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Ubisoft’s upcoming action-adventure game Skull and Bones has been subject to various controversies due to numerous development delays and gameplay design choices. Regardless, Ubisoft is set to release the title on February 16, 2024. The playerbase hasn't been voicing positivity after the latest closed beta test, with numerous changes being deemed necessary.
Building on the naval warfare that garnered fame from Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, Skull and Bones intends to strengthen its foundations. Still, the game lacks some finishing touches that might cement its success. Here are five changes for Skull and Bones that could improve its reception.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinions.
Five changes to breathe new life into Skull and Bones
1) Ship maneuverability
Skull and Bones started its development after the huge success of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag and tried to keep that naval warfare at its core but missed the mark on ship movement. While captaining a ship in Skull and Bones, players may feel surprised at how comically fast these vessels turn and have no weight.
Ships of varying sizes house corresponding lengths of sails and wood, making piloting a small vessel different from a massive warship. A ship's size needs to be considered when updating rotational speed. A naval vessel is always slow on turns because the momentum pushes it forward while the sails are in another direction.
Therefore, factors like the ship’s size, momentum, and wind’s impact on the sails are necessary to receive feedback on a ship’s weight and mobility.
2) Cannon firing and feedback
Cannons have been the go-to weapons of choice for most naval warfare in Assassin’s Creed games, so lending them weight and impact in Skull and Bones is essential. Currently, the firing speed is very high, and players are seemingly given the control of a machine gun instead of a cannon.
An improvement to the recoil from firing several broadside cannons is required. The base of a cannon has wheels and needs manual reloading of cannonballs and gunpowder pouches to be operated. This type of cannon operation requires a noticeable amount of reload time, making the weaponry in ships feel surreal.
3) Addition of pirate sequences
The lack of "pirate" sequences in Skull and Bones will prevent it from being a more immersive pirate-life action-adventure game. Currently, the only form of combat in-game is naval warfare, and it gets quite boring fairly quickly. Black Flag featured extensive boarding sequences, exploration, melee combat, and chest-hunting opportunities that are currently lacking in Ubisoft's latest.
The game has been in development for almost a decade, evidenced by the frequent fade-to-black transitions on almost every interaction a ship has. From docking or boarding to a player character getting on cannons, these immersion-breaking transitions must be scrubbed.
Adding certain activities to undertake as a pirate will feel refreshing. Like farming for resources by disembarking the ship manually, looting warehouses on islands, hunting for treasures that can be sold or stolen, and scavenging shipwrecks by diving into the water — such pirate activities must be embraced to break the monotony of the game's current ship-focused state.
4) In-depth introduction
The current introduction to the game thrusts the player into the middle of a battle with a ship that houses a lot of firepower. However, the end of a fight brings to light some lackluster dialogue and voice acting, which quickly lose interest.
Players need an updated interaction with the introductory NPCs along with an expansion of options and visibility in the character creation menu. They want to express their creativity in customizing their avatars. Locking customization items behind a paywall isn't completely avoidable, but certain items break the immersion due to being too wacky.
The essence of a unique avatar and its interaction with NPCs that generate interest is essential for the game’s survival, as these are parts of a prologue whose main objective is to ensure immersion.
5) Clear goal or objective of the game
Currently, the game lacks a clear goal and cannot clarify if you are playing as a ship or a pirate due to the lack of pirate sequences and activities. Fishing and wood farming, for example, have received bad feedback due to their stifling interactions. Devs must set a distinct goal if they want the ship or the pirate to be the main focus.
The sequence of events unfolding during the introductory battle and the survival attempt must be updated to showcase the player more than the ship. The goal of wanting to become a pirate should be the clear objective, and it shouldn't get lost in the same waters that drown the introductory vessel. Additional cutscenes that focus on embracing a life of piracy are crucial and should be added to breathe new life into the prologue.
