High and Dry

High and Dry is about commanding a pirate ship and preparing for a showdown with Davey Jones. You made a deal with him long ago, and he will come to collect when the clock runs down. Until then, you gather resources, strengthen your ship and crew, and decide how to spend your limited time.

A changing ocean

Each playthrough randomly generates some aspects of the ocean, while others stay the same so you can learn as you play. Text-based encounters offer choices, some of which lead to combat.

Upgrade your ship

You can improve your firepower, add crew members or buy abilities such as mortars that knock enemies away and dashes that help you avoid attacks. More crew can man the cannons or work the sails; assigning more sailors to the sails makes the ship faster and harder to hit. Resources can be useful, but carrying a lot of them weighs the ship down and reduces its speed and chance to evade.

Your choices involve trade-offs. Powerful weapon combinations can sink enemy ships quickly, but may leave you unable to withstand their volleys.

Command your crew

In combat, you assign sailors to the sails, cannons and repairs. Without sailors at the sails, the ship moves slowly and has a lower chance of evading enemy shots, while the cannons need a crew to attack. You also decide whether to send sailors to repair holes in the ship or damaged cannons. Sailors can take damage and gain experience during a playthrough, becoming better at some tasks than others. Your decisions shape whether you fight offensively or defensively.