Ancient Trader

It's classic rock-paper-scissors, only in this case it's swords, cannons and, er, bigger cannons - or heads, tails and claws for the monsters. Admittedly, the outcome against a similarly-able opponent can rest on an initial lucky pick, which perhaps seems a little unfair, but then the punishment is rarely unduly severe, with barely a handful of gold coins changing hands or perhaps just two or three crates of fruit lost to Davy Jones' locker.

It's sometimes worthwhile taking a detour, not just because the artefacts are spread across all corners of the map, but because you'll often find some useful stuff floating around, from treasure chests to crates from the various wreckages that the roaming monsters have left in their wake. Whirlpools act as teleports, gusts of wind blow you double the distance on your next turn, while messages in bottles clear away clouded areas to reveal previously hidden ports. You'll be offered the chance to take on side-quests when you drop anchor, though the monetary reward for doing so is often meagre recompense for the effort required, and only worth taking on if you were already planning on a spice run in that direction.

Despite the various wrinkles, it's a fairly simple-minded game, and the size and layout of the maps in each of the three difficulties rarely makes a significant difference to the basic flow, instead merely extending the number of turns required to finish off your aquatic foe. That said, the AI provides a decent challenge and it has the decency to get its turn over with in just a few seconds.

Besides, you can mix things up a little with the alternative game types, attempting to amass a total cumulative wealth, or to reach a particular cash tally before your opponents. With little need to chase artefacts, you can either focus on defeating monsters for a quick buck, or opt to discover the most efficient trade runs for quick and easy lucre. Either way, the game settles into a hypnotic rhythm that's hard to resist.

Its leisurely pace might make it an unlikely candidate for Live play, but online multiplayer is included, though larger maps can require a time investment some may not be prepared to give. Ancient Trader is arguably better suited to online rather than hot-seat play thanks to the secrecy factor; while you can check the wealth of your opponents and the artefacts they possess at any time, their tactics remain a mystery. It's a pity there's no mid-game save option, but sensible players will restrict themselves to the faster-paced modes on the smaller maps, not least because it means you can squeeze more games into a single sitting.