Skull and Bones (2024) 🏴☠️
🏴☠️ Ten Years, Millions of Dollars, Countless Delays, and Ubisoft Somehow Forgot How to Make a Pirate Game
Let’s start by showing y’all the trailers shall we?
Oh, Ubisoft.
Ubisoft, Ubisoft, Ubisoft.
WHAT. THE. FUCK. HAPPENED?!
You know, I’ve played some disappointing video games over the years. Games that had promising ideas but terrible execution. Games that were rushed out before they were ready. Games that looked incredible in trailers and then turned out to have about as much substance as a wet paper bag.
But Skull and Bones?
This is something special.
And by special, I mean the kind of special where you stare at the finished product, stare at its development history, look back at the finished product, and wonder whether somebody accidentally shipped the wrong fucking game.
Because this game took approximately TEN YEARS to make.
TEN!
A DECADE!
And after all that time, Ubisoft delivered a $70 pirate game where you spend most of your time operating a ship, gathering resources, upgrading equipment, and completing repetitive errands.
Oh, and apparently this is a QUADRUPLE-A game.
We’ll get to that absolute comedy routine later.
Because before I tear into the gameplay, we need to discuss the development history.
And believe me, the development history is more entertaining than the actual game.
🏴☠️ Non-Spoiler Plot Overview
Skull and Bones is a 2024 online pirate action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Singapore and published by Ubisoft, released on February 16, 2024, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
The game takes place during the Golden Age of Piracy, primarily around the Indian Ocean.
You play as a customizable pirate captain who survives a shipwreck and attempts to climb the criminal hierarchy, becoming one of the most feared pirates on the high seas.
You’ll encounter rival pirates, colonial trading companies, naval forces, merchants, and various factions competing for control over the region.
Your objective is to increase your Infamy, acquire better ships, collect resources, upgrade your weapons, and gradually establish yourself as a notorious pirate.
Now, doesn’t that sound exciting?
A massive pirate adventure where you can explore dangerous waters, fight rival captains, discover treasure, and become a legendary outlaw?
HELL YES!
Except there’s one problem.
This isn’t really the pirate adventure I just described.
It’s a naval-combat game wrapped in the aesthetics of a pirate adventure.
And there’s an enormous difference between those two things.
You see, when I think of pirates, I think of sword fights, buried treasure, boarding enemy ships, exploring mysterious islands, drinking rum in filthy taverns, and getting into trouble with practically every naval authority in existence.
I think of freedom.
I think of adventure.
I think of being able to do whatever the hell I want.
But Ubisoft apparently looked at all those possibilities and said:
“Okay, but what if we made the player collect wood?”
…
WOOD?!
THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE BRINGING TO THE TABLE?!
And the most infuriating part?
Ubisoft already made a game that delivered a much more complete pirate experience.
ASSASSIN’S CREED IV: BLACK FLAG!
A game released in 2013!
ELEVEN YEARS BEFORE THIS ONE!
How do you take eleven years of technological advancement, spend roughly a decade developing a new pirate game, and somehow end up with fewer fundamental pirate activities than the game you started with?!
That’s not progress!
That’s sailing backward!
⚓ Development History — The Ten-Year Shipwreck
Oh, we’re going DEEP into this disaster.
Because if you thought the finished game was disappointing, wait until you hear how many times Ubisoft apparently changed its mind about what the hell it was making.
2013 — It Was Originally an Assassin’s Creed Expansion
Yes.
You read that correctly.
Skull and Bones didn’t originally begin as the standalone pirate game we eventually received.
According to Kotaku’s extensive 2021 investigation, the project began in 2013 as a proposed multiplayer expansion for Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.
You know, BLACK FLAG?
The pirate game everybody loved?
The game where you could sail across the Caribbean, explore islands, attack enemy ships, board vessels, engage in sword fights, and actually behave like a pirate?
THAT GAME?!
Ubisoft Singapore had contributed to the naval technology used in Black Flag, so the idea was to capitalize on that success.
