Review in Progress: Skull and Bones

destructoid.com:

Skull and Bones is not a AAAA game. I’m not even exactly sure what would constitute being an AAAA game, but Skull and Bones is not it. That being said, that doesn’t mean Skull and Bones is a bad game. In fact, there’s some fun to be had here if you’re looking for a more arcade-style pirate adventure.

I originally started my own pirate journey in the Skull and Bones open beta earlier this month, since the progress made in the beta carried over to launch. The beta had a cap on progress which I reached after about eight hours of playing, but I had enough fun to make me want to continue my progress on launch.

It’s a little less pirate simulator than I’d have liked. But the ship combat and some of the other core combat systems are fun and engaging in a way that makes me want to keep going despite the issues at hand.

Skull and Bones (PC [reviewed], PS5, Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: Ubisoft Singapore
Publisher: Ubisoft
Released: February 16, 2024
MSRP: $69.99

Skull and Bones throws you right into the action. You were on a ship that had wrecked, and you’ve washed up on the shores of the Atolls islands. Over the course of a brief intro that also serves as a tutorial, you build a small ship called the Dhow, then sail off towards the Pirate Den of Sainte-Anne in the Red Isles. The Dhow isn’t exactly a pirate ship, but rather a small boat you’ll later use for hunting creatures for their hides and skins for crafting. But for now, it gets us from point A to point B, and now our real pirate life begins.

We meet Scurlock, a pirate captain who runs things in the Red Isles. You’ll build rapport with him by completing simple missions to plunder nearby ships, find buried treasures, and even ambush a royal convoy. Along the way, you’ll gain Infamy (experience) that increases your Infamy Rank (level) and unlocks new ships.

Each ship requires a blueprint you will have to track down and acquire, as well as some material costs to build it. You can plunder ships for most resources by looking at