plunder aspects from Assassin's Creed Black Flag and take on a familiar feeling from Ubisoft's prior successful pirate-themed game. While there are certainly traces of the studio's past handprint, much of what was revealed in the gameplay trailer highlighted features that were unique to Sea of Thieves, but they had a different format.
Until recently, many were unsure as to whether Skull and Bones would even launch because of the setbacks it received throughout its development process. Ubisoft fell silent on the issue for a time but maintained an insider program, which updated subscribers on specific details related to the state of the game. On July 7, Ubisoft finally livestreamed the anticipated gameplay reveal. In the closing moments, a November 2022 release date for Skull and Bones was announced, signaling players would be able to set sail in the Indian Ocean for themselves soon. Since the initial livestream, the game has been compared to other various pirate games such as the iconic Sea of Thieves.
Some of the best features coming from Sea of Thieves over to Skull and Bones on launch day include outpost hubs, contract work, naval combat, cosmetic rewards, open-sea traversal, and a non-linear story approach. There are a multitude of differences between the two games, but they're a lot more similar than what many initially expected. Given the popularity of Sea of Thieves - and how much the game has evolved since 2018 - Ubisoft was smart to build off the best RPG features.
Skull & Bones' Dens & Contracts Are Similar to Sea of Thieves' System
One of the most obvious similarities that makes Skull and Bones less like Black Flag and more like Sea of Thieves are the outposts. In Skull and Bones, outposts are known as pirate dens, and they serve as a hub for a multitude of activities. Before setting sail on the Indian Ocean, players can meet up with one another, get ready for expeditions, customize their apparel and ships, accept contracts, and do some light exploring. It was clear from the gameplay display that Ubisoft followed Sea of Thieves' outpost design because it's staggeringly close in structure and function - which isn't a terrible choice given the purpose it serves for preparation before adventuring and taking breaks in between.
Another Sea of Thieves feature that made its way over to Skull and Bones in a similar fashion is the contract system. Contracts are one of the elements that makes playing Sea of Thieves entertaining, and it also gives the game an objective to follow; Ubisoft is attempting to do the same with Skull and Bones. In Sea of Thieves there are different trading companies that offer contracts, and Skull and Bones is similar but doesn't follow an identical design. From the revealed gameplay, it looks as though s take on more of a privateering objective for many different partners in various areas rather than sticking to the same partners throughout the world. However, not everything is completely fleshed out yet, so the way contracts work will become more understandable once the game is released.
Combat & Rewards In Skull & Bones Features Key Sea of Thieves' Aspects
Just as Sea of Thieves has a dynamic combat system, so does Skull and Bones. In a lot of ways, Skull and Bones' pirate ships and naval combat are much more intricate and complex than any other pirate game on the market; Ubisoft has said that it's setting the focal point on naval combat and wants this title to be the ideal pirate game. Nevertheless, shared fort battles from Sea of Thieves is a high point that both games have, and in addition to that, loot for taking out forts is a key incentive. PvP and PvE play a crucial role in Skull and Bones, just as it does in Sea of Thieves. Both games are meant to be enjoyed with friends or other players online, which makes taking out the big forts and important vessels all the better.
In conjunction with the combat systems, Skull and Bones rewards players with customizable cosmetic rewards for their character and ship. Cosmetic rewards are a big part of Sea of Thieves because buying in-game cosmetic rewards with earned gold is one of the main incentives, other than enjoying a pirate adventure. Back in 2021, Sea of Thieves began its season rewards, so it wouldn't be far-fetched to believe Skull and Bones might get a similar system at some point too, especially given that Ubisoft wants to make the game a live service to last many years of progression. Hopefully, the incentive to get the cosmetic rewards will be worth its while with a good mix of quests and objectives.
Skull & Bones Followed Sea of Thieves Non-linear Storyline Approach
Like Sea of Thieves, Skull and Bones is set in an open sea environment, which can directly be compared to an open-world game, just in a ship on the ocean. Players will be able to get out and travel on foot while at the game's pirate dens, but during most of the game, sailing and battling on a ship is where they'll be spending their time. While Sea of Thieves is set in a fictional universe, however, Ubisoft stuck to its historical roots by keeping Skull and Bones' golden age of piracy on the Indian Ocean - a body of water that stretches all the way from India down to Africa. Creating a massive area set in an open sea was important to achieve the results the studio wanted to see in Skull and Bones.
Ubisoft also decided not to create a linear storyline for Skull and Bones, but this was also a key feature in Sea of Thieves. Overall, this was the right decision for a live service game, as a campaign or story runs the risk of having players quit once they've finished. Like Sea of Thieves, Skull and Bones is aiming to be a game that is player-driven and has spontaneous adventures, where the choice is left up to the crew of people together or the captain who's sailing solo. The contracts will be a sort of guide, though, so that players don't feel overwhelmed when starting off.
There are many similarities between Skull and Bones and Sea of Thieves, but that doesn't mean Ubisoft's new game isn't unique in other ways. Regardless, some believe Skull and Bones' release will sink because it's so close to God of War Ragnarök's. Currently it's too early to tell, but if Skull and Bones is anything like Sea of Thieves, it could have a prosperous lifetime.
