Back in 2017,Skull and Boneswas one of the most anticipated Ubisoft games. However, after years of delays, fans are becoming concerned about the final product. Unfortunately for those that continue to look forward to theSkull and Bones’release, a recent gameplay leak shows a game that seems to be too similar toAssassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag. The lack of noticeable changes in the gameplay has many players thinking that the game will just be a copy ofBlack Flagand will not have the impact or longevity of Ubisoft’s other games.
Skull and Bonesis slated to release in either late 2022 or early 2023, and the multiple delays and lack of announcements mean that the game has fallen under the radar for most gamers.The recentSkull and Bonesgameplay leak, however, prompted developers, Ubisoft Singapore, to announce that new footage and news about the game will release soon. However, the gameplay leak shows a game with a lack of depth and world exploration elements, two things that made series likeAssassin’s CreedandFar Cryso popular. The biggest disappointment, however, is just how much inspiration the game took fromBlack Flagsince the naval gameplay looks like an exact copy.
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Skull and Bones' Naval Gameplay
There are a few areas of the naval gameplay inSkull and Bonesthat have not been taken fromBlack Flag. Unfortunately, when the changes come in the form of a new minimap and more ship customization options, it is hard to say that the two games do not look alike.Black Flaghad great naval gameplay, some of the best that has ever been seen, but following the announcement ofSkull and Bones, many fans hoped that the developers would add in features to help the game stand on its own.
Skull and Bonesis a pirate adventure game, which means that naval gameplay will be a majority of what the player would experience. Still,Black Flagcame out eight years ago, and the fact that there are minimal changes to the gameplay shows fans that the game was not given the attention it deserved. Furthermore, the gameplay leak shows an alpha test version of the game, and while this is not the final version of the game, there are unlikely to be a lot of changes to the core gameplay. Without any meaningful improvements or additions,Skull and Boneswill have a hard time getting out ofBlack Flag’sshadow.
Black Flag’s Naval Gameplay Will Not Help Skull and Bones
Black Flagopened the potential of naval-combat-focused gamesand served as an inspiration for many games that followed, such asSea of Thieves, which thrived under a naval-focused multiplayer platform. UnlikeSea of Thieves, however,Skull and Bonesis more of an imitation ofBlack Flag, which is a major problem since there seems to be no form of gameplay outside the ship. From the gameplay leak, it seems all resource gathering and island exploration will be done automatically by the crew, which completely ruins the depth of gameplay and could make it feel more like a mobile game than a AAA title.
Skull and Bonesis that it is set up as a multiplayer game where players will team up or compete for greater loot and ship upgrades. As a multiplayer pirate adventure game,Skull and Bonesis set to compete againstgames likeSea of Thieves, but the obvious similarities toBlack Flag, the omission of off-ship gameplay, and the fact that the game has experienced years of delays could have already doomedSkull and Bones. Many fans are now suspicious of anything that comes out following years of delays after releases likeCyberpunk 2077, and if Ubisoft cannot attract a player base, the online pirate game’s PvP elements will not work.
Ubisoft is in a peculiar position sinceSkull and Bonescould become a long-standing series, especially with many thinking thatAssassin’s CreedandFar Cryhave now grown stale and repetitive. However, forSkull and Bonesto be Ubisoft’s next big success, it would still need to show more character and individualism than the gameplay leak revealed. The lack of features and the numerous delays could have significantly decreased the player base forSkull and Bones, but only time will tell if Ubisoft is able to release a product that will satisfy the fans eagerly awaiting the upcoming game.
Skull and Bonesis currently in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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