And honestly?
That makes perfect sense!
Take the naval combat from Black Flag, expand the multiplayer possibilities, and give players more opportunities to fight one another on the high seas.
Sounds good to me.
But then the expansion grew into something bigger.
It became an MMO-like multiplayer spin-off with the working title:
BLACK FLAG INFINITE.
That’s right.
The game that eventually became Skull and Bones was originally known as Black Flag Infinite.
And here’s what drives me crazy.
That original concept actually sounds considerably more reasonable than what we ended up getting.
A multiplayer expansion built around a successful existing game?
Sure!
A standalone pirate experience building upon the strengths of that game?
EVEN BETTER!
But instead of simply developing a coherent pirate experience, Ubisoft apparently decided to spend the next decade throwing ideas at a wall and seeing which ones would stick.
Unfortunately, most of them seem to have fallen into the ocean.
Project Liberté — The Game Gets Its Own Identity
Eventually, Ubisoft decided that the project should become a completely separate intellectual property.
The new project carried the codename Project Liberté.
It would no longer be directly associated with Assassin’s Creed.
Okay.
Fine.
I can understand that.
A standalone pirate game gives developers more freedom.
You don’t need to worry about Assassins, Templars, the Animus, or any of the franchise’s established mythology.
You can concentrate entirely on piracy.
So what did Ubisoft do with all that creative freedom?
Apparently, it couldn’t figure out what kind of fucking game it wanted.
Because from this point onward, the project started transforming so frequently that I’m surprised Ubisoft didn’t eventually announce it as a farming simulator.
The Original Location Was the Caribbean
Another fascinating detail is that the game wasn’t always intended to take place in the Indian Ocean.
Earlier versions were set in the Caribbean.
Which makes perfect sense!
The project originated from Black Flag, so naturally the Caribbean would be an obvious starting point.
But eventually, Ubisoft shifted the setting to the Indian Ocean.
Now, I don’t have a problem with the Indian Ocean.
In fact, I think it’s a genuinely interesting setting.
Piracy existed far beyond the Caribbean, and the Indian Ocean has a fascinating maritime history involving trade routes, colonial powers, pirates, and coastal civilizations.
There’s enormous storytelling potential there.
But here’s my issue.
Changing the location doesn’t automatically make your game interesting.
You could set this game in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, or the fucking bathtub in my bathroom.
If the gameplay is repetitive, the location isn’t going to save it!
And the location change was only the beginning.
Hyperborea — What the Hell Was This Game Supposed to Be?!
According to the same Kotaku investigation, Ubisoft experimented with a version inspired by Sid Meier’s Pirates!.
That version would’ve taken place in a fantastical world called Hyperborea, featuring branching multiplayer campaigns that could last for weeks.
Now THAT sounds like an interesting concept.
A pirate adventure with evolving campaigns and a more fantastical setting?
I’d at least be curious!
But no.
That idea didn’t become the finished game.
Then there was another concept involving Libertalia, an enormous floating pirate base inspired by the legendary pirate colony.
One developer reportedly described it as a cathedral on water.
A GIANT FLOATING PIRATE STRONGHOLD?!
WHY DOES THAT SOUND MORE INTERESTING THAN HALF THE SHIT IN THE FINISHED GAME?!
Imagine having your own massive floating headquarters, expanding it, recruiting crews, building your criminal empire, and using it as a base for your adventures.
That’s a concept I could get behind!
But apparently, Ubisoft couldn’t commit to that either.
So let’s recap.
We started with an Assassin’s Creed expansion.
Then we had Black Flag Infinite.
Then Project Liberté.
Then a Caribbean pirate game.
Then an Indian Ocean pirate game.
Then a fantastical pirate game.
Then a floating pirate headquarters.
And we haven’t even reached the official announcement yet!
GOOD LORD!
HOW MANY GAMES WERE YOU PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE?!
2017 — Ubisoft Finally Reveals Skull and Bones
In June 2017, Ubisoft officially unveiled Skull and Bones at E3.
