Skull And Bones: Ubisoft has released 30 minutes of new footage from Skull and Bones, its troubled pirate adventure, focused on the game’s “narrative gameplay,” in response to this week’s announcement of yet another delay.
Given that Ubisoft insisted Skull and Bones was “not a narrative-driven game” last summer, it’s possibly a bit of an unexpected place to return to after a protracted absence. Still, it does at least give players a better understanding of how the publisher is attempting to inject a bit of variety into the action.
Skull & Bones is mainly centered on sailing and battle, as Ubisoft stated last year, with players only being able to leave their ships and explore dry land at a few locales, referred to as outposts. Outposts allow players to trade, fulfill contracts, settle debts with factions, and meet other players.
However, Ubisoft’s most recent gameplay dev stream explained that outposts may also contain narrative content referred to as “investigations.”
Investigations are a “means to tell a story through a sequence of stages” and can be started by finding messages in bottles, fragments of lost journals, or conversing with people in the real world. These discoveries will give players hints about where to go for a specific treasure.
A brother and sister who each thought they were the legitimate heir to the throne in the coastal African region where the sequence was set were the subject of the inquiry Ubisoft selected to showcase in its most recent dev stream.
Investigations are more of a simple framing device, bringing players through numerous everyday maritime activities, than a vast, cinematic narrative adventure, with all of the story’s details communicated through on-screen text and accompanying audio.
In this case, players must first sail to the area where the brother is rumored to have fled with the crown. There, they must complete the first stage of a settlement plunder (an essential Skull and Bones mechanic, as we discovered last year), after which they will receive another message directing them to a new location.
Once there, players must pull up next to a shipwreck and press a button to get the next clue, directing them to the sequence’s conclusion at a port where they can disembark and find some hidden treasure.
According to Ubisoft, each inquiry will add some background information about Captain Freeman, a significant figure in the Skull and Bones mythos rumored to have participated in humankind’s largest robbery ever imagined.
Players may eventually be able to locate the location of Freeman’s missing treasure by putting together the many hints. Additionally covered in the 30-minute livestream are some of Skull and Bones’ other elements, such as huts and their various iterations across the game’s setting.
Following the most recent delay, Ubisoft has yet to announce a new release date for Skull & Bones, although it promises to have more information “very soon.”
What We Know So Far About The Ships of Skulls And Bones
Another Skull & Bones release delay means that gamers will have to wait longer to take control of the game’s wide range of ships, which has not been a pleasant experience for Ubisoft.
However, the large variety of ship types with their various play styles could be one of the game’s most significant assets despite repeated delays and the absence of land warfare. Its strong focus on naval battle hopefully justifies the wait.
Ships in Skull and Bones can be modified in terms of their design, armament, and equipment. Although they are divided into three primary categories to accommodate various play styles and scenario types, each ship has distinct advantages and disadvantages for multiple tasks, such as accepting pirate contracts or taking on complex tasks like attacking a fort.
After they’ve been created, it’s ultimately up to the players to decide which ship suits them the best. In addition to providing the player with the most magnificent and customized ship collection on their journey to infamy, the volume and variety of ships might also offer some exciting and distinct ship combat experiences.
The Complete List of Skull & Bones Ships
- Bedar (Navigational)
- Ganjah (Navigational)
- Brigantine (Navigational)
- Sloop (Firepower)
- Corvette (Unknown)
- Cutter (Unknown)
- Dhow (Starter)
- Hulk (Cargo)
- Padewakang (Cargo)
- Snow (Cargo)
- Brig (Firepower)
- Sambuk (Firepower)
In Skull & Bones, Ubisoft has so far stated that players can sail up to 12 ships at launch, with a possibility for up to 40 copies to be in their entire arsenal. Additionally, the PVP-optional live-service multiplayer game does not have the option of playing with or against friends or the addition of additional ships via DLC.
The Corvette and the Cutter are the two remaining ships, of which little is known despite the information being shared in Ubisoft blogs and video updates about 10. Because the Dhow is the players’ starting ship, it is the smallest of the boats.
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The Dhow is referred to as the “hunter-gatherer” ship for learning to gather supplies and hunt wildlife, such as sharks, by Skull and Bones’ Senior Game Director Ryan Barnard.
Its beginning status will somewhat constrain the Dhow despite the game having some fascinating modification potential, such as the Helm pirate hideout, but that remains to be seen. The Hulk, Padewakang, and Snow are three cargo ships built to move heavy freight loads.
However, because cargo ships are usually slower, players will probably need to move loot carefully. Because of its enhanced seagoing resource-gathering skills, the tiny Hulk might be a viable alternative for quick resource replenishing in between fights.
Against the game’s more aggressive weapons, like Greek Fire, it will be fascinating to see how the Padewakang’s fire resistance perk works in conjunction with other ship customization options. The Snow offers increased brace effectiveness and hull hitpoints, making it a potentially balanced choice.
Three Navigational Ships have been made public: the little Bedar, the medium-sized Brigantine, and the large Ghanjah. Navigational Ships are swift but have constrained space and lower Hull HP, suggesting these could be suitable ships for scenarios needing a quick entrance or retreat.
In Skull and Bones, sails can tear. Therefore, the Bedar’s strengths include top speed and hull HP with defensive bonuses at half-sails and better sail durability. In contrast, gamers who like aggressive attack techniques may prefer the larger Ganjah because of its superior front weapon and ramming damage.
The Brigantine is similar in size to the ship in Sea of Thieves and features increased repair weaponry and kit duration. It will be interesting to see how the handling abilities of the namesake ships compare.
The Skull and Bones Firepower ships, which range in size from the small Sloop to the medium Brig and Sambuk, might pique the interest of many gamers the most due to their aggressive weaponry capabilities, such as Greek Fire and torpedoes.
Although they are more challenging to handle, firepower ships seem like an obvious choice for combat, whether in PVP or against AI-controlled Privateer pirate hunters. The Sloop has increased broadside weapon damage and enhanced bracing efficiency, perhaps achieving a balance between offense and defense.
On the other hand, the Brig is a medium-sized ship with enhanced defenses and damage when anchoring. The Sambuk’s better fire efficiency and increased damage to burning vessels are among its most intriguing features, making it fascinating for gamers who prefer naval combat games with devastating fighting tactics.
Skull of Bones offers players a wide variety of ships to choose from. It will be fascinating to see what, if any, improvements are made to the game’s combat options before its eventual release, whether they are naval-focused or not.
Final Lines