Skull and Bones is "not a narrative-driven game" and will also not feature land combat

Skull and Bones finally has a release date and fans are eagerly waiting for November to step into the deck of their ship and stake a claim to being a legendary pirate. Fans have already been treated to a showcase of the title, featuring its premise, gameplay mechanics, and the world.

However, gamers have been cautioned that they should not expect a narrative-driven title. During an interview, the director of the game stated:

"Skull and Bones is not a narrative-driven game. We have narrative pieces in the game."

Akin to the thunder and storms out into the ocean in its gameplay, Skull and Bones has had a turbulent journey throughout its developmental cycle. The upcoming action-adventure title from Ubisoft Singapore has been in the works for nearly a decade, with multiple changes in direction, focus, and design dogging its progression.

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Despite having narrative pieces, Skull and Bones is not intended to be a story-driven experience

Speaking to TrueAchievements, Ryan Barnard, the director of Skull and Bones, mentioned that the upcoming title is "not a story-driven experience." Rather, the developers wished to focus on the individual stories of players throughout their playthrough.

He did clarify that the game will have narrative pieces, stating:

"In the game, you'll meet important NPCs called Kingpins which have their own stories that you'll learn as you develop rapport with them by taking on contracts with them. There is an underlying story to the game with which we build the entire world lore, but that's not the main focus. We want players to create their own stories and be able to choose the type of pirate they want to be."

He mentioned that progression in Skull and Bones will rather be driven by the system of Infamy. Players will gain Infamy by completing contracts from "vendors, local factions, and kingpins in the world." Progressing through the Infamy system will award players with:

"[A]ccess to blueprints in the game which will give you different types of ships, weapons, and armors, and you'll need those as you move and explore around the world to be effective against new foes."

Inspired by the Golden Age of Piracy, Skull and Bones is set in the open world environment of the Indian Ocean. Players will be starting off as shipwreck survivors with a small ship on their way to becoming the most fearsome pirate that the seas have ever known.

There are up to 12 available ships that can be crafted once players have gathered enough resources and opportunities. Different kinds of ships offer different advantages as mentioned in the showcase. For example, some are perfect for carrying cargo, while others are better equipped for combat.

Ships need to be equipped with weapons and attachments to wreak havoc out in the open seas as players go out in search of trouble and treasure. Players will also get to attack settlements and forts, which Barnard characterized as "the toughest challenge" in-game.

The most recent showcase featured two developers sailing, engaging a settlement and ships in combat, and the kinds of weapons available. Skull and Bones will also allow the option of a PvE and a PvEvP experience, with players getting to sail alone or with their friends as either allies or enemies.

Regarding exploration on land, Barnard mentioned that there is a lot of gameplay that will involve players being on land, including visiting dens and outposts to stock up and looking for hidden treasures. Encampments will also have a system of factions that they will rotate through, so "the world changes and feel[s] alive." Barnard concluded that "the only thing that really isn't on land is combat."

Skull and Bones is inspired by Assassin's Creed: Black Flag and its critically acclaimed gameplay. It remains to be seen if the developers have managed to not only capture Black Flag's soul but also build on that success, given that the Assassin's Creed title is almost nine years old. The upcoming Ubisoft title will be released later this year on November 8.