The game was presented as a multiplayer-focused naval-combat experience.
One of the showcased modes involved five-versus-five battles where teams competed to accumulate loot.
The concept was somewhat reminiscent of a competitive multiplayer shooter, except everybody controlled sailing ships.
And honestly?
The reveal looked promising.
The graphics were impressive.
The naval combat looked exciting.
The ships looked fantastic.
There was definitely potential.
The game was originally targeting a 2018 release.
Remember that.
TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHTEEN.
Because the actual game wouldn’t arrive until 2024.
Six years after that original release target.
And somehow, despite all that additional development time, the finished game would still feel painfully limited.
2018 — Another Reveal, Another Delay
At E3 2018, Ubisoft showed another version of the game.
This one included a broader free-roaming PvE mode called Hunting Grounds.
Players could explore, collect loot, cooperate with others, and fight hostile ships.
Okay!
Now we’re getting somewhere!
Except the game was delayed.
And then delayed again.
And then delayed again.
At this point, Ubisoft might as well have replaced the release date with:
COMING EVENTUALLY. MAYBE. PLEASE STOP ASKING.
But the real problem wasn’t simply that the game needed more time.
It was that Ubisoft kept changing the direction of the project.
2019 — Let’s Turn It Into a Survival Game!
By 2019, survival games such as Rust and ARK: Survival Evolved were reportedly influencing another incarnation of Skull and Bones.
Now the game was experimenting with crafting, resource management, trading, and harsher penalties for dying.
Oh, wonderful.
Because apparently what everybody wanted from a pirate game was MORE INVENTORY MANAGEMENT.
You know what I think of when I imagine being a legendary pirate?
Not treasure.
Not sword fights.
Not boarding enemy ships.
No!
I think of opening my inventory and discovering that I need another fifteen pieces of timber!
THAT’S THE DREAM!
And here’s where the development problems become even more ridiculous.
The technology had originally been designed primarily around ships and naval gameplay.
So introducing more substantial on-foot exploration created technical challenges.
Developers reportedly had to contend with systems that weren’t originally designed for that kind of experience.
And my reaction is:
UBISOFT, YOU ALREADY MADE BLACK FLAG!
HOW DID WE GET HERE?!
I’m not saying they could’ve simply copied every system from that game into a completely different project.
Game development doesn’t work like that.
But there’s something deeply ironic about a company spending years trying to figure out how to incorporate pirate activities into a pirate game when it had already demonstrated how enjoyable those activities could be.
2020 — ANOTHER FUCKING REBOOT?!
By 2020, the game underwent another major change in direction.
Leadership changes and creative disagreements had already complicated development.
Kotaku reported that the project suffered from repeated revisions, management problems, and disagreements over its fundamental design.
One of the most incredible details was that developers reportedly kept revisiting the question of whether players should primarily control a pirate or a ship.
…
EXCUSE ME?!
YOU’RE YEARS INTO DEVELOPMENT!
HOW IS THAT STILL UP FOR DEBATE?!
That’s like developing a Batman game for seven years and then somebody walking into a meeting and asking:
“Okay, but should the player actually control Batman?”
YES!
WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK?!
At some point, somebody needed to make a decision.
Commit to a vision.
Stick with it.
Because you cannot keep tearing apart the foundation of your game every time somebody in management comes up with a new idea.
And I genuinely feel sorry for the developers.
Imagine spending months building an elaborate system, only for someone higher up to announce that the entire project is changing direction.
Again.
And again.
And again.
That’s not an environment where creativity flourishes.
That’s an environment where people eventually become exhausted.
And the reporting suggests that many developers were.
2022 — Surely It’s Finally Ready?
In July 2022, Ubisoft unveiled another major version of Skull and Bones.
Now the game was focused on surviving in the Indian Ocean, gaining Infamy, collecting resources, crafting equipment, and building a fleet.
The release date was announced as November 8, 2022.
FINALLY!
