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Skull and Bones (PS5) Review
Developer: Ubisoft Singapore
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Open-World Action / Naval Combat
Release: 2024
Skull and Bones is a pirate-themed open-world action game built almost entirely around naval combat. Rather than offering the land-based exploration and parkour of the Assassin's Creed series, the game puts the player behind the wheel of a pirate ship and focuses on sailing, trading, resource gathering, customization and ship-to-ship warfare.
The result is a visually impressive and mechanically enjoyable naval combat experience that struggles with repetition and a relatively thin world. There is a satisfying progression system underneath it all, but Skull and Bones sometimes feels more like a live-service naval combat game than the fully realized pirate adventure its setting suggests.
Gameplay & Mechanics
The central gameplay revolves around controlling your ship, managing its equipment and engaging enemy vessels.
Sailing feels responsive and accessible. Wind direction affects movement, while different ship types offer different combinations of speed, durability, cargo capacity and offensive capabilities.
Combat is straightforward but satisfying. Players can target specific sections of enemy ships and use a variety of weapons, including cannons, mortars, ballista-like weapons and other specialized equipment. Different ammunition types can also be useful against particular targets.
Positioning is crucial. Sailing directly toward an enemy can expose weaker parts of your ship, while approaching from an advantageous angle allows you to concentrate fire on vulnerable areas.
The game also includes boarding, although this is handled largely through contextual animations rather than a fully playable boarding sequence. This is one of the game's missed opportunities.
Strengths
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Excellent naval controls.
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Satisfying cannon combat.
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Ship customization provides meaningful choices.
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Different ship types encourage different playstyles.
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Wind and positioning add tactical considerations.
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Easy to learn but offers room for optimization.
Weaknesses
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Boarding is underdeveloped.
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Combat encounters can become repetitive.
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Limited variety in some enemy encounters.
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Sailing can become routine during long journeys.
Exploration & World Design
The game world consists primarily of the Red Isle, Coast of Africa and East Indies regions, creating a substantial open ocean environment.
The world looks impressive. Tropical islands, African coastlines, settlements, shipwrecks and storms create a convincing pirate atmosphere. Sailing across the ocean can be particularly relaxing when there isn't an enemy trying to sink you.
Unfortunately, exploration is much more limited than the setting initially suggests.
You can visit settlements and outposts, collect resources and discover various activities, but you generally don't explore these locations in the traditional sense. Most interactions happen through menus or brief contextual sequences.
This is perhaps the game's biggest disappointment. A pirate game naturally creates expectations of walking through bustling ports, entering taverns, exploring islands and searching for treasure. Skull and Bones instead keeps the player aboard their ship for almost the entire experience.
Story & Themes
The story follows an aspiring pirate who survives a devastating naval battle and begins building a new pirate empire.
The narrative introduces various characters, factions and pirate leaders while gradually expanding the player's influence throughout the region.
The story provides motivation for progression, but it is not particularly memorable. Characters can feel more like quest-givers than fully developed personalities, and the writing rarely captures the adventurous spirit associated with classic pirate fiction.
The world does contain interesting factions and rivalries, but these elements are primarily used to support gameplay rather than create a particularly compelling narrative.
Mission Design & Progression
Progression is built around acquiring better ships, weapons, armor and equipment.
The player begins with relatively modest vessels and gradually gains access to larger and more capable ships. Gathering resources and completing contracts allows you to purchase or craft better equipment.
This creates a satisfying progression loop:
Explore gather resources complete contracts earn currency upgrade your ship tackle stronger enemies.
The crafting system also provides a reason to collect materials found throughout the world.
However, missions frequently involve similar activities. Escorting ships, attacking enemy vessels, collecting resources and delivering cargo can become repetitive after extended play.
The game's live-service structure also means that progression is designed to continue well beyond the main storyline, with seasonal content and additional challenges providing further objectives.
Multiplayer & Co-op
Co-op is an important part of Skull and Bones. Players can team up with others to tackle difficult ships, world events and other activities.
Naval combat becomes particularly entertaining when several players coordinate their attacks. One ship can draw enemy attention while another concentrates fire on vulnerable areas.
The multiplayer design fits the game's mechanics naturally because naval combat already benefits from multiple ships working together.
However, the game can still be enjoyed largely as a solo experience. Players who prefer single-player progression aren't forced to constantly rely on other players.
Final Verdict
Skull and Bones is a game with a very specific focus, and that focus is naval combat. Fortunately, the sailing and ship-to-ship battles are enjoyable, with responsive controls, satisfying weapons and a surprisingly deep customization system. The PS5 version also makes excellent use of its hardware to create an attractive ocean environment.
The problem is that the game feels like it leaves much of the pirate fantasy unexplored. There is little meaningful land exploration, boarding is mostly contextual, and many missions revolve around repeating similar naval activities. The story also lacks the memorable characters and sense of adventure that could have elevated the experience.
Ultimately, Skull and Bones works best when treated as a naval combat and ship-management game with a pirate setting, rather than a traditional open-world pirate adventure. Players who enjoy sailing, ship customization and multiplayer naval battles will find plenty to enjoy, while those expecting a successor to the broader pirate experience of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag may find it considerably more limited.
Score: 7/10
