The game Skull and Bones is finally set to be released this month (so the creators say), and the open beta, happening this week, is Ubisoft’s last chance to convince us that the long-awaited pirate game is worth the price. Today, I had the opportunity to play for a few hours and I must say, I am not convinced, although I do not rule out the possibility that it may improve in later stages of the game.
We start off with a typical Ubisoft beginning: before becoming the captain of a real pirate ship, we must prove that we understand the game’s complex mechanics, like pressing the F key to pick up floating treasures. The player’s task is to navigate between small islands in search of acacia wood to cut down. This took me some time, as other players had already cleared out nearby acacia groves, and it seems there is a certain amount of time that needs to pass before they regenerate. Yo ho ho, another trunk for me.
Should chopping down trees be one of the first things to do in a pirate game? Probably not, but after collecting the wood and building the proper ship, you can focus on sinking merchants to amass wealth and supplies. The combat is simple and fun, though it feels more like piloting a speedboat than commanding a 17th-century ship. It seems I didn’t absorb anything from the approximately 30 Skull and Bones game trailers Ubisoft released over the past seven years, as I imagined something slower and more majestic, similar to battles between large ships in Fractured Space (of course, on the ocean).
It’s easy to approach merchants and fishing boats and deliver a well-aimed shot, no ballistic knowledge necessary. The crew’s endurance bar adds some friction, though in an artificial way – they are too tired to make the ship move fast. However, the endurance system prompts absurd complaints from the crew about hunger, as their prepared food allows them to increase their abilities – eat up before we venture out onto the high seas of adventure, you fools! Their constant grumbling (shouting about everything they see, just in case I hadn’t noticed the ships around me) made me yearn for the melancholic solitude of playing solo in Sea of Thieves by Rare.
Initially, I thought Ubisoft had created a grittier and bloodier complement to Rare’s charming and quirky pirate game, but Skull and Bones is not really brutal or bloody. It is rather cheap and unnatural. When I constructed my first ship, there was a celebration animation where my character aggressively applauded towards the shipyard, like a wine-drunk adult trying to provoke a reaction from a baby. It reminded me of those TikTok creators pretending to be video game characters or fake mobile game ads where the player becomes a level 99 Boss-master. I can’t imagine becoming attached to this world.
Perhaps the true emotions associated with Skull and Bones come from cooperating with other players, forming mini-fleets, and battling against other groups. However, none of the players I encountered wanted to join forces. I fired a few shots at some of them, but at our level of PvP, it seemed pointless – my cannonballs didn’t have enough power to seriously damage enemy ships, and hull repairs were too easy for them. (It’s like using a medkit in a shooter.) Nevertheless, sometimes you have to entertain yourself without a greater purpose, so I purposely bumped into players trying to enter the main settlement just to annoy them. Sometimes, you have to have fun on your own.
If Skull and Bones becomes better with larger, better-armed ships in open waters – as there is a whole endgame of PvPvE where you can take control of producers and create your own trade routes, which sounds interesting – we will say so in our review. However, for now, I only feel a renewed desire for simple yet exciting adventures and the clumsiness of Sea of Thieves, which emphasizes simulation and player agency (i.e., the freedom for a player to create trouble for others) as opposed to the structured progression in Skull and Bones, where I perform routine tasks to unlock ship and weapon blueprints and gather materials for their construction.
One thing I can admit about Skull and Bones… I wish I had that feather-legged cat on board.
FAQ:
1. When will Skull and Bones be released?
Skull and Bones is set to be released this month, although the exact release date is still unknown.
2. What is an open beta?
The open beta is Ubisoft’s last chance to convince players that the game is worth purchasing. In this phase, players can test the game and provide feedback to the developers.
3. What are the game mechanics?
In the game, players need to prove their understanding of complex mechanics, such as pressing the F key to pick up treasures. Players navigate between islands in search of acacia wood.
4. What does combat look like in Skull and Bones?
Combat is simple and fun, but it resembles piloting a speedboat more than commanding a 17th-century ship. Players can sink merchants to gather wealth and supplies.
5. How does the crew’s endurance system work?
The crew’s endurance system adds friction, but in an artificial way. The crew is too tired to make the ship move quickly. Eating gives them more energy, but sometimes they complain about hunger in an absurd manner.
6. What are the emotions associated with Skull and Bones?
Emotions depend on cooperation with other players in battling against other groups. However, not all players want to join forces. Fighting against other players can be challenging and unsatisfying.
7. Is Skull and Bones a brutal game?
The game is not really brutal or bloody, but it is considered cheap and unnatural.
8. How does Skull and Bones compare to other pirate games?
Compared to Sea of Thieves, Skull and Bones offers a more structured progression in gameplay, where players must perform routine tasks.
Definitions:
1. Open beta – a testing phase of a game where the game is made publicly available for players to test and provide feedback.
2. Game mechanics – the rules and principles that govern how a game works.
3. PvP – abbreviation for Player versus Player, a game mode where players fight against each other.
4. PvPvE – abbreviation for Player versus Player versus Environment, a game mode where players battle against each other while also facing challenges from the environment or artificial intelligence.
Suggested links:
Ubisoft official website
The source of the article is from the blog reporterosdelsur.com.mx