Let's be real for a second. Sea of Thieves is usually about the vibe—sailing, drinking grog, and occasionally getting your ship dismantled by a sweaty brigantine crew. But then there’s The Sunken Pearl walkthrough reality. This isn’t a leisurely cruise. It is a vertical, claustrophobic, and sometimes genuinely confusing dive into the Kingdom of the Sands. If you’ve ever found yourself swimming in circles wondering why a statue won't move or where the heck that last journal is, you’re not alone. It's a buggy, beautiful mess of a Tall Tale.
The Sunken Pearl is the second chapter of the A Pirate’s Life expansion. It’s arguably the most mechanically dense mission Rare has ever put out. You aren't just fighting skeletons; you're solving physical puzzles while managing oxygen and trying to keep track of a story that involves Davy Jones, Calypso, and a whole lot of coral. Honestly, the biggest hurdle for most players isn't even the Kraken—it's the statues. Get the statue sequence wrong, and you’re just standing in a puddle looking silly.
Diving In: The Descent to the Black Pearl
First thing you’ve gotta do is head to the blue light in the sky. You can’t miss it unless you’re actively trying to. Once you park your ship near the coral glow, you’re going down. Deep down.
Watch Your Breath
It’s easy to panic when the screen starts blurring. Use the oxygen bubbles. They are everywhere. If you miss the bubbles, you’re a ghost. Simple as that. As you descend, you’ll see the wreckage of the Black Pearl. It’s a nostalgic gut-punch for anyone who grew up with the movies.
You’ll need the Black Pearl Key. This is the first "wait, where is it?" moment. It’s tucked away near some debris behind the ship's cabin area. You aren't looking for a glowing chest; you're looking for a small, interactable object. Once you grab it, head inside the ship to get the Compass. This isn't just a prop—it’s your north star for the rest of the mission.
The Siren Statue Mechanics
This is where The Sunken Pearl walkthrough usually gets technical. You’re going to see statues holding different items: a trident, a shell (conch), and a gem.
- The Low Statue: The arm is down.
- The Mid Statue: The arm is at chest level.
- The High Statue: The arm is raised above the head.
You’ll see a mural on the wall. That mural is your cheat sheet. It tells you exactly which position each statue needs to be in. Hit the statues until their arms match the mural, then whack the "leader" statue (the one with the big conch) to trigger the water level change. If it doesn't work? You missed a statue. Check the shadows. Sometimes one is tucked behind a pillar and it’s easy to overlook.
📖 Related: Cheapest Pokemon Pack: How to Rip for Under $4 in 2026
The Spire and the Silver Blade
Once you enter the Spire, the game changes. You’re no longer just swimming; you’re platforming. Sea of Thieves was never meant to be Prince of Persia, so the jumping feels a bit... floaty. Expect to fall. A lot.
The Pulley Puzzles
You’ll encounter a room with a massive shipwreck hanging by chains. This is the Silver Blade. To move forward, you have to manipulate the pulleys. It’s basically a game of "move the platform, jump, move the next one."
A common mistake here is rushing the combat. Sirens will spawn in waves. Don't try to outswim them. Use the Tridents of Dark Tides scattered around. These things are absolute powerhouses. One fully charged shot can clear a cluster of Sirens instantly. Just watch out for the friendly fire—or "friendly splash"—because those explosions hurt you too.
That Annoying Chest of Sorrows
At a certain point, you’ll find the Chest of Everlasting Sorrows. This thing is a nightmare. It cries. Constantly. And because you’re in an enclosed space, its "tears" will actually fill the room with water and drown you. You have to carry it while platforming.
Pro Tip: If you’re playing solo, drop the chest on the platform you just moved, then go interact with the next lever. Don't try to hold it while jumping across gaps unless you want to fall into the abyss. You need this chest to unlock the "Secret" room later for the commendations, so don't just leave it behind once you think you're safe.
Dealing with the Kraken (Sort Of)
Wait, is it actually a Kraken fight? Well, yes and no. It’s more of a "Kraken's face in a hole" fight.
👉 See also: Why the Hello Kitty Island Adventure Meme Refuses to Die
The Boss Encounter
You’ll reach a massive chamber where the Kraken’s head pokes through the wall. It’s intimidating. It screams. It splashes. But it’s mostly a choreographed sequence.
