Mobile game company Gamevil has announced the launch of Ocean Tales on iOS and Android devices. The title mixes elements from city-building games as well as simulation and adventure games, as users are challenged with returning a port town to its former glory, while becoming a master of the high seas.
In Ocean Tales, players take on the role of the child of a famous sea captain who went missing 10 years prior to the beginning of the game. The captain's town fell into disrepair after his disappearance, but gamers can set things right by building ships, harvesting resources (wood, stone, etc.) and setting sail to find adventure (and treasure).
Players are led through the game's story via a hefty quest system, which sees them growing specific crops, constructing buildings in the proper order and so on. Homes generate coins for a constant stream of income, while flour mills and other factories turn base resources into other, more valuable items. Homes also produce sailors, which are used as crew on ships, including dinghies which can be sent out into the harbor to catch fish.
While city-building gives players many base resources, there are some items that can only be accessed (for free, anyway) via ports in other cities. The real-world map contains locations like Edinburgh and London, and players can sail to these locations to pick up new cargo and sell some of their own resources.
When heading out to sea, players choose the appropriate vessel and destination, but must also stock the ship with materials to survive the journey, like food and water. Each trip takes a different amount of time to complete, depending on the distance between the two locations.
Once in a foreign port, players have the option of purchasing items like trees, animals and raw materials from these cities, or selling their own items, like excess crops (as one example). Many of these interactions are regulated by the game's quest system, which requires players to travel to specific locations in search of very particular items.
For social features, Ocean Tales allows players to visit their friends' cities and earn gold and hearts while there. These hearts are a special currency, used to purchase premium items in the store. A separate premium currency is also available, and can be used to speed up most actions within the game.
Ocean Tales is available to download for free on iOS and Google Play.
