Five minutes later Skull and bones In the open beta, I found myself abandoned and alone on a small island with nothing but a rickety dhow and a few rags to maintain my dignity. After a lively conversation with an unfriendly pirate, I was back out in the treacherous waters of the Indian Ocean, searching for scraps and clues to find a nearby town.
After landing on the secret shores of Pirate Den Sainte-Anne and introducing myself to his leader John Scurlock, it was time to prove myself as a fearsome rascal of the seas. Luckily, Skull and Bones has created a surprising variety of ways to achieve this; Once you have gone through the carefully designed tutorial phases and become familiar with the services offered by Sainte-Anne, Skull and bones opens and allows you to cross the seas at will and at risk.
Progress is based on Infamy. Your Infamy grows as you complete missions. How you do this is entirely up to you – from missions in the main quests to side quests in random encounters to picking up a task from the job board, be it taking out a specific target or quietly smuggling some goods into a marked port.
The heart of Skull and bones is its ship-on-ship combat – you’ll spend most of your time sailing the seas, and they’re not particularly friendly. Combat feels extremely satisfying, cannonballs and explosives land with convincing punches, and their rate of fire feels realistic without being sluggish. Skull and bonesThe customization system allows you to equip your ship to suit your play style, whether you want to get up close and deal damage to the Bedar or support your fleet with a sturdy hulk that can withstand incoming fire.
However, there’s a lot more to consider than randomly sinking every boat you come across. Nearby ships can be identified, you can see how powerful they are, what faction they belong to and – perhaps most importantly – what cargo they are carrying, so you can weigh up whether it’s really worth the effort. In these moments, I play a pirate and decide who to respect and who to tear to shreds based on what I need in that moment.
The variation of ships goes a step further, adding another welcome role-playing element to your adventure. As you gain fame, you gain access to bigger, better ships, each with different strengths. However, it’s not as easy as just buying a ship. You need the silver to buy it and the materials to build it. However, you still need certain classes of ships to complete certain missions – for example, a dhow is required for hunting, meaning it doesn’t immediately become irrelevant once you get a more formidable ship. When I switched back to my small boat to spear some alligators, it felt like a realistic change from hurling fire into the sides of giant barges, making for a really fluid pirate experience.
That’s where Skull and bones really intrigued me – there’s a visceral joy in getting on your boat, sailing off, and learning where to buy (or steal) materials needed for upgrades. As you explore the area, you’ll learn about trade routes and the materials they provide. For example, if you want a large pile of cobalt or some fine linen, your best bet is to hang around this route and attack the ships carrying it. If you want to sell surplus goods, Skull and bones has a trading system where goods are worth more to certain traders at different times.
It’s not just about looting everything you can grab and then rushing to the nearest port – it’s designed to make you think about what goods you take with you and how you unload them. It’s worth noting that if your ship is destroyed, your loot will be floating in the sea and can be picked up by anyone. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to make quick decisions.
There are other quality of life inclusions that relieve some of the more tedious sections – you can fast travel from larger ports and settlements, but this costs some silver and time. Your crew will tire from the fast sailing and the boat will slow down, but you can craft meals and buffs to keep them working longer.
Skull and bonesThe early game feels promising – there’s plenty to do and a motivating progression system that encourages exploration and upgrading. You can also have a cat with a peg leg as a pet, which of course is the best thing in the world.
Skull and bones sets sail on February 16th and is available for Xbox Series X|S.
Skull and bones
Ubisoft
$69.99
Pre-order and receive the Highness of the High Sea bundle, which includes the Notoriety Robe and Coronation Fireworks! Enter the dangerous world of Skull and Bones, a co-op pirate open-world action RPG experience, and become the most notorious pirate boss! Take part in exciting naval battles, build a variety of unique ships and forge unlikely alliances as you defy the odds and wreak havoc on the seas. Be part of an immersive open world that brings new challenges and features every season. – Take part in exciting naval battles and equip yourself with a variety of powerful weapons as you risk everything for the greatest loot. – Sail the lawless seas alone or team up with two friends or other players to take part in shareable contracts and rewards. – Face murderous pirate hunters, deadly sea monsters, unpredictable weather, dangerous rogue waves, supernatural threats and more as you explore a massive open world. – Build and sail up to 10 different ships at launch, each with unique benefits to suit your personal play style. – Increase your notoriety and unlock resources and opportunities to receive riskier contracts and improve your equipment. Permanent internet connection, Ubisoft account, Microsoft account and Game Pass Ultimate or Core (subscriptions sold separately) required.