- Use the Cannons: There are cannons conveniently placed on the wreckage. Use them.
- Aim for the Mouth: When the Kraken opens wide to suck you in, fire.
- Kill the Adds: Ocean Crawlers will board your "ship" platform. Don't ignore them. The Crab Dabbers (the big guys) can tank a lot of damage, so use blunderbusses or tridents.
Honestly, the hardest part of this fight is the visual clutter. There’s green mist, water splashes, and screaming everywhere. Stay calm. Focus on the tentacles when they pop up, and keep the deck clear of Crawlers. If you stay on the cannons, the fight ends surprisingly fast.
The Journals: A Completionist's Nightmare
If you’re doing The Sunken Pearl walkthrough for the commendations, you need the five journals. They are not in plain sight. Most people miss the third one because it’s tucked behind a piece of coral after the first major water-raising puzzle.
- Journal 1: In the debris near the Black Pearl at the start.
- Journal 2: In the cavern after the first siren statue puzzle, look behind the glowing flora.
- Journal 3: After raising the water the second time, look for a small cave opening off to the side.
- Journal 4: Near the Silver Blade ship wreckage, look under the wooden planks.
- Journal 5: In the final chamber before the exit.
Missing one means restarting the whole tale, which is a massive pain. If you're unsure, double-check your commendations menu. It’ll tell you if the journal "counted" immediately after you read it.
Why This Tale Glitches So Much
Let's address the elephant in the room: this mission is notorious for bugs. Because it’s an instanced area that technically exists in the shared world, sometimes things just... break.
I’ve seen statues refuse to reset. I’ve seen the Silver Blade get stuck mid-air. I’ve seen players fall through the floor into the void. If a puzzle seems truly broken—like, you’ve hit the statues in the right order ten times and nothing happens—you might have to scuttle or restart the Tall Tale from a checkpoint. Rare has patched it dozens of times since 2021, but it’s still finicky.
✨ Don't miss: Why the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Boss Fights Feel So Different
Checkpoints are Your Best Friend
Thank goodness for the Tall Tale checkpoints. If the game crashes or a door won't open, just leave the session and start a new one. Go to the ship’s captain’s table, vote on the "Sunken Pearl" checkpoint, and it will teleport you or give you the items you need to skip the stuff you've already done.
The Secret Room (The Revenge of the Chest)
Remember that crying chest? If you brought it all the way to the end, there’s a door with a face on it near the final corridor. Place the chest in front of the door. The door "sees" the sadness (I’m not joking, that’s the mechanic) and opens.
Inside, you’ll find more lore and the final journals. Most players skip this because carrying that chest while fighting off waves of Ocean Crawlers is a genuine test of patience. Is it worth it? For the "Legend of the Sea" vibes, absolutely. For your blood pressure? Maybe not.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception about the Sunken Pearl is that you need a full crew. You don't. In fact, doing this solo is sometimes easier because the enemy scaling is much lower. When you have a 4-man Galleon crew, the Sirens become absolute bullet sponges. Solo? You can 2-tap them with a pistol.
Also, don't hoard your Trident charges. You find dozens of them throughout the Spire. Use them like they’re going out of style. They make the platforming sections significantly easier by clearing out the bats and crawlers from a distance.
Actual Actionable Steps for Your Run
If you’re about to dive down right now, keep these three things in mind:
- Check the Mural Twice: Every statue puzzle has a painting on the wall nearby. If you’re stuck, look up. The answer is literally painted on the rocks.
- Sound Cues Matter: When a statue is in the right position, it makes a specific "thud" sound. If you don't hear it, the game didn't register the hit.
- Use the Checkpoint: If the water doesn't rise after the Kraken fight, don't wait for 20 minutes. It's bugged. Just reload the checkpoint.
The Sunken Pearl is a fantastic piece of storytelling, but it demands you play by its very specific, sometimes slightly broken, rules. Take your time, enjoy the visuals of the Sunken Kingdom, and for the love of pirate gold, keep that Chest of Sorrows away from your feet while you're trying to climb.
Once you finish this, the next Tall Tale is a lot more "sailing-heavy," so enjoy the change of pace while you’re underwater. Just watch your oxygen, and don't let the Sirens lure you into a wall. You've got a Pearl to save.