Revealed all the way back at E3 2017, Ubisoft’s swashbuckling pirate action gameSkull and Boneshas run aground several times since then. With rumors suggestingSkull and Boneshas restarted development from scratch for a second time, there was little shock to see the publisher recently announce another delay. As it stands right now, a release window has tentatively been set for some time between April 2022 and March 2023. Having missed this year’sUbisoft Forward at E3 2021, all signs are pointing to an agonizing wait for fans before the game comes into view on the horizon again.
One potential silver lining to Ubisoft Singapore going back to the drawing board repeatedly, is the chance thatSkull and Bonescomes out in the best possible shape because of all the fine tuning. Taking inspiration whilst looking at how other studios have tackled similar themes and worlds, is just one of the ways that the development team could ensure this. If Ubisoft is going to go down this route, then Naughty Dog and the pirate themedUncharted 4should be its first port of call, thanks to the attention to detail that was poured into that game’s narrative, gameplay, and world building.
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Uncharted 4’s Pirate Lore
Naughty Dog has always been experts when it comes to building worlds in the background of its stories, in ways that make the main narrative focus all the more impactful. Franchises like theThe Last of Us, for example, might appear on the surface to to be pure horror experiences, but in reality the zombie aspect acts more like window dressing to a story that’s about human relationships and grief.Uncharted 4employs a similar tactic at it’s core, and uses the mystery of long lost pirate treasure as a storytelling deviceto deconstruct Nathan Drakeand explore what the character holds close to his heart.
ConsideringSkull and Boneswill likely be a multiplayer focused experience, employing similar lore focused worldbuilding to achieve the same ends will be trickier for Ubisoft to pull off. Not being a traditional single player game with s a fleshed out protagonist isn’t a reason for the game to avoid building a rich world in the background though. Interacting with and seeing the consequences of what other real world pirates have already been up to, would be a great way to ensureSkull and Bonesfeels all the more immersive and genuine. Adopting a focused approach to worldbuilding in the Naughty Dog mold, would go a long way to also differentiate the game from its natural pirate themed contemporary,Sea of Thieves. In many ways that game has become about social experiences between players, which leaves a gap for a narrative driven game akin toUncharted 4orAssassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag.
Uncharted 4’s Environmental Collectibles
Having cut its teeth onplatformers likeJak and Daxterand the original PS1Crash Bandicootgames, Naughty Dog has an affinity for fleshing out worlds with collectible hidden trinkets. That tradition has carried through to its modern franchises, perhaps being most famously realized by the powerful Ish storyline found within the originalThe Last of Us, which was told exclusively through missable documents in the world.Uncharted 4’s own universe benefits greatly in a similar fashion too, as players can uncover a host of treasures that go a long way to adding depth to Henry Every’s Gunsway heist and pirate utopia that Nathan Drake finds himself chasing. Authenticity is the biggest factor when it comes to building a world in any form of media, which is why having objects that a players can uncover and glean exposition from is so important to Naughty Dog.
Environmental storytelling seems like a no brainer for a game all about physical pirates to have as well, and would be in keeping with the mantra that most open-world Ubisoft games have employed since the originalAssassin’s Creed.Skull and Bonescould go one step further than anything previously achieved by the publisher or Naughty Dog though, thanks to the benefit of its pirates not being trapped in a different time period. In its original incarnation the game was set to followOlivier “La Buse” Levasseurand his infamous buried treasure. Carrying this through to the latest build ofSkull and Boneswould provide the perfect justification for treasures to be scattered throughout the world for players to find. Tying them to puzzles, or providing some form of information about the real-world pirates that will no doubt populate the game would also be a great way simultaneously make worldbuilding an active part of the gameplay loop.
Uncharted 4’s Physical Worldbuilding
It can’t be forgotten that one of the most obvious ways that any development team builds a world, is through the physical act of actually constructing it. In this department Naughty Dog has always excelled across their history, with games likeCrash Bandicootall the way through toThe Last of Us Part 2having stunningly detailed visual identities.Uncharted 4was no exception to this and allowed players to get up close and personal with a vast array of different locales, like tropical islands and the haunting abandoned pirate colony of Libertalia. No matter where Nathan Drake found himself, each was filled with a vast array of pirate themed iconography for players to take in. Building a setting like this not only has the effect of making a world feel authentic and genuinely lived in, it’s also more fun in general to experience.
It’s therefore important withSkull and Bonesthat Ubisoft keep in mind that physically showing is at times as important as telling a player what’s happening. While the game’s seemingly sole focus on ocean combat is an important aspect of the topic that shouldn’t be downplayed, it’s only half of an equation that any good pirate simulator should focus on. Letting players disembark their ships to explore the dungeons, towns, and forts they’ll no doubt sail past, is an important feature that’s made games likeRare’sSea of Thievesso special. With the game having been reset multiple times already, there’s a chance that things might have already changed more towards this. Having built theAssassin’s Creedfranchise around countless maps that have struck this balance so perfectly, Ubisoft has it collectively within itself to construct another world that players will want to get lost in while exploring.
Skull and Bonesis in development.
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