Skull and Bones

63%
Game Brain Score Based on 640 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Skull and Bones Game Cover
Skull & Bones exists in the space between GaaS and MMO-lite at launch. There’s fun to be had, as long as you recognize that this is a looter shooter more than a pirate game.
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Buy Skull and Bones on PlayStation Store. Overcome the odds and rise from an outcast to an infamous pirate.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 640 reviews
gameplay21 positive mentions
grinding48 negative mentions
  • Fun naval combat that captures the essence of pirate battles.
  • Beautiful graphics and immersive environments enhance the gameplay experience.
  • Decent ship customization options allow players to tailor their vessels to their playstyle.
  • Lack of engaging storyline and character development makes the game feel empty.
  • Repetitive gameplay loop with grindy quests can lead to boredom over time.
  • Technical issues, including long loading times and bugs, detract from the overall experience.
  • story175 mentions

    The story in "Skull and Bones" has received largely negative feedback, with many players describing it as bland, repetitive, and filled with mundane fetch quests. While some appreciate the ship combat and mechanics, the overarching narrative lacks depth and engagement, often feeling disjointed and poorly executed. Numerous bugs and glitches further detract from the experience, leaving players frustrated with the lack of a compelling storyline to motivate their progression.

    • “The story is good and engaging enough to make one curious about what happens next and the graphics are beautiful.”
    • “The ship-to-ship PvE and PvP is fun and yet challenging; the story quests are pretty good and straightforward.”
    • “There's lots to do and earn, and seasonal content looks like it'll keep giving more of everything in the future, including periodic story missions and new bosses with rewards.”
    • “The main quests and side quests are all mundane fetch quests, mostly coupled with a bit of background plot about two pirate kingpins.”
    • “The story is so bland that I clicked through it; nothing memorable.”
    • “Skull and Bones has all the ingredients to be a great game, but it falls short due to its soulless story mode.”
  • gameplay109 mentions

    The gameplay of "Skull and Bones" is characterized by its engaging naval combat and ship mechanics, which many players find enjoyable, especially for those who appreciate arcade-style gameplay. However, the experience is marred by repetitive tasks, a lack of meaningful on-foot interactions, and a grind-heavy structure that detracts from overall enjoyment. While the game offers a sandbox experience with some customization options, the uninspired narrative and limited variety in gameplay mechanics leave many players feeling unfulfilled.

    • “While the gameplay is structured, it still affords the player complete freedom to roam and plunder.”
    • “The naval combat is thrilling, and the customization options for ships and characters keep the gameplay fresh.”
    • “Skull and Bones nails its ship combat and sailing so wonderfully it becomes a highlight amongst generic gameplay loops, bare bones story, and chore-like endgame tasks.”
    • “Extremely repetitive gameplay without any deep or meaningful systems to make its repetitive loop feel rewarding.”
    • “The gameplay loop is not fun.”
    • “The empire management portion feels like a mechanic to bypass the grinding for materials since there isn't anything else to really spend the rewards from there beyond the cosmetics and one-time purchases.”
  • graphics71 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful visuals, detailed environments, and immersive water effects, particularly during naval battles. However, some players report significant graphical glitches, performance issues, and outdated visuals compared to modern standards, leading to a perception that the graphics do not fully meet expectations for a AAA title. Overall, while the aesthetic appeal is noted, the inconsistency in performance and quality detracts from the experience for some players.

    • “Beautiful graphics and an immersive environment.”
    • “The graphics are very good for the price.”
    • “It looks stunning graphically and not cartoon-like like other pirate games.”
    • “Tldr: don't bother, it's 4/10 at best with serious graphical glitches and unstable bugged servers.”
    • “Graphics and animations look like an average game from 2014, but at least the performance is good; I suppose this was a design decision to optimize the multiplayer aspect.”
    • “And let’s talk about those graphics—if this game had a face, it would be stuck in the awkward teenage years of the mid-2000s.”
  • grinding48 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players noting that while it can be enjoyable for those who appreciate building and perfecting their ships, it often becomes tedious and repetitive, especially in the late game. Critics highlight that the endgame relies heavily on grinding for resources and currencies, leading to a lack of meaningful progression and a feeling of monotony. Overall, while some players find the grind rewarding, others view it as a significant drawback that detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Endgame is simply hell bent on keeping you playing with nasty player retention tactics like the real tedious empire building and grinding secondary currencies for tiny incremental upgrades to your ship.”
    • “Took me less than a day (24 hours) of playtime to reach kingpin and from there the game went quite stale; it became repetitive, grindy, and with no permanent feeling of progression other than unlocking cosmetics.”
    • “When it's not annoying with the lackluster story and mission structure, Skull and Bones is tedious with its endgame grind and activities.”
  • stability23 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting frequent glitches, freezes, and crashes that can disrupt gameplay, particularly during combat. While some users have experienced smooth performance without major issues, the overall consensus indicates that the game is plagued by significant bugs and unstable servers, making it advisable for potential players to wait for fixes or sales before purchasing.

    • “It's been bug-free so far, performs very smoothly, and it's quite pretty.”
    • “The game runs without any crashes, providing a seamless experience.”
    • “I've experienced no lag or glitches, making for a stable gameplay environment.”
    • “Tldr: Don't bother, it's 4/10 at best with serious graphical glitches and unstable bugged servers.”
    • “Cool game overall, but it's absolutely full of game-breaking bugs and glitches. Please fix these glitches that stop you from being able to move your character, exit dialogue, leave the port of an island, and aim/shoot/bracing for impact.”
    • “Fun, but has severe freezing and crashing issues; it freezes the entire computer at random.”
  • monetization11 mentions

    The monetization in the game has drawn mixed reviews, with many players noting that while there are free cosmetics available through gameplay, the most desirable items are often locked behind expensive microtransactions. Critics argue that the monetization model feels exploitative, resembling a free-to-play game disguised as a premium title, and detracts from the overall experience, making it feel like a cash grab rather than a fully developed AAA game.