After years of confusion, surely Ubisoft had figured everything out!
NOPE!
DELAYED AGAIN!
Then delayed further into 2023.
And eventually pushed into 2024.
I swear, the most consistent feature of Skull and Bones throughout its development was its ability to miss a release date.
At this point, the game had become a running joke.
And not even a particularly funny one.
Because behind the jokes was an enormous amount of time, money, and labor being consumed by a project that seemingly couldn’t settle on its identity.
2024 — THE QUADRUPLE-A INCIDENT
And finally, on February 16, 2024, Skull and Bones released.
More than a decade after development began.
And shortly before launch, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot defended the game’s $70 price by describing it as a quadruple-A game.
…
I’m sorry.
QUADRUPLE-A?!
WHAT THE FUCK IS QUADRUPLE-A?!
Since when did we start adding extra letters to describe how expensive our games are?!
Triple-A wasn’t enough?
You needed another A?!
WHAT DOES IT STAND FOR?!
ASSASSIN’S CREED ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED ALL THIS?!
Because I genuinely cannot understand the audacity of calling this a quadruple-A experience.
If you’re going to invent some grand new classification for your product, you’d better deliver something extraordinary.
Something revolutionary.
Something that makes players look at the screen and say:
“Wow, I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”
Instead, I’m looking at a pirate game from 2024 and asking why I can’t do things I could do in 2013.
And let’s not forget that this was a $70 live-service game with additional monetization.
SEVENTY DOLLARS!
And Ubisoft wants to talk about how complete it is?
Oh, we’re going to talk about how complete it is.
Because apparently, in Ubisoft’s definition of complete, boarding enemy ships and actually fighting their crews is an optional luxury.
🧍♂️ Character Rundown
Now, normally this is where I’d discuss the characters.
Their personalities.
Their motivations.
Their development.
Their relationships.
You know, the things that make characters interesting?
Unfortunately, Skull and Bones gives me about as much emotional investment as a shipping invoice.
You play as a customizable pirate captain.
And while customization is appreciated, the protagonist doesn’t have a particularly memorable personality or character arc.
You’re trying to become a notorious pirate.
That’s basically the central motivation.
Okay.
But why should I care?
Where’s the compelling personal journey?
Where’s the emotional investment?
Where’s the character development?
Compare this to Edward Kenway from Black Flag.
Edward was a selfish, ambitious, reckless bastard.
He made mistakes.
He hurt people.
He lost people.
And eventually, he learned something from those experiences.
He actually developed as a character.
Meanwhile, Skull and Bones gives me a pirate captain whose most consistent personality trait is apparently needing more crafting materials.
Then we have John Scurlock, a powerful pirate kingpin based in Sainte-Anne.
He looks like somebody who should be fascinating.
He’s ruthless, experienced, and involved in the politics of piracy.
But the game frequently reduces him to somebody who gives you things to do.
Then there’s Admiral Rahma, associated with Telok Penjarah and resistance against colonial interests.
Again, there’s genuine storytelling potential here.
The Indian Ocean was a complicated historical region involving trade, colonial expansion, competing powers, and piracy.
You could tell an incredible story using those elements.
But the game never made me particularly invested in its characters.
And that’s a shame.
Because the world has all the ingredients for a compelling narrative.
It just doesn’t do enough with them.
⏱️ Pacing / Gameplay Flow
OH BOY.
HERE WE FUCKING GO.
Because this is where Skull and Bones completely loses me.
The gameplay revolves around sailing, naval combat, collecting resources, crafting equipment, upgrading ships, completing contracts, and increasing your Infamy.
Now, let me establish something.
I DON’T HATE NAVAL COMBAT.
In fact, naval combat can be fantastic!
I loved sailing around in Black Flag.
I loved attacking enemy ships.
I loved upgrading the Jackdaw.
I loved getting into massive naval battles.
And to be fair, Skull and Bones occasionally delivers satisfying ship combat.
Firing a broadside into an enemy vessel can feel good.
