That's because the aim of a game like Pirates of the Caribbean is to immerse the player, not through its narrative, but through its freedom. Your identity is not held at a distance; instead it's melded with the main character. According to the game's manual, "Pirates of the Caribbean doesn't make any assumptions about the kind of character you want to play." Well, that's true, assuming that you want to play a white male. Otherwise, your options are open: character growth through skills and abilities is entirely at your determination -- well, from within the list of choices the game offers, anyway.​