Nearly 30 minutes of gameplay fromSkull and Bonesis shared in a new devstream off the back of the pirate game’s recent delay. As frustrating as the delay may be for everyone involved, Ubisoft continues to work diligently to completeSkull and Bones. It may not feel like that to those who have been anxiously awaitingSkull and Bones, though, which is why Ubisoft has decided to share a substantial look at the game’s narrative experience in an extended video.
Ubisoft has previously said thatSkull and Bones"is not a narrative-driven game," though it does have narrative pieces to help drive the player’s personal story. As a historical fiction, however,Skull and Boneshas a rich setting and narrative structures built around gameplay actions. Players are pirates sailing the oceans ofSkull and Bones' version of the real world, after all. For many players, without narrative elements, it’s difficult to fully immerse in a game.
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The extended gameplay devstream from Ubisoft forSkull and Bonesis led by narrative director Joel Janisse, who guides the player through one of the game’s Investigations. Investigations are akin to quests in other games, requiring players complete steps to proceed and ultimately rewarding the player upon completion. The quest shown in the video is named the “Hunt for the Crown of Ukuta” and revolves around the hunt for a deposed king named Mwenye, who fled with the Royal Crown of Ukuta.
In theSkull and Bonesvideo, a variety of gameplay is shown. That includes the playerperforming a Plunder raid on an outpostto receive a clue on their quest, which involves attacking the outpost itself and its defense forces, extended sequences of travel by ship, searching shipwrecks, and digging up treasure. It’s a proper pirate adventure, helps flesh out the world and story ofSkull and Bones, and is likely just the first chapter in a broader narrative experience.
The broader story hinted at throughSkull and Bones' gameplayand by comments from Janisse has to do with a notorious pirate. The pirate is described as someone seeking to fight againstSkull and Bones' mega-corporations, the pursuit of true freedom, and someone with a treasure haul worth seeking out. Odds are there’s more to this story for players to discover whenSkull and Boneseventually launches.
As previously noted, though,Skull and Bonesis more of a multiplayer live service experience than a narrative-driven game. When the Investigation is completed, a notification pops up saying it’s just one of seven available. So while there is somestory-driven content inSkull and Bones, it’s not the whole game. Players will use the Investigations to delve further into the broader progression systems and gameplay that could, eventually, makeSkull and Bonesa game worth playing for quite a long time.
Skull and Bonesreleases 2023-2024 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