Different weapons provide some variety.
The ships look impressive.
But here’s the problem.
THAT’S THE WHOLE FUCKING EXPERIENCE!
Well, not literally every activity, but so much of the game revolves around the same handful of systems that I eventually stopped caring.
Sail somewhere.
Fight something.
Collect something.
Upgrade something.
Repeat.
Sail somewhere else.
Fight something else.
Collect something else.
Upgrade something else.
REPEAT!
HOW IS THIS SUPPOSED TO KEEP ME ENTERTAINED?!
The Boarding System — ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
Let’s discuss one of my biggest complaints.
BOARDING ENEMY SHIPS.
Remember Black Flag?
You’d attack a ship, damage it, pull alongside it, and then physically board the vessel.
You could swing across.
Fight enemy sailors.
Complete objectives.
Take control of the ship.
THAT WAS AWESOME!
It made naval combat feel like part of a larger pirate adventure.
Now let’s look at Skull and Bones.
You weaken an enemy vessel, get close enough to initiate boarding, and the actual boarding is handled through a brief animation.
…
WHAT?!
WHERE’S THE SWORD FIGHT?!
WHERE’S THE CREW BATTLE?!
WHERE’S THE ACTUAL BOARDING?!
YOU’RE TELLING ME THAT AFTER TEN YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT, THE BEST YOU COULD DO WAS A LITTLE ANIMATION?!
I’m playing a pirate game!
LET ME BE A FUCKING PIRATE!
I don’t want to watch my crew do all the exciting stuff!
I WANT TO PARTICIPATE!
Imagine making a medieval knight game where you can’t use a sword.
Or a Spider-Man game where you can’t swing between buildings.
Or an Indiana Jones game where you can’t explore ancient ruins.
That’s how ridiculous this feels to me.
And yes, I understand that Skull and Bones is designed around naval combat.
But Ubisoft chose that design.
And I think that decision fundamentally limits the experience.
On-Foot Exploration — WHERE’S THE REST OF THE WORLD?!
Another enormous disappointment is the exploration.
You can leave your ship at designated locations.
You can walk around certain settlements and outposts.
You can interact with merchants and access various services.
But meaningful freeform exploration on land is severely limited compared to Black Flag.
And I hate that.
I want to explore islands!
I want to discover treasure!
I want to find hidden locations!
I want to get into fights!
I want to investigate mysterious places!
Instead, so much of the world feels like scenery surrounding the actual gameplay.
Oh, look!
A beautiful island!
Can I explore it?
Not in the way I’d like.
Can I climb around and discover secrets?
Not like in Black Flag.
Can I get into an exciting sword fight?
NOPE!
WELL, WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!
ADMIRE THE TREES?!
And the thing is, the world itself can be gorgeous.
The environments are detailed.
The water looks fantastic.
The lighting can be spectacular.
But beautiful scenery doesn’t mean much when my interaction with it is so limited.
Resource Gathering — THE LEGENDARY PIRATE LUMBERJACK
Oh, and then we have the resource gathering.
Because apparently, being a feared pirate captain involves an awful lot of collecting materials.
Wood.
Metal.
Other crafting resources.
And various components needed for upgrading equipment.
Some gathering interactions use timing-based minigames.
And every time I think about this, I start laughing.
Not because it’s funny in a good way.
But because the absurdity is almost impressive.
I AM A PIRATE CAPTAIN.
I should be raiding merchant vessels!
Discovering treasure!
Fighting rival pirates!
Instead, I’m collecting wood like I’m preparing to renovate my fucking kitchen!
“Captain! Enemy ships approaching!”
“NOT NOW! I’M BUSY HARVESTING TIMBER!”
WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS THE PEAK OF PIRATE ENTERTAINMENT?!
And yes, crafting and resource gathering can work in games.
I’m not against those systems existing.
But they need to complement the adventure.
Here, they frequently become part of the grind that keeps interrupting whatever enjoyment I might be having.
