A Wild Roguelike Pirate Shooter With A Big New Update
November has been stacked with pirate themed PC games and one of the most interesting is Davy x Jones, a roguelike first person shooter that quietly launched into early access back in August. You play as Jones, a headless pirate battling through a supernatural underworld, guided by your talkative skull companion Davy.
At launch, players liked its creative style and wild ideas but also pointed out some rough edges. The developers at Parasight have now pushed out a major update that does far more than just fix bugs. It basically doubles the scope of the game and reworks a lot of the core systems to feel better for PC players.
If you are into offbeat FPS games, roguelikes, or just want something different to play on your gaming PC, this update puts Davy x Jones back on the radar.
From Tight Corridors To Open Seas
The biggest change is that Davy x Jones no longer keeps you only in first person combat arenas. The game now features a full sailing mode where you take command of a living ship and explore the underworld from a third person perspective.
Your ship is not a normal vessel. It is a bizarre hybrid of classic wooden hull and cosmic space whale, known as Abby. Visually it is unsettling in the best way, leaning into the game’s surreal underworld style.
The new sailing mode brings several gameplay systems that will matter to PC gamers looking for depth and replay value:
- Third person exploration You can freely sail through the underworld, hunting for encounters, loot, and challenges between runs.
- Naval combat Instead of just fighting on foot, you now trade broadsides with other spectral ships. Positioning, timing, and ship abilities become part of your strategy.
- Crew recruitment You can recruit a crew of ghostly pirates. Each crewmate brings new weapons, attack types, and abilities that change how your ship handles battles.
- Kraken boss fight The update adds a major set piece fight against the Kraken. Parasight describes it as a dynamic battle that tests your strategic thinking, how you manage your crew, and how well you use your ship’s defences.
All of this sits on top of the original roguelike structure, so runs are now about more than just your character. You are building up both your pirate and your ship as you push deeper into the underworld.
Smoother Combat And Smarter Progression
The update does not stop with sailing. The original first person action has been heavily reworked to feel more responsive and satisfying when you are on foot.
Melee combat now has more depth and feedback. The patch adds:
- Heavy attacks Slower but more powerful swings for big damage windows.
- Rapid strikes Faster hits that let you pressure enemies and keep combos flowing.
- A deeper five hit combo system Attacks can chain together in more interesting ways, rewarding timing rather than just button mashing.
Gunplay has been tweaked as well. Ammo limits and a refined reload system mean you cannot just spray endlessly. You will need to swap between melee and ranged attacks, manage your resources, and use the right weapon at the right time.
To keep fights engaging over multiple runs, enemy AI has been adjusted to make combat encounters more entertaining. Better behaviour patterns help enemies feel less predictable and give you more reason to experiment with your tools and build choices.
Progression has also been modernised. The entire skill tree has been redesigned to fit the new crew system. Instead of just upgrading Jones in isolation, your choices are now tied to how you want your ship and crew to function. That means more room for different playstyles and builds, which is important for a roguelike where replayability is the whole point.
For new players there is also a codex packed with tips and tutorials. If you are jumping in for the first time, this should make the learning curve a lot more manageable.
PC Features, Performance Options And How To Jump In
For PC gamers, the technical side matters as much as the design. This update brings some notable graphics and performance options:
- Nvidia frame generation support On compatible GPUs, frame generation can give you smoother perceived frame rates without having to crank down visual settings quite as far.
- FSR 4 support AMD’s latest upscaling tech lets you push higher resolutions or better graphics while keeping performance more stable across a wide range of hardware.
- Steam achievements If you like chasing completion goals, the game now supports achievements tied to your exploits in the underworld.
One important warning if you tried Davy x Jones earlier in early access. The developers state that existing saves will be corrupted and incompatible due to how many core systems have changed. You will need to start a fresh run to experience all the new content and improvements.
If you are completely new to the game, this is actually a good moment to try it. The update effectively reshapes the whole experience and the launch period for this patch comes with a discount. Davy x Jones is currently 20 percent off until December 9, bringing the price down to around 14 dollars 39 or 12 pounds on Steam.
With its strange tone, living ship, roguelike loops and refreshed combat, Davy x Jones now looks far more like a full package for fans of experimental PC shooters. If you want a break from traditional military FPS games and love weird pirate energy, this underworld cruise might be worth adding to your library.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-pirate-themed-fps-just-got-an-enormous-update-that-lets-you-sail-a-living-ship-a-hybrid-of-wooden-hull-and-space-whale-thats-called-abby-and-is-utterly-horrifying/
