Helm or High Water

Helm or High Water is a VR pirate ship combat game with asymmetrical local co-op. One player takes the Captain’s role in VR while another handles the crew using a keyboard and mouse or gamepad. Together, you operate the ship, fight other vessels and choose voyages to earn gold for ship upgrades, island improvements and pirate clothing. The game can also be played singleplayer, or players can switch roles with seamless drop-in and drop-out.

Captain and crew

As Captain, you steer clear of danger, order cannon fire, shoot enemy crew with flintlock pistols and use your sword against boarders. As crew, you adjust the sails, assign crew members, select cannonball types and report information about the map, enemies and ship to the Captain.

Sailing depends on the wind: heading directly into it leaves your ship vulnerable, while angling the sails lets you use it to your advantage. The ship uses buoyancy physics, so its bow rises and falls over waves. Three crew roles affect ship operations:

• Sailors: increase the speed of anchoring, raising sails and adjusting their angle.
• Gunners: load, aim and fire the cannons.
• Deckhands: repair damage to the hull and sails.

You can load Grape Shot to improve your chances of hitting enemy crew, Chain Shot to deal extra damage to sails, or Round Shot to damage hulls. When ships pass close together, enemies may board yours, so you need to fight them off without neglecting your other duties.

Game modes

• Hunt: enter combat and try to make your ship the last one standing.
• Blockade Runner: start with a fully loaded cargo ship and deliver its goods to an allied fort. Ships and forts block the route and try to destroy the cargo; destroy or evade them, and deliver the cargo undamaged for the full reward.
• Fort Assault: destroy a fort, first sinking its protecting ships while staying outside the fort’s range. The fort has more cannons and greater durability than your ship, but cannot repair its stone walls.

Gold and clothing

Voyages can earn gold to spend on upgrading your ship, improving a local island or town, buying clothing, or simply piling up a fortune in the middle of town. The Clothing Vendor sells over 40 cosmetic items, including coats, gloves, hats, eyepatches, earrings and beards.