Contracts — Congratulations, You’re an Errand Boy
Then we have the contracts.
Go here.
Collect this.
Deliver that.
Destroy those ships.
Return for your reward.
And do it again.
And again.
AND AGAIN.
Eventually, I started wondering whether my character was actually a pirate or just an extremely aggressive delivery driver.
Because that’s what so much of the gameplay feels like.
An endless series of errands.
And it’s not even the fun kind of errands where something unexpected happens and turns the mission into an exciting adventure.
Too often, it’s simply another objective to complete so you can earn resources or advance your progression.
The game keeps giving me reasons to continue playing.
But it rarely gives me compelling reasons to WANT to continue playing.
And there’s a massive difference.
Ship Upgrades — Progression Isn’t a Substitute for Fun
The ship progression system is another example.
You start with limited equipment and gradually unlock better ships, weapons, and armor.
That’s a perfectly reasonable system.
And I can understand why some players enjoy experimenting with different builds.
But the entire experience becomes so dependent on progression that I eventually felt like I was grinding for the privilege of grinding more efficiently.
Want a better ship?
Collect materials.
Want stronger weapons?
Collect materials.
Want improved armor?
COLLECT MORE MATERIALS!
I GET IT!
YOU WANT ME TO COLLECT SHIT!
But when does the actual adventure begin?!
And that’s my biggest issue.
The game seems convinced that giving players more equipment automatically makes the experience more entertaining.
But if I don’t enjoy the fundamental gameplay loop, upgrading my ship isn’t going to magically fix it.
I’m just becoming better equipped to do activities I already find boring.
CONGRATULATIONS!
I’M NOW A MORE POWERFUL BORED PIRATE!
Live Service — Because Apparently $70 Wasn’t Enough
And of course, this is a live-service game.
Because why wouldn’t it be?
We have seasonal content, repeatable activities, ongoing progression, and premium monetization.
Now, I don’t automatically hate live-service games.
I’ve played plenty of them.
But here’s the thing.
A live-service game still needs to be a good game.
You cannot just build a repetitive experience, attach a seasonal roadmap, and expect everybody to be satisfied.
I don’t care how many future updates you’re promising.
I don’t care how many seasons you have planned.
I don’t care how many new ships or weapons you might eventually add.
I WANT THE GAME I PAID FOR TO BE ENJOYABLE NOW!
And after ten years of development, the idea that I should be patient while Ubisoft continues expanding the experience is almost insulting.
YOU HAD TEN YEARS!
HOW MUCH MORE TIME DO YOU NEED?!
🎨 Graphics and Atmosphere
Now, I’ll give credit where it’s due.
Skull and Bones can look beautiful.
The water effects are impressive.
The ships are detailed.
The lighting can create some genuinely gorgeous environments.
And sailing through a storm while cannon fire erupts around you can be visually spectacular.
The Indian Ocean setting also provides a different atmosphere from the Caribbean.
That’s appreciated.
But here’s the thing.
I CAN’T PLAY GRAPHICS.
I can admire them.
I can appreciate the technical work.
I can recognize that the artists and environment designers did a good job.
But gorgeous visuals cannot compensate for gameplay I don’t enjoy.
You could give me the most beautiful ocean ever rendered in a video game.
If the only things I can do on that ocean become repetitive, I’m eventually going to lose interest.
And that’s exactly what happened here.
It’s like somebody built the most beautiful pirate ship imaginable, invited me aboard, and then told me my only responsibilities were collecting supplies and firing cannons.
CAN I EXPLORE?!
No.
CAN I FIGHT SOMEBODY WITH A SWORD?!
No.
CAN I GO ON AN ACTUAL PIRATE ADVENTURE?!
Well, you can accept another contract!
OH, FUCK OFF!
✅ Pros
Believe it or not, I do have some positive things to say.
The naval combat can be satisfying. Firing cannons into enemy vessels, experimenting with weapons, and surviving larger encounters occasionally creates some genuinely enjoyable moments.
