Skull and Bones

Skull and Bones is a very unusual game that will have its own niche and will be a classic "love it or hate it" title. This happens due to the complexity of its gameplay, which can alienate newcomers, and the bugs that, at least on the PS5, appeared constantly.

Despite its long and circuitous course to arrive at port, Skull and Bones is the type of game that may change significantly in the coming months. But to evaluate it as it stands, fellow pirate enthusiasts may discover what I did – a flawed but beautifully presented historical fantasy in which one can take to the water and make a fortune, even if absolutely everything about the pirate life isn’t always pretty.

If not the ultimate pirate game, Skull and Bones is a good naval battle game that has arguments to make you want to get involved. So no, here, no third-person action phases: the adventure takes place almost exclusively on the waves, and once the element of surprise has passed, the qualities of Ubisoft's service game are revealed. The seven seas of the Indian Ocean are the subject of a solid atmosphere and technique, and the battles on the open sea are a real success. So, you may be struggling to get to the endgame, due to a fairly redundant progression, but believe us, the price is worth it. In short, a good surprise, far from the shipwreck that some saw on the horizon.

Skull and Bones does what it set out to do quite well. Combat is fun, the upgrade system is rewarding, the environment is engaging, and the sound design is phenomenal. But everything that it doesn’t do sticks out like a sore thumb. A next-to-non-existent narrative, repetitive one-trick missions, and a lack of anything pirate-related other than sailing a ship hurts. To its credit, I enjoyed my first twenty or so hours more than I thought I would. But it’ll take a significant, focused effort from Ubisoft to maintain interest over the years to come.

Skull and Bones is a very odd game and there are plenty of aspects to it that will leave a great number of players stone-cold. But, there is also something wonderful about it as well; the sense of exploration, the cathartic combat, the glorious visuals, the welcoming online community, and the ridiculously catchy sea shanties. In short, like the very best pirate, Skull and Bones will be loved by some, and hated by others. For my part, and in spite of its issues, I love it.

Skull & Bones offers engaging naval combat and exploration, but falls short in other areas compared to its predecessor, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. While it lacks depth in its on-land gameplay and suffers from some unpolished elements, it still provides enjoyable adventures on the high seas with its ship customization and combat mechanics.

If you were looking for a spectacular adventure focused on a single player or similar, that is something you will not find in this product. On the other hand, if you were prepared to receive this game knowing that it is just a service, then you may have a good time, since the hours of farming are not going to end soon and it has ideas that are not bad at all.

Skull and Bones doesn't quite live up to the expectations of "a AAAA game", at least not at launch. The title relies on dynamic naval combat and bland, pointless walks on land. What Skull and Bones does it does well, but it doesn't aspire to be the definitive pirate game. Perhaps the ultimate pirate ship game would be a title more in line with what we've encountered.

Skull and Bones embraces the piracy theme in a naval battle game that delivers good combat in a well-crafted fantasy. There are still a lack of precise adjustments to improve the experience as a whole, improvements to poorly developed mechanics and the endgame in its current state is deplorable. Despite this, there is an opportunity here for fans of the style and setting to have fun, as long as they understand what the game proposes.

The risk of being repetitive or boring in some situations, the insipid narrative and a perfectible technical sector work against it, yet not everything is to be thrown away because Skull and Bones has potential, I can perceive it while I sail its seas juggling between PVE clashes and other players who, like me, aspire to the title of pirate king. Unfortunately, the problems during development end up being reflected in a live service which, despite the intriguing pirate setting, in the current state of things appears incapable of standing out from the crowd to rival the giants of the genre.

Skull and Bones proved to have a stable enough structure to stay afloat and not sink as long as the French publisher decides to support one of its most controversial projects ever. With more profound and enveloping gameplay, we would be talking about a worthy rival to Sea of Thieves. Still, Ubisoft Singapore's pirate-based adventure is just a decent video game experience more likely to be appreciated for the management aspect and the considerable amount of playable content.

It can be difficult to square the decade-plus Skull and Bones development cycle with its lack of features in some areas, but this isn’t the wreck many expected it to be. The game’s naval combat is simple yet engaging, its world is striking, ship customization is satisfying, and there are plenty of varied things to do, even if most of them don’t involve getting off your ship. Skull and Bones can be repetitive and it doesn’t exactly capture that devil-may-care pirate lifestyle, but keep expectations in check and there’s fun to be had sailing these pleasantly predictable seas.

Skull and Bones delivers boatloads of explosive tactical action, with players playing the part of pirates in an impressive oceanic world. Its 17th-century naval battles are best-in-class, with developer Ubisoft Singapore building a firm foundation for future voyages. But with no real story to speak of and little in the way of variation, repetition inevitably sets in. While not the spiritual successor to Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag as some might have been hoping for, Skull and Bones is never-the-less an incredibly unique, reactive game well worth checking out.

