Just two days after pushing back the launch of Skull and Bones yet again, to an expected release date in 2023-24, Ubisoft has released a developer stream that showcases narrative gameplay from the iconic pirate adventure. The video takes gamers through an inquiry, as defined by narrative director Joel Jannise, as a way to communicate a story through a progression of events.

The player follows a clue that could result in a prize or reward of some kind, says Janisse in the video. At the same time, the player is able to learn more about the factions and world by finding messages in bottles, parts of journals, and dialoguing with characters. In this way, a story is conveyed.

The video in question delves into a conflict between siblings who think they have the right to be crowned king/queen of a tiny kingdom. From a pirate’s perspective, the political implications of the matter are moot, but the potential monetary value of a crown is enough to pique their interest.

I started to lose interest when the mission was to raid a nearby community. All that was needed to initiate the raid was to get near the harbor and press the ‘plunder’ option, and then get around a fenced zone, shooting up enemy vessels for a specified amount of time as the time counter showed in the background how much my crew had progressed.

Janisse’s main point is that Skull and Bones is just a dream, something out of reach. He can’t even witness it going on, let alone participate in it. He feels excluded while they are taking whatever they can find, searching for the essential clue in their inquiry.

When Janisse and Alexis Cretton, a senior community developer, look into a shipwreck they have discovered, they drive to it and press the loot button. As a result, the item they find on the ship is immediately added to their inventory.

Sailing, the centerpiece of Skull and Bones, appears to be unremarkable. The vessels in the video appear to be flimsy and lack heft, not much responding to various water conditions. What’s more, it is not possible to dive beneath the deck or into the captain’s quarters.

I’m not terribly enthusiastic about Skull and Bones because it just seems so tedious. My dream when it comes to playing a pirate game is to have some outrageous swashbuckling fun! I stated previously that watching gameplay of Skull and Bones only makes me want to play Sea of Thieves more, and that still very much remains the case. Janisse confirmed that Ubisoft took great lengths in being precise about the game, including incorporating three different sea shanties that align with the languages and lore; although what I’m looking for is more about the fun rather than perfection. With Sea of Thieves, you can make music, show off your dance moves, guzzle alcohol, and even puke on your team members - all of which I find much more enjoyable.

I can’t speak for everyone else, but I’m totally game to jump into that kind of pirate adventure. Have no fear - Virgil is doing just fine. He’s off on some breathtaking journey!

It is not practicable to form strong opinions about a game just seeing videos. However, Skull and Bones appears to be floundering and Ubisoft is facing some difficulty. At a time when a good show needs to be put up, what I saw was not competitively polished but instead a lack of engaging game-play. Previously, Ubisoft claimed that the most recent delay of the game would help introduce improved polish and balance, yet what I saw in the video did not appear to be inadequately shiny; it was missing a captivating gameplay experience.

The release date for Skull and Bones remains uncertain, though it is predicted that it will come out sometime after April 1, 2023 which is the start of Ubisoft’s 2023-24 fiscal year.