The ship designs are impressive. Ubisoft clearly put effort into making the vessels look detailed and distinctive.
The water, lighting, and weather effects can be beautiful. There are moments when the game genuinely looks like an expensive production.
I also appreciate the Indian Ocean setting. It’s a fascinating historical region with enormous potential for a pirate adventure.
And finally, I respect the developers who spent years working on this game through what appears to have been an incredibly difficult production.
But that’s where my praise ends.
Because a few decent mechanics and some gorgeous scenery aren’t enough to save the experience.
❌ Cons
WHERE DO I BEGIN?!
The game doesn’t deliver the complete pirate fantasy I wanted.
You cannot properly fight your way through enemy ships during boarding.
On-foot exploration is severely limited.
There isn’t meaningful playable sword combat.
The resource gathering is tedious.
The contracts become repetitive.
The progression feels grind-heavy.
The story isn’t particularly compelling.
The characters aren’t memorable enough.
The live-service structure makes the game feel more concerned with keeping players occupied than delivering a satisfying adventure.
And then there’s the $70 launch price.
SEVENTY FUCKING DOLLARS!
For a game that Ubisoft had the audacity to call quadruple-A!
I’m sorry, but I cannot take that seriously.
Especially when I can go back to Black Flag and experience a more complete pirate adventure.
And here’s what really irritates me.
This game had enormous potential.
It could’ve been something spectacular.
It could’ve expanded upon the naval mechanics of Black Flag while introducing a deeper pirate progression system, more freedom, larger environments, better multiplayer opportunities, and exciting new adventures.
Instead, Ubisoft spent years developing a game that feels like it removed half the ingredients from an already successful recipe.
And then charged premium prices for the result.
WHAT WERE YOU PEOPLE THINKING?!
💭 Final Thoughts
Skull and Bones is an astonishing disappointment.
And not because it’s the worst-looking game I’ve ever played.
Not because every mechanic is completely broken.
Not because the developers were incapable of making something good.
But because of how much potential was wasted.
Think about this.
The project started in 2013.
It was originally connected to Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.
It became Black Flag Infinite.
Then Project Liberté.
It moved from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean.
It experimented with different multiplayer systems.
It considered fantastical settings.
It explored survival mechanics.
It underwent leadership changes.
It was rebooted and revised.
It missed numerous release targets.
And after approximately a decade of development, Ubisoft finally released it in 2024.
And what did we get?
A game where I spend most of my time sailing around, fighting ships, collecting materials, upgrading equipment, and completing repetitive objectives.
That’s it?!
THAT’S THE GRAND RESULT?!
I genuinely cannot understand how a project can go through so many years of development and still feel this underwhelming.
And the worst part is that Ubisoft already had the foundation for a fantastic pirate game.
Black Flag proved that players loved sailing, exploring, boarding ships, discovering treasure, and experiencing the freedom of piracy.
All Ubisoft needed to do was build upon that foundation.
But instead, it decided to narrow the experience.
And I think that was a catastrophic creative mistake.
Now, I know there are players who enjoy Skull and Bones for what it is.
Some people like the naval combat.
Some enjoy the progression.
Some appreciate the multiplayer activities.
And that’s fine.
But for me?
I cannot stand this game.
I don’t enjoy the repetitive gameplay.
I don’t enjoy the constant resource gathering.
I don’t enjoy the limited exploration.
And I certainly don’t enjoy the fact that a pirate game released in 2024 offers fewer opportunities to actually behave like a pirate than a game released eleven years earlier.
And then Ubisoft had the nerve to call it QUADRUPLE-A!
QUADRUPLE-A?!
I’M STILL NOT OVER THAT!
What exactly makes this quadruple-A?!
The number of times it was delayed?!
The number of times it was rebooted?!
The number of executives who apparently couldn’t decide what the hell they were making?!
Because it sure as hell isn’t the amount of fun I’m having!
And here’s the most frustrating part.
I genuinely think Skull and Bones could’ve been a fantastic game.
