Windward is a game in which the player takes the role of a sailing ship captain.

Gameplay

The game is set in the randomized, procedurally generated seas that serve as an open-world sandbox. The player controls a trading cog from the top-down view. He or she navigates the vessel through the seas, uncovers new areas and completes quests and tasks. Most of the tasks are simple and require the player to travel between cities. The ship can carry passengers and cargo to gain money and to fight pirates to gain influence. The goal is to profit from the trade, eventually to join one of the factions and help it to assume control over the new ports. There's no semblance of a plot.

Ship management

The player can upgrade his or her ship to expand the cargo space to earn more money, as well as to increase its firepower and stamina to withstand battles against pirates. The combat system in Windward is simple. When the player's ship approaches the enemy, it fires its cannons. The player has no direct control over the cannons. However, he or she can manipulate the ship so that to take a better position and lure the enemy into a trap.

As the player progresses and gathers more money, he or she can hire other ships to serve his or her faction. They can form fleets to attack and capture enemy cities. However, the player still only directly controls the original ship.