Skull & Bones

Skull and Bones by Ubisoft is a game that is hoping to make us feel like a real pirate! Ubisoft does already have a good track record of this thanks to the awesome, Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag. So, them going all in to make a massive pirate adventure is something that has gotten many gamers all over the world saving their doubloons in anticipation!

Set Sail!

The first thing that is worth noting about Skull and Bones is that while it is set during the golden age of piracy. The game is actually more of a “naval” warfare kind of game as it is all about being on the high seas. Clearly, the game has taken a lot of its inspiration from the open sea battles of Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag and that is a good thing.

The game is going to be a mixture of action and strategy and it appears to be walking the fine line (rather than the plank) of those two genres very well. It is looking to appeal to both strategy and action fans which is no easy feat.

Your Ship Your Rules

There is a large selection of ships in Skull and Bones, but of course, you have to start out at the bottom. It has a very nice-looking progression system (with RPG elements) that will see you upgrade your ship in many different ways. This ranges for getting new weapons, improving them, making your ship faster and strong and even getting a brand-new ship!

You, of course, have a crew as well and making sure you have the right men for the right job is going to be the difference when it comes to surviving and pillaging another ship or ending up spending the night in Davey Jones’s locker!

The Indian Ocean

The backdrop for the game is the Indian Ocean and as you can see from the trailers and images, it looks gorgeous. Say what you will about Ubisoft, but one thing that is for sure is that they make fantastic looking games.

There is a campaign that you can play through and the cinematics look breathtaking. You can also take part in PvE and PvP battles as well. I am sure that working with your friends to try and be the team of pirates that makes it to the treasure first is going to be a great deal of fun. Getting loot is going to be a very big part of the game and also a very big part of living the pirate life as well.

In all Skull and Bones is shaping up to be a truly awesome pirate game. While some may be disappointed that it is a naval warfare game. Do not be! This is a very action-packed kind of game and while it does have a fair bit of strategy for you to contend with. However, it is looking to make this as easy to get to grips with as possible so it is going to be a game that really is accessible for players of all skill levels.

Anticipation Score: 8/10

Pros:

• The game looks like a movie come to life!
• It features action packed high sea battles
• There is an interesting RPG system in the game
• Lots of ways to customize your ship and captain
• PvP and PvE battles along with a campaign

Cons:

• Will it have a steep learning curve?
• When the heck is this thing setting sail?