Skull and Bones
The Good Stuff
- Play as a pirate captain
- Sink ships for rewards & loot
- Play with friends online
The Bad Stuff
- Limited story line
- Full of glitches & bugs
- Limited end game content
Skull and Bones
The seafaring RPG delivers unexpected levels of fun. Ship-to-ship combat with customizable weaponry is a blast, and the RPG mechanics offer surprising depth for build-crafters
After a long and tumultuous development journey, Skull and Bones has finally set sail. While many envisioned it as the successor to ‘Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag’, and Ubisoft itself made various promises that haven’t fully materialized, the final product offers a surprisingly enjoyable, albeit imperfect, experience.
Not Quite the Promised Treasure, But Still Fun
Skull and Bones is an RPG action-adventure that lets you become a fearsome pirate captain. If you enjoy watching “Pirates of the Caribbean” you will feel right at home.
You start as a sheer outcast. You embark on your naval adventure at the end of the 17th century when piracy thrived, and many outcasts decided to pursue their fortune.
You will have to grow your fame by completing missions and engaging in epic naval combats. Every pirate needs a pirate ship, so you’ll need to build one and customize your own fleet.
As you perform these deeds, you end up climbing ranks, gaining respect, and become a one-of-a-kind pirate captain whose name strikes fear across the ocean sea.
The Skull and Bones game doesn’t fulfill all the expectations set by its troubled development history. It’s not the “Black Flag” follow-up some craved, and it lacks the depth of the story and features Ubisoft once hinted at.
However, the core gameplay loop of sailing the Indian Ocean and engaging in ship-to-ship combat proves surprisingly fun.
Engaging Naval Combat and Deep RPG Mechanics
The game shines in its naval combat. Firing cannons, mortars, giant ballista and all sorts make for an enjoyable experience. It’s satisfying and a thrilling RPG experience as you defeat other ships on the Indian Ocean, granting you rewards and loot to customize your ship.
The RPG mechanics add a satisfying layer of depth, allowing you also to build your character for various playstyles. The cooperative element, where you can team up with friends to tackle challenging encounters, further enhances the enjoyment.
Impressive Economy Simulation, But Content Concerns Linger
The economy simulator deserves praise for its impressive depth and complexity. Managing trade routes, engaging in black market activities, and building settlements adds a satisfying layer of strategic thinking and resource management.
However, the current state of the game raises concerns. The endgame content feels thin, lacking the variety and engagement needed to hold players’ attention for the long haul. The story is practically non-existent, offering a bare minimum of narrative context.
Additionally, the game suffers from technical issues like crashes, glitches, and persistent notifications, hindering the overall experience.
Hope on the Horizon
Despite these shortcomings, the Skull and Bones game isn’t entirely without hope. The ambitious live-service roadmap promises a steady stream of content updates that could address the lack of endgame activities and potentially expand the narrative.
In the meantime, the solid foundation of the core gameplay, the enjoyable RPG, and economic elements make it a decent voyage for players who crave ship battles and strategic seafaring adventures. Even though the experience needs some refinement and additional content to truly reach its full potential, game patches and updates will hopefully resolve the
The Verdict
While the Skull and Bones game might not be the successor many longed for, the seafaring RPG delivers unexpected levels of fun. Ship-to-ship combat with customizable weaponry is a blast, and the RPG mechanics offer surprising depth for build-crafters.
The economy simulation is also impressive.
However, it’s not yet the fully realized package Ubisoft promised, with limited endgame content, minimal story, and a rough-around-the-edges technical state.
Yet, hope isn’t lost… the ambitious live-service content roadmap offers a chance to address these weaknesses, and its strong foundation leaves room for an even better experience down the line.
Should you buy it? If you want to fight other pirate ships on the wide open sea, with your friends then I’m sure you will enjoy this game. Buy the Skull and Bones game. However, you may need to update the game before playing to get a better gaming experience.
If you like my review give it a thumbs up in the comments below. Any questions you may have as well, you can leave them here below and I’ll make sure that it gets answered. Until next time. 😀