Skull and Bones: PS5 Review

Developed by Ubisoft Singapore
Published by Ubisoft
Platform: PS5

Skull and Bones has had a long gestating pre-release period.

First touted back in 2017, the live-action RPG went through many iterations and was seemingly inspired by the naval battles of Assassin's Creed: Black Flag. But finally bursting onto the waters of the 2024 release schedule, the game's been somewhat battered by underwhelming reaction to what really is a very solid tactical game.

Perhaps some of the issue is the fact this high seas adventure looks graphically a little weak, with very little sign that any of it has been fixed up for the next gen consoles. But in truth, some of that can be overlooked by very polished mechanics of boats at sea, plundering the waves, even if some of the game feels like a grind and feels a touch repetitive at times.

From building craft to securing gold, upgrading cannon, it's a very realistic pirate experience that trades off a suspension of disbelief as well as a willingness to forego some of the moments where the game falls short.

Chiefly, the game does fall apart a little when it's played solo, as other players can take you down, and it feels in the early stages of it like it doesn't quite give you enough power to beat the combat at sea or avoid a fate in Davy Jones locker.

But pairing up with others provides spoils and plunders worth exploring and gives you a chance to build your boat up to a ferocious scurvy dog of the seas. Ship to ship combat is naturalistic and relies on your understanding of life on the water, from harnessing the best winds to make a speedy getaway or powering into combat with an all-powerful cannon.

There's much here to engage in and while the game takes its time to unfurl its grip, some will say it's only an extension of AC: Black Flag. But for those not familiar with the Animus' water offering, Skull and Bones proves to be the foundation of a very solid RPG set on the sea - particularly with a year's worth of content roadmap all laid out.

Maybe its narrative is somewhat lacking, and the single-player campaign is not as engaging as it could be - but Skull and Bones proves to offer fertile rewards when played online, and with others. It's a solid start that lays down the promise of something further. 

Hopefully that future promise won't be lost at sea.