Pirate Hunter and Patrician III ship

Gamers hankering for the high seas will bet a double-shot of maritime action this week, when Pirate Hunter and Patrician III sail into stores. Developed by German studio Ascaron and published by Encore, the two games chart very different courses across the ocean. Pirate Hunter is based on Ascaron's Port Royale, released in April, and has similar gameplay. What is different is the story, which focuses exclusively on hunting down Caribbean buccaneers for bounties.

Patrician III, however, focuses on the same subject as its predecessors, simulating the medieval sea commerce of Northern Europe's Hanseatic League. The game does sport new features like a map editor, seasonal and weather-based graphics, more trading options, and an upgraded self-scaling AI.

Gamers won't have to plunder their treasure hoards too much for Pirate Hunter, which can be carried off for an MSRP of $29.99. Patrician III is a bit pricier at $39.99.