{"id":273545,"date":"2024-02-21T06:34:20","date_gmt":"2024-02-21T11:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/es\/?p=326575"},"modified":"2025-07-01T17:02:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T00:02:31","slug":"analysis-of-skull-and-bones-the-ubisoft-quadruple-a-game-weve-been-waiting-for-a-decade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/analysis-of-skull-and-bones-the-ubisoft-quadruple-a-game-weve-been-waiting-for-a-decade\/","title":{"rendered":"Analysis of Skull and Bones: the Ubisoft quadruple A game we&#8217;ve been waiting for a decade"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I vividly remember the day when Ubisoft first announced Skull and Bones. <strong>It was E3 2017, I was covering the conference for an international media outlet, and we all stood up from the couch when we saw the black sails<\/strong> of the pirate ships sailing the seas.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"sc-card-program\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-program__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__img\" alt=\"Skull and Bones\" src=\"https:\/\/images.sftcdn.net\/images\/t_app-icon-s\/p\/a4152282-bf63-4613-9919-17c50433844e\/2245426911\/skull-and-bones-game-card-skullbones.jpg\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-title\">\r\n        <span class=\"sc-card-program__title\">Skull and Bones<\/span>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-program__button sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/skull-and-bones.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DOWNLOAD<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-rating\">\r\n        <svg class=\"rating-score__content\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.1\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\" viewbox=\"0 0 50 50\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 50 50\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path class=\"rating-score__background rating-score--good\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><path class=\"rating-score__value rating-score__value--0\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-dashoffset=\"0\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><text class=\"rating-score__number\" content=\"\" text-anchor=\"middle\" transform=\"matrix(1 0 0 1 25 31.0837)\" data-auto=\"app-user-score\"><\/text><\/svg>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <span class=\"sc-card-program__description\"><\/span>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__bigpic\" src=\"\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\">\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-program__link track-link sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/skull-and-bones.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This game was the response to a game that had worked wonders five years earlier, in 2013 exactly, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/we-already-have-the-reviews-for-skull-and-bones-has-it-been-the-expected-failure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"and was called Assassin's Creed Black Flag\">and was called Assassin&#8217;s Creed Black Flag<\/a>. <strong>The purist fans of the Assassin&#8217;s Creed saga criticized the game a lot, but us regular players had a great time sailing and looting in the Caribbean.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was then that Ubisoft realized that a game about ships, pirates, camaraderie, and action could work very well. Whether it was part of the Assassin&#8217;s Creed saga or not. <strong>That&#8217;s why at first Skull and Bones was a DLC for Black Flag&#8230; to end up being a standalone game<\/strong> that took too long to be released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Skull and Bones Official Long Live Piracy  Cinematic Trailer\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lk_U2wOpHd4?start=5&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Welcome to Sainte Anne, home of pirates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We have waited seven years since its first trailer, but the game is finally here. The <strong>Ubisoft team asked the press to take our time to play<\/strong>, calmly and with friends, before giving our verdict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For that reason, we took an extra week, as the game was released on Tuesday, February 13th in early access for deluxe edition buyers. <strong>In my case, I&#8217;ve already spent about 20 hours pirating and have been able to play alone and with up to three friends.<\/strong> So hold on tight to the ship because a storm is coming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The game presents us initially as a survivor castaway from a naval battle at high sea.<\/strong> A small boat rescues us and keeps us safe. That&#8217;s when our story begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Skull and Bones is out! <br><br>Play now and carry your progression from Open Beta ?<br><br>Enhance your experience with the Premium Edition here <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/p6mQtjqND8\">https:\/\/t.co\/p6mQtjqND8<\/a> or by subscribing to Ubisoft+. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/nqmbpT0bIh\">pic.twitter.com\/nqmbpT0bIh<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Skull and Bones (@skullnbonesgame) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/skullnbonesgame\/status\/1758536789722120595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 16, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Forced to go to Sainte Anne, a prosperous port where there are only pirates and people of ill repute,<\/strong> but where they need us to continue fueling the wheel of piracy in the Indian Ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, the game is designed as live services, so the story is what it is while the missions escalate in difficulty and variety. <strong>Let no one be deceived, here we have come to become the greatest pirate of our time<\/strong> and the missions are excuses to learn how to play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Navigate, assault, loot and board<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The game delivers what it promises: we spend the day at sea, sailing our ship in search of battles, collecting goods, and completing missions. And the game gradually teaches you its depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once we arrive at Sainte Anne, the different stalls and merchants show you what the game is about and how to play it. <strong>Get a bigger boat, for that you need to buy the blueprint, collect these materials and pay some money. Perfect.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now you need better cannons, so go to the blacksmith and get the level 3 torpedo blueprints, now collect the cast iron and nickel, now pay for the labor&#8230; and so on with every aspect of the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Luckily, the progression is not very demanding and we are catching on. Both that and the different types of missions.<\/strong> From the main ones, which advance the story and give you fame and recognition among pirates, to assignments, treasure maps, investigations, and contracts with the rum smuggling network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After 5 hours of playing, one starts to realize that the game only asks and asks&#8230; in exchange for some fun and a lot of combat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Skull and Bones: Launch Trailer\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OmDYo7MbQxo?start=1&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Too much cinematography in a truly captivating world<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But in all of this, which sounds very good and has had me hooked for a week, <strong>there is one negative point that I am unable to overlook.<\/strong> Because it hurts me that it is like this, especially when its predecessor had already solved this problem that I am going to describe: there is no life outside the ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>All the interactions we have with other ships, with other forts, with other players&#8230; everything is cinematic<\/strong>. There is no hand-to-hand combat, only from the ship. Do you want to board? Throw the hooks and let a cinematic tell you what happens and what loot you collect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do you want to raid a strong enemy? Once again, fight against watchtowers and ships, but in the final part, let an identical cinematic be the one to say what you have looted from the outpost.