While it is not the AAAA production Ubisoft envisioned, as well as ultimately a project with in many ways untapped potential, Skull and Bones can rely on a number of tremendously solid aspects: the rendering of navigation and the sea, with its wonderful charm and the myriad discoveries that can be made; the combat system, surprisingly multifaceted and engaging; and the progression, very solid and well balanced, with so much still to be said. Sure, there are several things the developers could have done differently, the plot is glaringly inconsistent, and the long traversals are tough to deal with, but the chest we unearthed after so much waiting did not prove empty, quite the contrary.

Skull and Bones isn't incredible, but neither is it a nameless wreck. For those who didn't play Black Flag back in the day, it's still a good experience to have as a pirate, with then some pretty memorable battles and also the pleasure of customizing your ship and equipping it with the best weapons. But if you've ever had an experience with the opus released in 2013, it's clear that this title will certainly leave a bitter taste in your mouth. While the sea battles are a real highlight, the rest of the game seems bland, with redundant missions and a feeling of limited exploration. Despite this, the whole game remains pleasant to play, with a campaign lasting between 25 and 30 hours.

Skull and Bones is not an absolute disaster, but it ends up throwing all its potential away. Its problem isn't that it's a game as a service, but that on a general level it's not structured well. It has standout moments and good ideas that make it enjoyable, but if this is AAAA, then let Davy Jones drag us all into the abyss.

In what Skull and Bones sets out to do, it may work for some people. A naval battle game that provides some entertainment and brings back a certain nostalgia from the times of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. However, for a game in 2024, it deserved much more polish and care.

Skull and Bones is a decent experience and one that requires some longer-term analysis. As a live-service title, I disagree with the price point, but I expect that development costs factored heavily into it. Despite that, Skull and Bones has the potential to enter a golden age of piracy if it manages to usher in a wealth of new players. At its core, Skull and Bones is a fun tactical pirate ship experience, but it does need to continue adding content and bringing new players on board over time.

It took far too long, but Skull and Bones is now available, and not entirely surprisingly, the game does not really impress. The title lacks a compelling story, the missions are monotonous, the animations outdated, graphically very variable and at times boring. At the same time, you can have a lot of fun with it if you play in co-op and the naval combat is really cool though. There is also plenty to do in the huge game world. Skull and Bones is a game that in itself does what it needs to do, but at the same time it is bursting with unused potential.

Unfortunately Skull and Bones is marked by continuous qualitative fluctuations. Its open world is quite vast, but also a little empty, its pirate atmosphere is successful, but the narrative component is very uninteresting. What remains are the pleasant naval battles against other players, the collaboration between privateers in PvE, and the hopes linked to the progressive enrichment of the experience, aroused in us by the roadmap available on the official website of the game. For the moment, we say it with a bit of bitterness, Skull and Bones is still at the mercy of the waves.

Skull and Bones spent seven years in development, but still feels like an unfinished beta version that was released way before it’s time. And while many expect this kind of patchwork from Ubisoft, it is still a reprehensible industry practice that is in no way fair to the players, who despite all the warning signs have waited and hoped for the game’s release. Just as another live service game recently released based on the DC universe, Skull and Bones feels like a cash grab attempt that maybe fixable in the future with many patches and updates but even in its ideal form is far from an AAA title. At best it could be a relaxing and engaging, albeit repetitive activity, but in its current form is a beta version sold at full price.

While its ship customisation revels in aesthetic delights, little else here allows for the kind of pirate fantasy we’ve been waiting for since 2013. Despite some early promise and admirable endgame ideas, Skull and Bones charts a fairly unremarkable course through its gorgeously empty ocean.

As unfortunately predictable as it was, Skull and Bones falls victim to over ten years spent in development limbo; during this time, the project changed its nature multiple times, signaling a lack of direction that is cleareven in the final product. Despite having a fascinating setting and naval combat that can be entertaining in its simplicity, there is a total lack of identity. What's missing is something that pushes players to keep going, whether it's an intriguing gameplay loop or an engaging narrative context, and once the console is turned off, it's easy to forget everything that happened in this incredibly flat sea.The dawn of "quadruple-A" titles doesn't seem so promising, after all.

Skull and Bones' sea battles can be a lot of fun, especially in co-op, but in the long run the pirate game is too repetitive.

Seabound play is great fun, initially at least, but the longer your voyage lasts, the more Skull & Bones struggles to provide new, interesting things for you to do. [Issue#39, p.98]

Not as bad as some claim, but also not as good as its supporters believe. Skull and Bones is, above all, a solid base for further development, because it is through the prism of the announced improvements that we will judge this project in the future. For now, the game is okay, but only okay.

Yes, I miss the swashbuckling and sword-clashing action found in the likes of Black Flag more than I care to admit – but honestly, Skull & Bones’ seafaring sections can be pretty special. There’s a beautiful simplicity to it all – sailing around the seas, watching the stars twinkle above as the sea gently rocks my boat, all while I prepare to turn the night sky red with the burning remains of an unsuspecting merchant fleet. Skull & Bones is far from the perfect pirate adventure, but this is a tale of two halves; at its best, it’s a fantastic sea-sim, but at its worst? I was almost pushed to mutiny.