    • “Against wary expectations of Ubisoft's greedy practices when it comes to microtransactions, I can calm you down that there are a lot of cosmetics which can be obtained for free with the silver currency to customize your dream pirate captain.”
    • “Customization isn't purely locked behind microtransactions, but most coveted items are.”
    • “Despite its long development cycle, the live-service element that is felt deeply throughout the game isn’t microtransactions.”
    • “Instead, focus is placed on monetization more than gameplay in a lot of modern games, and this one suffers from a lack of skill, not just a lack of love.”
    • “The upgrade and customization systems are mostly limited, with a lot of content locked behind microtransactions, making it feel like a free-to-play game disguised as a paid one.”
    • “Just as another live service game recently released based on the DC universe, Skull and Bones feels like a cash grab attempt that may be fixable in the future with many patches and updates, but even in its ideal form is far from an AAA title.”
  • optimization11 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly for many players, there are reports of occasional crashes and overheating issues, particularly on PC. Graphics are described as average, reminiscent of games from 2014, suggesting that visual quality may have been sacrificed for performance, especially in multiplayer. Overall, while some players enjoy the engaging gameplay and naval combat, others express concerns about the game's long-term viability due to its optimization shortcomings.

    • “Performance-wise, it runs surprisingly well, though it doesn't really look super amazing (it doesn't look terrible either, just middle of the pack, really).”
    • “Graphics and animations look like an average game from 2014, but at least the performance is good; I suppose this was a design decision to optimize the multiplayer aspect.”
    • “Performance-wise, the game actually feels really smooth.”
    • “Occasional crashes, which may be related to Steam Deck performance limitations.”
    • “I have over 300 hours on Xbox with minimal issues, but on PC, for some reason, the game at performance setting is overheating my system.”
    • “The game feels like a prototype with tons of performance issues.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its self-aware absurdity and playful inaccuracies, particularly appealing to nautical enthusiasts. Players find joy in the comedic elements, such as the exaggerated portrayal of ship battles and the amusing opening credits listing numerous Ubisoft studios. Despite some repetitive gameplay, the humorous tone adds a lighthearted charm to the overall experience.

    • “If you are a nautical nerd like me but can look past how hilariously inaccurate it is, there is much joy to be found here.”
    • “It's also hilarious how the opening lists every Ubisoft studio that spent any time working on the game, which I have to imagine is thousands of people.”
    • “Nonetheless, Captain Dark embraced these challenges with a blend of cunning and humor, delighting in the absurdity of his predicament.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The game features a captivating atmosphere enhanced by decent graphics, immersive audio design, and engaging environments, particularly during stormy sailing and battles with mythical creatures. Players appreciate the combination of unique ships, weapons, and armor, which contribute to the overall enjoyment and swashbuckling experience.

    • “It is a game with decent graphics and it certainly has atmospheric moments when you are sailing through a storm and fighting mythical beasts or battling elite captains on the high seas while other players join in on the swashbuckling fun.”
    • “On the positive side, the game excels in audio design, capturing the atmosphere of the high seas.”
    • “[Great environments, wonderful sound design, fun combat.]”
  • music3 mentions

    The music in the game, particularly the combat tracks, enhances the overall atmosphere and enjoyment, with players suggesting that Alestorm's "Shipwrecked" would be an ideal theme song. The combination of engaging music with unique characters, ships, and weapons contributes significantly to the game's fun factor.

    • “Alestorm - 'Shipwrecked' should be the theme song for this game, lol.”
    • “The combat music transitions seamlessly, enhancing the experience even when out of combat.”
    • “Combat music turns on out of combat.”
    • “Alestorm - Shipwrecked should be the theme song for this game, lol.”
    • “The characters, music, atmosphere, unique ships, weapons, and armor make the game quite fun.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Reviews indicate a negative perception of the game's emotional impact, with some players finding the narrative unengaging and suggesting that it may appeal only to those with specific emotional needs. Overall, the emotional aspect is criticized for lacking depth and failing to resonate with a broader audience.

    • “The story was incredibly boring and failed to evoke any emotional response.”
    • “I found the narrative to be dull, lacking the depth needed to connect with the characters emotionally.”
    • “The emotional impact was nonexistent; the plot felt flat and unengaging.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely criticized, with users noting that the character design is overly simplistic and reminiscent of dolls, which detracts from immersion. Additionally, the gameplay primarily consists of repetitive fetch quests that lack meaningful narrative or character growth, leaving players feeling disconnected from the characters.

    • “The character design is god awful - everyone looks like a Barbie or Ken doll, to the point that it's mildly disturbing.”
    • “Missions usually boil down to some sort of fetch quest where you go somewhere, pick something up, or sink another ship and loot it, with little to no story or character development.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Many users express disappointment in the game's replayability, indicating that it lacks sufficient content to encourage multiple playthroughs, even when purchased at a discount.

    • “Luckily I bought this game on discount, but even so, it is definitely a disappointment in terms of content as well as replayability.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices and variety makes it hard to justify playing through the game again.”
    • “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to return, as the side content feels repetitive and uninspired.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

60% average critic score

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Play time

15hMedian play time
128hAverage play time
7-80hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 15 analyzed playthroughs

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