SUMMARY
- Skull and Bones is a new pirate-themed title from Ubisoft.
- Skull and Bones is going up against a highly-played pirate game, Sea of Thieves.
Being a pirate is no cakewalk, especially when one has to make lots of different and trivial choices. Pirate games allow one to be the captain of their ship and live the pirate life. Talking of pirate games, the most recent addition to the genre is Ubisoft’s Skull and Bones.
Naturally, the game has reminded players of Rare’s 2018 game, Sea of Thieves. Both the games are based on pirates, wherein players control ship/s and are pitted against other ships to win battles with the least damage. Let’s have a look at some of the major similarities and differences in the two games:
Similarities between Skull and Bones vs Sea of Thieves
Here are some similarities one will likely find between Skull and Bones and Sea of Thieves:
Plot
The core plot of both these games is similar. Players assume the role of a pirate who is the captain of the ship. Pirate life consists of many aspects, and both titles touch down upon the same aspects and experiences.
As the captain, players get to choose and customize their ship, gather a crew to embark on voyages, and sail the seas. Thus one will find Sea of Thieves and Skull and Bones, both to be full of pirate activities. Players get to sail, deliver cargo, steal plunder, engage in naval warfare, and much more.
Multiplayer experience
Both the pirate games, Sea of Thieves and Skull and Bones deliver an expansive multiplayer experience. Both offer multiple multiplayer aspects, be it PvP or PvE content. Players are free to engage with other players or they can choose to avoid them.
Activities such as dunking it out in naval battles, taking on forts, or simply sailing away can be made more fun with other players. Both titles give a similar multiplayer experience for players wanting to play with others.
Post-launch content
When Sea of Thieves initially launched in 2018, it had very little content. However, the developer had not yet given up on the game. They quickly extended their support of the game with additional post-launch content. Ever since its launch, Sea of Thieves has received a number of updates that have greatly helped expand its gameplay and story.
Similarly, Skull and Bones’ developers have also confirmed that the game will receive regular updates and post-launch content in the months and years to come.
Skull and Bones vs Sea of Thieves differences
Here are some of the most striking differences in Skull and Bones vs Sea of Thieves:
Realism
The aesthetic appeal and realism of the two games are poles apart. The time difference between the two games is a possible reason for this. Sea of Thieves features developer Rare’s signature stylized cartoonish look, and it is filled with quirky features overall.
On the contrary, Skull and Bones is clearly much more focused on a realism aspect. The visuals are more on the cinematic side as compared to cartoonish. Unlike Sea of Thieves’ Monkey Island-inspired color palate, Skull and Bones has a more muted palate similar to Assassin’s Creed Black Flag.
Tone
Skull and Bones vs Sea of Thieves have completely distinct tones. Sea of Thieves is more focused on the adventures of the sea, while Skull and Bones focus on the warfare aspect.
Although players can sail a ship in both, Sea of Thieves offers a more adventurous approach with crazy shenanigans wherein players and their crew explore the sea and land. Skull and Bones trades the adventure aspect for more activities such as sinking ships, stealing cargo, and completing pirate contracts.
Customization
Although both, Sea of Thieves and Skull and Bones offer customization, the way it is handled in the two games is way different from the other, especially in regards to ships. In Sea of Thieves, ship customization is purely cosmetic wherein a player can only change the appearance of your vessel.
On the other hand, customizations in Skull and Bones has a direct impact of the ship’s capabilities. Players can choose anything from, adding more weapons to upgrading their hull. But one must remember these customization choices will greatly affect how their ship performs in battle.