Is there land combat in Skull and Bones?

Whether you can engage in land combat in Skull and Bones is a question that some players may find themselves wondering about in the first few hours of the game. Originally marketed as a "tactical action game," Skull and Bones was inspired by the success of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag.

Like in Black Flag, the main crux of Skull and Bones is a rags-to-riches pirate narrative. However, in its "Treasure Island" genre, there is a distinct place for crossing swords - both on and off the deck. Thus, some would not be amiss to expect some sort of land combat in Skull and Bones.

This article will discuss if land combat is available in Skull and Bones.

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Can you do land combat in Skull and Bones?

Skull and Bones does not have land combat on release (Image via Ubisoft)

In short, the answer to this question is no. There is no land combat in Skull and Bones as of now. The game is all about naval combat at the moment. You take to the seas on your adventure for fame and booty, but all the enemies that you face head-on are enemy ships.

Naval combat lifts a lot of features straight out of Black Flag and refurbishes them to add a more complex progression curve. In this game, your only direct means of progression is the vessel - taking it from a dingy skiff to a mighty battleship to conquer the seas.

Most of its cosmetics, and likely also its end-game objective, are tied to tricking out your ship. In fact, you spend the majority of the game on the deck as you free roam on the waters to collect various resources and take on contracts and bounties.

That said, is there no scope for crossing swords with other players? You do spend a lot of time on land, as that is where all the hub area activities are. It is also a little surprising that after its long-winded development, there is still no land combat in Skull and Bones, Ubisoft's 'quadruple-A' action-adventure.

Its lineage in Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag makes it all the more surprising. The signature Assassin's Creed combat with cutlasses and hidden blades on the port cities and jungle inlets was a large part of its charm, even though the naval combat was a breakaway hit.

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In the first season of Skull and Bones, the end-game boss is essentially another legendary ship, but who knows what can happen in future seasons? After all, the addition of community-wishlist features to hold the player base's attention is the main draw for a live-service model.

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Check out our other guides on Skull and Bones:

Skull and Bones settings optimization guide for PC || Is Skull and Bones Premium Edition worth it? || Will Skull and Bones be on Steam? || Skull and Bones system requirements