modes of play – Challenges, Solo Races, Site Editor (in which you can create your own course), and Multiplayer. You can save courses, and the creation process is simplicity itself.

The controls are formatted to allow anyone to play, from the beginner to the veteran sea captain. The challenges do get progressively harder as you advance your skills. And remember, these boats are at the mercy of the wind and weather.

Graphically, VS3 features stunning ocean graphics. The wake and way the water reacts to the boat is visually impressive. The sound of the game could have been better. There was really nothing here that was not expected.

While the interface may look a little confusing to begin with, Enlight did a remarkable job of making it all intuitive. Once you know what to look for, this player interface is informative and very easy to use.

VS3 appears to be a niche game. It has a few flaws, but the game itself has a very nice rhythm to it. It is not a fast-paced game. You have to nudge the rudder and make pre-planned, deliberate turns. And that is likely the recurring idea of this title – deliberate. For those with the patience and a hankering to sail the bays and open waters, this is a solid title. The game has months before release, but there is definitely promise here. This looks to be a solid sailing racing title, and may well appeal to all those who have the calling of the sea coursing through their veins.