Game Pass drops bountiful free Black Flag alternative hailed as 'incredibly polished'

It's the season of the pirates as the blue skies and sunshine off the seas and glisten off your blade.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has revived the pirate fantasy genre that was carried by Sea of Thieves for years, as the remake is everything we deserved and so much more.

Yet Black Flag comes with a hefty price tag, and if your treasure is buried deep into an overdraft, attention turns towards free alternatives.

That's where Corsair Cove comes into play for Xbox Game Pass users, as the new £35 title has arrived as a day-one release on the subscription service.

And it's got fans falling head over peg-leg heels.

Corsair Cove is the perfect free Black Flag alternative for Xbox players

If you've caught cabin fever and fancy a new seaward adventure, or are equally feeling sea-sick with Black Flag's 'soulless' features and would rather board a new ship, Corsair Cove arrived on July 31 to glowing reviews.

Dubbed as a Black Flag and Tropico crossover, Corsair Cove combines your inner Jack Sparrow with a city-building experience that raises an entire pirate empire.

Developed by Limbic Entertainment and set as the 'Golden Age of Piracy' comes to an end, the simulation-strategy title gives you complete control to build a clever, exuberant, and cohesive settlement, perfect for docking ships, defending plunder, and manufacturing advanced machinery to turn cliffside resources into riches and weapons.

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"Corsair Cove is a city builder that challenges you to think tall as you build without constraints on cliff-faces and hilltops and manage complex production chains that span across great lengths and heights," reads the game description.

"Manufacture everything from spyglasses to cannons, equip your crew, and build mighty ships to take to the seas and wage war against the Crown.

"Raid and pillage nearby islands to acquire what you can’t make for yourself, exploring uncharted lands to uncover great treasures and threats alike. Above all, keep your crew in high spirits as your numbers grow – it’ll take thousands of pirates to keep the Jolly Roger flying!"

What's better is that all of this action is free on the Xbox Game Pass from day one.

Owners of the Ultimate and PC Game Pass tiers will get full access to all land-lubbing activities in Corsair Cove for free, giving you endless hours of world-building in one of the best bounties a pirate has ever secured.

Having been out for just a few hours, players are already applauding Corsair Cove in the masses, too, with thousands of positive reviews on Steam.

"Instantly blown away," said one reviewer. "What a great game. The events and diverse ways to manage your pirate colonies are particularly engaging."

Another added, "I absolutely love this game. I've only just started playing, but I can already tell it's going to keep me hooked for months.

"Everything feels incredibly polished. The animations are hilarious, the voice acting is spot on, and the performance is excellent. I'm playing on a laptop with everything maxed out, and it runs flawlessly."

With a variety of fantasy RPGs waiting in the wings, now might be the perfect time to rally me hearties and experience Corsair's Cove, setting you up for a dance with Black Flag Resynced and its awesome new changes.