Video Game Review | LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean

The Lego games' family-friendly formula of chaotic combat, gentle puzzle solving and laugh-out-loud comic cut-scenes has become at least as big a part of their appeal as the Hollywood movies on which they are based.

Which is handy here because, as befits a franchise born our of an amusement park ride, Disney's 'Pirates of the Caribbean' blockbusters are big on swashbuckling action but somewhat lacking in iconic characters.
The one true exception, of course, is Captain Jack Sparrow, and he's the star of this show too; developers Travellers Tales improbably imbuing his brick form with as much swagger and style as Johnny Depp does on screen.

Elsewhere they've also provided plenty of bang for your pieces of eight. All four of the franchise's films - including newie '...Stranger Tides' - are afforded the full story mode treatment; there's chest-fuls of secret booty for the dedicated to dig up; and welcome refinements to the controls make 'Pirates...' one of the most accessible Lego installments yet.

It might not boast the depth and variety of the recent 'Star Wars' and 'Harry Potter' outings, but 'Pirates...' still has a ch-arrrrgh!-m all of its own.

Watch the trailer here