(Review) Skull and Bones is real: our first 10 hours in the definitive pirate video game (PS5) | Revista Level Up

By Pablo Vargas | pvargas@revistalevelup.com.

'Skull and Bones' is real! We tested it last weekend in the closed beta to which we were once again invited by Ubisoft and there is no room for doubt, the long-awaited video game from Ubisoft Singapore is finally a pleasant reality. Yes it's correct. More than 6 years have passed since its first announcement and a lot of water has passed under the bridge. Confirmations. Silence from its developers. Spectacular trailers. Cancellation rumors. Developmental changes. Hype. Doubts. And finally, a closed beta that we have been part of and today we give our first impressions.

Let's be clear from the beginning. 'Skull and Bones' is everything we dreamed of. Yes, the wait has been long, but it has finally been worth it. And no, it's not a carbon copy of 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag', but it does take all the elements of fun, progression and story that made it great, works on them in detail and adds its own formula to create an incredibly addictive and fun experience. that has launched us to the conquest of the Seven Seas.

At Revista Level Up  we have had the privilege of being part of every test they have carried out on the game, from its Alpha version to the closed beta this weekend and it has been really impressive to see how this interesting title has been built piece by piece until convert in the ultimate pirate video game. And that's exactly how our beta adventure begins, with a single-player story mode, which evolves into the possibility of terrorizing the Seven Seas in solo or in story missions -similar of the style of ' The Division'-, with our friends.

With a wonderful customization system, which allows us to put our own stamp and style on each of the aspects of our ship -both aesthetically and in combat-, in 'Skull and Bones' we will have the possibility of modifying the smallest detail, from cannons and mortars, to defining a mascot that accompanies us on our adventures across the Seven Seas. The wide variety of options allowed me to create boats that felt uniquely my own, fostering a deeper connection between me and the maritime world I was exploring.

And speaking of customization, it is important to note that players will also be able to choose how their character will look, since we will be able to define each of the aspects of the protagonist of our adventure. From the shape of the body, the color of their skin, hairstyles, accessories, patches and even tattoo designs. Ubisoft has made an effort to provide a character creator system, which offers enough options to differentiate one avatar from another, to define not only our appearance, but also write our own legend, through its 'Infamy' system, a Masterful movement that adds a dynamic layer of storytelling to my pirate endeavors.

The thought of building a name for myself in the pirate world through daring feats and legendary feats was exciting motivation. It gave me a palpable sense of progression beyond the material upgrades, ensuring that each commitment had a significant impact on my journey. In some point, we thought that the game would be limited to an online mode of direct combat, but 'Skull and Bones' has pleasantly surprised us with a fun, interesting and addictive story for a single player that has captured our attention for its memorable main and secondary characters, who in the midst of spectacular combats, manages to hit the point in their dialogues so that we really get involved with them and make each assignment or mission really interesting and fun, either alone, or in the company of our friends.

The RPG-style progress system has been another of its great successes that has cleared all our doubts. The thrill of scouring the vast seas in search of valuable materials was akin to searching for hidden treasure. Turning those materials into upgrades for my ship, gave me an immense sense of satisfaction, as I could see my efforts manifesting in tangible improvements. The infusion of strategy was an added treat, as the game's supply and demand system forced me to navigate economic trends, adding a layer of depth that complemented the action on the high seas, to make our name in the legendary world. pirate.

One of the most outstanding features of 'Skull and Bones', is precisely its Infamy system, a masterful stroke that added a dynamic layer of narrative to my pirate efforts. The idea of making a name for myself in the pirate world through daring feats and legendary feats was an exciting motivation that kept me headlong into the beta. It gave me a palpable sense of progression beyond the material upgrades, ensuring that each commitment had a significant impact on my journey.

And yet, the icing on the cake, has been its perfect combat system, which directly takes the entire legacy of 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag' and improves it exponentially, to make navigating treacherous waters and engaging in epic naval battles even easier. a truly exciting experience, in which both its visual section is one of its highest points. Ubisoft Sinpapur has done an outstanding job that truly takes players on a swashbuckling adventure.

From the creaking of wooden platforms underfoot to the roar of cannons, the audiovisual elements come together to create an authentic and engaging atmosphere. And all this, seasoned with a soundtrack that has made us hallucinate in each fight, each scene and each story. Every tune, excuse the french, it's fucking epic. A true sonata that immediately puts you on paper and injects adrenaline into each chord and verse. This is a better example of this amazing BSO.

Facing a warship, which is 3 times bigger than us, in the midst of a hellish and ruthless storm, while a frenzy of bullets and cannons explode in our ears, until we see it burn and sink into the depths of the ocean, is an experience. full of emotions and adrenaline that one never forgets in his life. The game's attention to detail when recreating the high seas, along with dynamic weather conditions and meticulously designed ships has been another of the great successes that we have been able to notice in this closed beta of the game.

At the end of the road, the closed beta of 'Skull and Bones' not only showed the enormous potential of the game to become the ultimate pirate experience, but also left me eagerly awaiting the full release, to fully immerse myself in that dream. , which began in 2017 and after almost 6 years of waiting, has finally been worth it. Almost there. Very little.

Yo ho, yo ho

The seas forever roll

Yo ho, yo ho

'Til I'm not but skull and bones

Yo ho, yo ho

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