Skull and Bones – Review

Skulls and Bones is Ubisoft’s pirate game that had been in the work for a long time. It was delayed six separate times and a lot of concepts were explored before the launch. But, it appears to be worth the wait, as the 17^th-century Indian Ocean offers an open world that you can plunder and explore. The RPG mechanics give you plenty of opportunities for build-crafting and the naval combat is also entertaining.

The uniqueness

In the open-world of RPGs, Skull and Bones proves to be fairly unique because it gives you direct control of a ship and allows you to sail the ocean, pillaging ports and sending enemy ships to Davy Jones’ locker in search of infamy and loot. You can go alone, or you can also go with ships of two friends to gather resources and participate in action-packed heists that can feed your greed.

The focus on the intricate maritime gameplay is very enjoyable, as is the economy/commodities simulation. Even though it is a bit odd that you have control of the ship, you will not feel as if you are missing out on a lot. This is due to the great ship-to-ship combat.

The story

Unfortunately, the one area where Skull and Bones disappoints is the story because there is barely a whiff of one. Two major NPCs are the focus. First is a vulgar English pirate called Captain John Spurlock and the second is Admiral Rahma, a violent political dissident. These two characters are not very interesting and you converse with these rogues a couple of times and do some missions for them. It eventually concludes in a boss fight against a mean boat.

This does not mean that there are not some likeable rogues that you will meet along the way. One of them is Yanita, who will help you get acquainted with the world of black market trading. But, most of the NPCs do not really have a story that connects them and they are mostly just quest dispensers and vendors.

The highlights

You have to blast through enemy ships that become increasingly lethal and his involves using your loot for crafting better piracy instruments. The main highlight is the ship-to-ship PvE combat and you need cooperation, strategy and other player-controlled vessels to pull off at higher levels. The naval combat and the open ocean also look great and it is clear that a lot of effort has been made to make elements like cannonfire and waves look real. But, the same cannot be said for the NPCs because most of them look animatronic, with robotic mouths and dead eyes.

It is quite compelling to craft new ships and explore various builds. You can spend hours and resources on building your ship and it helps you unlock new abilities. You will also start understanding the supply and demand on the trade routes in different parts of the world and this adds an interesting element of economy management.

The Verdict

While Skull and Bones does not turn out to be what Ubisoft promised initially, it still ends up being surprisingly good and the seafaring RPG will keep you hooked.