The setting is there.
The naval technology is there.
The graphical presentation is there.
The historical inspiration is there.
But the actual experience is so limited and repetitive that none of those elements comes together into something I want to play.
After ten years, Ubisoft didn’t deliver the ultimate pirate adventure.
It delivered a naval-combat live-service game that feels like a fraction of what it could’ve been.
And that is a damn shame.
Because if there’s one thing this game proves, it’s that spending more money and more time on a project doesn’t automatically make it better.
Sometimes, it just means you spent ten years making the wrong decisions.
Ubisoft spent a decade trying to reinvent the pirate game.
And somehow forgot that it had already made a better one.
⭐ Rating: 2/10
A decade of development. An endless parade of delays. A $70 launch price. And a so-called quadruple-A experience that somehow feels less complete than its eleven-year-old predecessor.
The naval combat occasionally works, and the visuals can be gorgeous.
But almost everything else leaves me frustrated, bored, or wondering what the hell Ubisoft was thinking.
This isn’t the ultimate pirate adventure.
It’s a repetitive naval grind dressed up as one.
And if this is what quadruple-A gaming looks like, then for the love of God, give me triple-A back.
—
⚠️ Spoiler Warning
The following section discusses the game’s progression, major factions, and endgame systems.
☠️ Spoilers — Congratulations, You’re Now a Pirate Accountant
So let’s discuss what happens when you progress through Skull and Bones.
You begin as a nobody.
You gradually gain Infamy.
You acquire stronger ships.
You improve your weapons.
You become involved with powerful figures such as John Scurlock and Admiral Rahma.
And eventually, you begin establishing your own criminal operations through the Helm.
Now, this sounds like a fantastic opportunity.
You’re becoming a powerful pirate kingpin!
You’re building an empire!
You’re taking control of the seas!
Surely this is where the game becomes exciting?!
Well…
Not exactly.
Because the Helm introduces systems involving smuggling operations, production, transporting goods, earning currency, and expanding your influence.
And while there are hostile takeovers and other competitive activities, the overall structure still feels heavily dependent on resource management and repetition.
Oh, wonderful.
I finally became a powerful pirate captain.
AND NOW I’M MANAGING A SUPPLY CHAIN?!
WHAT THE FUCK?!
“Congratulations, Captain! You’ve become one of the most feared pirates in the Indian Ocean!”
FANTASTIC!
What do I get to do now?!
“Well, sir, we need you to oversee production, transport goods, collect earnings, and make sure your operations remain profitable.”
…
I’M SORRY?!
DID I BECOME A PIRATE OR GET PROMOTED TO DISTRICT MANAGER?!
Because this is not the pirate fantasy I signed up for!
I wanted treasure hunts!
Sword fights!
Dangerous islands!
Legendary rival captains!
Massive boarding battles!
Instead, I’m overseeing what increasingly feels like a maritime business operation.
And look, I understand that piracy historically involved trade, smuggling, economics, and organized criminal enterprises.
I’m not disputing that.
But historical plausibility doesn’t automatically make something entertaining.
You know what else pirates probably spent a lot of time doing?
MAINTAINING THEIR SHIPS!
That doesn’t mean I want a sixty-hour game about inspecting wooden planks!
And this is ultimately why Skull and Bones fails for me.
The game keeps expanding its progression systems without delivering the sense of adventure I actually wanted.
I can become more powerful.
I can acquire better equipment.
I can expand my operations.
But none of that changes the fact that I’m still participating in a gameplay loop I find boring.
And the longer I play, the more obvious that becomes.
The game wants me to feel like a legendary pirate.
But so much of what I’m doing feels like repetitive work.
And that’s the most ridiculous thing about the entire experience.
I spent years waiting for Ubisoft to deliver a pirate adventure.
And Ubisoft delivered a game where becoming a successful pirate increasingly resembles running a fucking shipping company.
GOOD LORD.
What a waste of potential.
Oh if y’all wondering how bad this game is? Plz check this video out.
