Summary
Spiritually succeedingAssassin’s Creed 4: Black Flagfrom 11 years ago, Ubisoft’sSkull and Boneshas finally hit store shelves. Now, players can once again have their very own pirate adventure in a Ubisoft game, and although the game is far from perfect, it does offer a decent enough experience for fans of Edward Kenway’s tale. However,Skull and Bonesmay have also taken a bit of inspiration from the wrong side ofAssassin’s Creed.
The core seafaring gameplay ofSkull and Bonesfeels ripped straight fromAssassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, but the land-based gameplay feels like it is from an entirely different mode. Instead of being filled with classic pirate shenanigans, the gameplay seems to take more cues fromAssassin’s Creed’s Discovery Tour. While some players may enjoy that simpler gameplay loop, the game would likely have been a lot stronger if that aspect was a bit more engaging.
Skull and Bones Replicated the Wrong Side of the Assassin’s Creed Franchise
Skull and Bones' Style Feels A Lot Like Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
Practically everything aboutSkull and Bonesgameplay feels like a new take onAssassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag’s acclaimed style. In that game,players took control of Edward Kenwayas he sailed the seas looting, pillaging, and tracking down the Templar Order. It led to an experience unlike any other, with fans yearning to return to the high seas in a similar adventure.Skull and Boneshas seemingly taken those pirate ideas and tossed them into a multiplayer format, with mixed results.
The seafaring gameplay ofSkull and Bonesplays a lot likeBlack Flag, with a few tweaks. The combat is a bit more arcadey, the ships are far more customizable, and there is more strategy involved. Additionally, the art style feels heavily reminiscent of theAssassin’s Creedworld and players are often treated to sea shanties on their journey. But at the same time,Skull and Bonesalso removed some popular features like ship boarding, hand-to-hand combat, and land-bound exploration, which has made for a lackluster experience overall.
Skull and Bones' Gameplay Feels More Like Assassin’s Creed’s Discovery Tour
The ship combat may feel likeBlack Flag, but the land-based gameplay does not. Instead of letting players freely explore islands to their heart’s content, the islands ofSkull and Bonesare mostly inaccessible with only a few actually able to be explored. It doesn’t help that the actual exploration aspect leaves much to be desired.
Players are really only able to walk around these locales, interact with a few NPCs, and navigate all sorts of different menus. Without anything fight or any challenges to really overcome, there is practically nothing to do on these islands. And even though there is also no historical journey to go on, the lack of some ofBlack Flag’s best features makesSkull and Bonesfeel a lot more likeAssassin’s Creed’s new Discovery Tour mode.
Discovery Tour sees all the violent aspects ofthe recentAssassin’s Creedgamesdisappear in favor of letting players simply see what the world would look like hundreds of years ago. They can wander the massive open worlds and learn about history in recreations of real places. There really is not much to do outside of that, which is what makes the mode so special. It has proven to be a useful tool for history buffs and teachers, but it is not the most engaging for those looking for a typical gaming adventure.
WhileSkull and Boneslikely did not actually copy this mode, the lack of engaging things to do makes it feel like it did. All players can really do on these islands is interact with things and look around, which sounds eerily similar to what Discovery Tour was built upon. Hopefully, Ubisoft has plans to shake the land-based gameplay up a bit more, because right now, this makes it feel rather boring.
Skull and Bones
WHERE TO PLAY
Set sail into the vibrant open world of Skull and Bones, a naval online action RPG where you rise to become the most fearsome pirate kingpin.ENGAGE IN SPECTACULAR NAVAL COMBATPrepare for devastating battles by crafting a dozen different ships and equip your fleet with powerful loadouts. Unlock stronger weapons as you progress and customize your ships to reflect your unique pirate playstyle.SAIL INTO A DANGEROUS HELL IN PARADISEVoyage into the Indian Ocean and explore a vast open world teeming with cutthroat pirates, deadly sea monsters, supernatural threats, devastating storms, and more.TEAM UP WITH FELLOW PIRATESSail the lawless seas solo or team up with two friends or other players to partake in shareable contracts and rewards.ENJOY EVER-EVOLVING CONTENTEach season, face a brand-new legendary sea lord and discover fresh content, limitless endgame opportunities, and new exciting features designed to enhance your pirate experience.
