Sea Drifter

Sea Drifter is a top-down pirate survival adventure. You begin with a rowboat, three apples and 25 gold, then build a ship, raise a flag and make a name for yourself by taking what you need from the ocean.

Sail the four seas

You travel through four increasingly dangerous regions, from Coastal Waters to the Forgotten Ocean, where a maelstrom churns and the Drowned King waits. Weather changes as you sail: storms bring tougher foes and rarer bounty.

Explore and claim islands

Your chart marks islands as unknown until you scout them. They may hold jungles, wreck coves, ruins, trader camps, volcanic peaks or reefs. Before each landing, you see the odds; push inland to clear the island’s dangers, then claim it for yourself. Claimed islands produce resources over time and let you repair your hull at mates’ rates, but pirates may raid them and strip their stores unless you return to defend them.

Face sea lords

Pirate strongholds lie far out in the deep, spread across bridged island clusters and guarded by roaming garrisons. These dungeon-like dens are very hard to clear, but hold worthwhile rewards. You can also duel named bosses: the Pirate King, the Storm Admiral, who arrives only with the tempest, and the keg-hurling Drowned King.

Build your ship

You can earn six hulls, each with its own upgrade ceiling. Fit your ship with hull plating, sails, cargo nets, cannons and a spyglass; each fitting appears on the vessel. You decide whether to save for another upgrade or move on to the next hull.

Activities and progression

When the cannons cool, you can fish in passing shoals, dig up buried treasure using bottled charts, take escort contracts, trade with camps and pursue achievements from First Blood to The Sea Remembers. Your voyage persists, saving islands, strongholds and grudges. The odds shown before a landing are the odds you get, and you can play in short sessions because the sea saves your place. The game uses handcrafted 2D art designed to be readable at a glance.