I don’t see myself sticking out hours upon hours of further gameplay, but the handful of salty, vinegary chips that make up the foundations of Skull and Bones have kept me well sated for the past two weeks – and I can’t deny I’ve found myself thinking about the game even when I’m not logged in.

Skull and Bones might have been a better game had it released sooner, but at it's fun combat is dampened by its rather dull progression.

The wait for Skull and Bones was exceptionally long, leading to both exaggerated and non-existent expectations. The outcome falls in line with this mixed anticipation—enjoyable at times, particularly when engaging in sailing, battles, and exploring the world. However, it's hard to ignore the missing elements, the heavy grind, and the overall repetitiveness, coupled with some notable bugs. It's not a game for everyone, certainly not the game of the decade or a dream come true for treasure hunters and pirate role-players. There's a feeling it could have been much better. Yet, with more immersion, especially if you enjoy the theme and don't mind the action-grinding style, it can be surprisingly rewarding. The real test will be in the coming months to see if additional content justifies sticking with the game.

If its publisher Ubisoft continues to support it, Skull and Bones will attract a committed player base of sea-combat enthusiasts who enjoy tinkering with their ships’ builds and facing off against each other, or teaming up to take on the intimidating fleets, cargo heists and sea monsters that lurk tens of hours in. If you are after a game that feels like a pirate adventure, though, you’re still better off with Black Flag.

The sailing and explosive battles are as enjoyable as this game's attractive backdrop. A shame that most of it is driven by dry resource collection to upgrade your ship.

Skull and Bones is not more than a repetitive live service game without any hint of a story. Apart from the large land- and waterscapes, neither the naval battles nor the visits on land offer any entertainment.

All of the fun customisation and combat in Skull & Bones is catastrophically let down by the mundane gameplay loop. What is a blessing and a curse for almost all games in this live service genre. Skull and Bones has the potential to be, but certainly isn’t yet, a great game.

Perhaps Ubisoft's most mediocre new IP launch to date, eliciting neither excitement nor offence.

Maybe, after all, Ubisoft has managed to simulate the existence of the average pirate. Perhaps that's what the fourth 'A' stands for. [Issue#396, p.112]

Skull and Bones fails to deliver on the promises made before its release and gives us a game that feels incomplete and rushed, even after ten years of development. Its primary offering is an endless cycle of repetitive naval battles and tedious resource collection.

When I finish off an enemy ship in Black Flag, time slows and the camera zooms in, allowing me to witness the magnificent brutality of powder stores exploding as masts snap like matchsticks. Skull and Bones can’t offer spectacle, because playing with time and camerawork might risk affecting another player’s experience. The result is something that’s dulled down to the point that everyone sharesthe same mediocrity, and I have to wonder what happened to this poor little project during the many years it was stuck on the seas of development hell.

Skull and Bones is an action-adventure title developed by Ubisoft with a heavy focus on piracy and naval combat. Set in an open-world environment inspired by locations in the Indian Ocean, players take control of a customizable pirate captain and ship and undertake missions to collect treasure and raise in rank. Players rely on ship combat with cannons, mortars, and rockets to defeat both NPCs and other player ships.

With excellent sailing and naval combat mechanics, it's a shame that Skull and Bones is so hampered by its lack of diversity, odd developmental decisions, and minimal capacity to offer a true pirate fantasy.

When it's not annoying with the lackluster story and mission structure, Skull and Bones is tedious with its end game grind and activities. Bland and repetitive, it's simply a drag to enjoy.

After the excellent pirate game Assassin's Creed: Black Flag, you would think that Ubisoft did not have much work to do to deliver a good standalone title, but the developer is hopelessly drowning. Outside of the nice ship combat and customization, Skull and Bones is rudderless: uninspired, superficial and, above all, extremely boring. A one-way gangway, please.

Skull and Bones is the byproduct of a tumultuous development cycle, a game that is devoid of any vision other than incorporating a GAAS store.

Despite the clear effort that went into build diversity and satisfying naval combat, Skull and Bones’s core gameplay loops simply aren’t enough to stop this ship from sinking. Mindless grinds, tedious busywork, and a complete lack of any meaningful gameplay hooks outside of the core combat result in an experience that feels incomplete despite the plethora of Ubisoft checklists that there is to work through in your time at sea. If you’re someone who enjoys tinkering with builds and doesn’t mind grinding for materials in a constant pursuit of that next upgrade for hours on end, then you may find something to like here. Otherwise, this is a voyage into tedium-induced insanity that you can definitely afford to miss.

Skull and Bones could have been a welcoming and rare new beacon for pirate game fans but, even with seasons of promised premium content yet to come, this boat is visibly sinking.

Skull And Bones has great naval combat but far too little else to recommend it, with a weak story and gameplay systems that amount to nothing but endless busywork.

Skull and Bones is a game that, frankly, shouldn't have advanced to its conclusion. Monotonous and lacking in variety of content, the experience quickly becomes boring. It fails to fulfill the essentials of a video game: to entertain and motivate the player to return.

If only the story had been good, this might have held up to something better, but then not. Honestly, I wish I could use the game's best feature - "fast travel" - and go back to before I put 30 hours into this game.