It is happening, Skull and Bones will finally set sail this November
After first being revealed way back in 2017, Ubisoft have announced that Skull and Bones will finally set sail on November 8, for PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, check out the new cinematic trailer for the game below.
The game, which was set in the Caribbean when it was first announced, is now set to chart the waters of the Indian Ocean - that is the one to the west of Australia, and will have players take control of their own pirate ship as they attempt to become the most infamous pirate to sail those waters across the 17th century.
The world is going to be big, with the African Coast being on one side of it and the East Indies being on the other and in between it all will be rough seas, deadly wildlife and other pirates. Check out the games overview trailer below, to learn what is needed to become a real pirate.
You won’t be able to hit the ground as the king of the pirates when you boot into the game, as expected you will be a nobody, just you and your little boat and a dream. As you start out, you will need to collect resources, find blueprints for bigger ships and then build them, and once they are built you can deck them out with new weapons, storage space and of course a crew of your own.
To further build their fleet and gain access to even more resources and upgrades, players must grow their Infamy by completing contracts from vendors, local factions, and kingpins throughout the world. Players can also identify new opportunities by scouting the seas with captain's tools such as the spyglass, which can spot trade routes and wealthy merchant ships, or scope out enemy weaknesses for the best plan of attack.
Naval combat is a core feature of Skull and Bones, and you'll be able to customize your approach depending on your preferred playstyle. There are 12 different ship options in the game, each with different stats for speed, capacity, and hit points. Additionally, each ship has unique perks that further allow players to customize their experience. Ships can be equipped with armor and a number of deadly weapons, like cannons, mortars, ballistae, torpedoes, and more.
Check out this in-depth gameplay video, showing off ship combat, customisation and more.
Now getting a nice ship is one thing, but it is how you use it that counts and for that you can raid and plunder the world around you, from small little villages to larger settlements, you have the choice. Ubisoft have been quite clear in explaining that you shouldn’t attempt to raid a massive fort with your tiny little boat and basic weapon, but once you have built up a reputation, then you are good to go there.
Once you have begun to plunder a larger settlement, they might call in support in the form of ships, meaning you have to take care of threats both on land and sea. You can leave at anytime, or at least attempt to leave, but leaving will leave some of the potential loot in the hands of those you were robbing, but sticking around means that you may risk everything you have to get the goods.
Thankfully, you can partner up with some friends, two to be exact, and sail the waters together, sharing contracts and what not. You can’t all be on the one ship, but instead if you select different ship types, you can get through the world in different ways, or example, you could use a speedy navigation ship, like the Brigantine, to draw fire and outmanoeuvre the enemy’s cannons, while a heavier firepower ship like the Brig unloads bombards, mortars, Greek fire, and other devastating weaponry at the defenders. For good measure, a third player could bring up the rear in a cargo ship, which would make for a slower getaway, but ensure you can collect a larger share of the abundant loot (just be sure you trust them not to run away with it).
If you prefer a solo assault, you’ll need to strategise, equipping the best ship for your playstyle that can skilfully attack, withstand fire, and still have room to haul away the goods. In addition to their natural strengths and weaknesses, all of your ships can be customized with a wide selection of unlockable weapons and armour types, each of which serves different purposes and suits different playstyles.
All of that comes with a cost though, if you take up a contact and you fail to deliver, you will lose infamy and if it gets too low, you won’t be able to undertake some contracts.
Skull and Bones is set to launch on November 8 for PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. PC players however are going to be locked to the Epic Game Store or the Ubisoft Store for their purchase options.
