After a long and turbulent development journey, Ubisoft’s Skull and Bones has finally hoisted its sails on next-gen consoles and PC, offering gamers an immersive dive into the ruthless and fascinating world of piracy. But does this title successfully navigate the high expectations of gamers or is it left adrift in the vast ocean of multiplayer games? In this review, we unravel the mysteries of Skull and Bones, exploring its high and low tides.
The journey so far
Announced to great fanfare in 2017, Skull and Bones promised an epic adventure in the golden age of piracy, focusing on intense naval battles and exploration. Since its conception as an expansion to Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, the game has navigated through tumultuous development, facing several delays and vision changes culminating in its release as a game as a service (“Game as a Service” or GaaS).
At the heart of Skull and Bones beats the promise of pirate freedom, allowing players to assume the role of ambitious captains ready to make a name for themselves in the Indian seas. The game especially shines in its naval combat, which is the jewel in the crown, offering a satisfying blend of tactics, strategy and customization. Every ship, from barges to majestic sambuks, can be equipped and modified to reflect the player’s play style, from DPS to support to defense.
However, despite its achievements in naval combat, Skull and Bones faces several challenges in other aspects. On-foot exploration and boarding feel underdeveloped, limiting the experience to sea battles and sacrificing the potential richness of pirate life. While the game promises a vast open world, exploration on land falls short, offering little more than merchants and buried treasure, and lacks the melee combat or deep interactions that pirate fans might expect.
An outstanding artistic section
As we delve into the visuals of Skull and Bones, we find a sea of contrasts that reflects both the majesty of open oceans and the storms of unfulfilled expectations. On a technical level, the game does not revolutionize the genre or set a new graphical standard for next-gen titles. While Skull and Bones succeeds in capturing the vastness of the sea and the beauty of sunsets on the high seas, as well as the detailed ship designs and vibrant sails billowing in the wind, it falls short compared to other recent Ubisoft releases.
The coastlines of Africa and the East Indies, with their narrow rivers and coastal cities, are recreated with a care that deserves praise, showcasing Ubisoft’s ability to create rich, visually appealing open worlds. However, short distances reveal a lack of polish: character animations on land and the facial expressions of NPCs reveal a lack of attention to detail that breaks immersion in this world of stealth and plunder.
A promising horizon
Ubisoft Singapore has promised future updates and content seasons that could enrich the Skull and Bones experience, addressing some of the criticisms and expanding the game world. Despite the current issues, the game establishes a solid foundation in naval combat and ship customization that, with the right support, could evolve into the ultimate piracy experience that many have been waiting for.
Should you buy Skull and Bones?
Skull and Bones is a journey full of contrasts, with moments of brilliance on the high seas obfuscated by missed opportunities on land. While its release may not have met all expectations, it offers enough tailwinds for fans of naval battles and the age of piracy to give it a chance. With the helm firmly in Ubisoft’s hands and the vast ocean of possibilities yet to be explored, only time will tell if Skull and Bones can trim its sails and find its way to the treasure it promised to be.