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"sc-card-program\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-program__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__img\" alt=\"Skull and Bones\" src=\"https:\/\/images.sftcdn.net\/images\/t_app-icon-s\/p\/a4152282-bf63-4613-9919-17c50433844e\/2245426911\/skull-and-bones-game-card-skullbones.jpg\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-title\">\r\n        <span class=\"sc-card-program__title\">Skull and Bones<\/span>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-program__button sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/skull-and-bones.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DOWNLOAD<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-rating\">\r\n        <svg class=\"rating-score__content\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.1\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\" viewbox=\"0 0 50 50\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 50 50\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path class=\"rating-score__background rating-score--good\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><path class=\"rating-score__value rating-score__value--0\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-dashoffset=\"0\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><text class=\"rating-score__number\" content=\"\" text-anchor=\"middle\" transform=\"matrix(1 0 0 1 25 31.0837)\" data-auto=\"app-user-score\"><\/text><\/svg>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <span class=\"sc-card-program__description\"><\/span>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__bigpic\" src=\"\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\">\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-program__link track-link sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/skull-and-bones.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Even the interaction and movement of our pirate is clumsy, erratic, and not very believable.<\/strong> Without going any further: he doesn&#8217;t even know how to swim, if you go too deep into the water, it will push you out as if you were a message in a bottle floating in the sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If after playing Skull and Bones you watch a video of <strong>an assault from Assassin&#8217;s Creed: Black Flag your soul drops to your feet&#8230; and rightfully so.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>And it hurts because the environment they have recreated in Ubisoft is impressive<\/strong>. The islands, the outposts, the ships, the sunsets&#8230; even the sea is impressive <a href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/sea-of-thieves-in-2024-becomes-a-90-gb-game-for-a-good-reason\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"(but not more than the sea of Sea of Thieves, that prize still belongs to Rare).\">(but not more than the sea of Sea of Thieves, that prize still belongs to Rare).<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Skull and Bones: Sea Shanty Medley with The Longest Johns\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EMhRv6WyDrA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A game that time can treat very well and that is not the meme we feared<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If we take into account other games of the same style, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/the-omega-update-arrives-to-no-mans-sky-this-is-what-it-brings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"as happened with No Man's Sky\">as happened with No Man&#8217;s Sky<\/a> or Sea of Thieves, for example, it is possible that Skull and Bones ends up becoming the ultimate multiplayer pirate game we always wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>But right now, it&#8217;s not what we expected when they sold us the perfect pirate life simulator.<\/strong> Be careful, because it&#8217;s very fun and has a lot of room for improvement, but it lacks some key pillars to establish itself as something that endures over time and accumulates millions of players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Of course, what has been released is not a minor game or a meme, it is a good game that is fun to play and looks really good,<\/strong> but in my opinion, to convince everyone, there are parts that are missing. <strong>And the cinematics fail to mask that lack of effort (or desire).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"sc-card-program\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-program__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__img\" alt=\"Skull and Bones\" src=\"https:\/\/images.sftcdn.net\/images\/t_app-icon-s\/p\/a4152282-bf63-4613-9919-17c50433844e\/2245426911\/skull-and-bones-game-card-skullbones.jpg\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-title\">\r\n        <span class=\"sc-card-program__title\">Skull and Bones<\/span>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-program__button sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/skull-and-bones.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DOWNLOAD<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-rating\">\r\n        <svg class=\"rating-score__content\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.1\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\" viewbox=\"0 0 50 50\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 50 50\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path class=\"rating-score__background rating-score--good\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><path class=\"rating-score__value rating-score__value--0\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-dashoffset=\"0\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><text class=\"rating-score__number\" content=\"\" text-anchor=\"middle\" transform=\"matrix(1 0 0 1 25 31.0837)\" data-auto=\"app-user-score\"><\/text><\/svg>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <span class=\"sc-card-program__description\"><\/span>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__bigpic\" src=\"\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\">\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-program__link track-link sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/skull-and-bones.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We give a vote of confidence to the Ubisoft team, and if you feel like trying it out and don&#8217;t want to spend 70 euros right away, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/do-you-want-to-try-skull-bones-for-free-you-can-and-they-save-your-progress\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"you should know that there is an 8-hour free trial waiting for you right now on your PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC\">you should know that there is an 8-hour free trial waiting for you right now on your PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is Skull and Bones a meme game that Ubisoft has been forced to release? Definitely not, and we&#8217;ll explain today why it could become&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9265,"featured_media":273547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":1},"categories":[1018,1015],"tags":[4517,1076],"usertag":[],"vertical":[],"content-category":[],"class_list":["post-273545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gaming","category-news","tag-app-subdomain-redirectionubisoft-connect","tag-ubisoft"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9265"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=273545"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273545\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":314726,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273545\/revisions\/314726"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/273547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=273545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=273545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=273545"},{"taxonomy":"usertag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/usertag?post=273545"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=273545"},{"taxonomy":"content-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-category?post=273545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}