Bethesda has finally shared an in-depth look at everything Starfield has to offer at the Starfield Direct, and it looks like it will be a fantastic ride. It has everything that Bethesda RPG fans could want and seems to make great use of the brand-new sci-fi setting. One of the coolest features this new setting allows is space combat, and it may be something that Ubisoft's Skull and Bones will want to adapt.
Skull and Bones is not a sci-fi game, nor is it supposed to be an expansive RPG, but that does not mean Starfield has nothing to offer it. Both games will let players live out the pirate life in vastly different settings, but they are both approaching the concept in unique ways. While one will let players engage in all sorts of high-stakes combat encounters, the other seems to speed players through every situation instead of letting them actively take part in the pirate shenanigans. This leads to two very different experiences, but a couple of tweaks to Skull and Bones could change all that.
Skull and Bones Should Follow Starfield's Lead
Starfield's world and story are not focused on the pirate life, but players will be able to engage in whatever illegal activities they want during their adventure. Just like with every Bethesda RPG before it, Starfield will let players decide who they want to be in this vast galaxy and how they want to interact with its many people. This means that regardless of if they choose to roleplay as a pirate, they might never really be safe from combat interactions.
As players traverse the stars in Starfield, they will be able to attack other ships or be attacked themselves. Using their ship's many weapons, they will be able to shoot specific parts of the enemy ship and either disable or destroy them. If they successfully disable them, then players will be able to breach and board the enemy ship. Instead of it being a simple cutscene or message, players actually have to traverse the ship and take out anyone that comes in their way. This could quickly prove difficult, but it will also result in some great rewards that make it worth the risk.
Ubisoft's pirate game will also feature combat throughout the high seas, but it feels far more limited in scope, as Skull and Bones' combat is similar to Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag's, albeit with a few changes thrown into the mix. Players will be able to use an assortment of cannons to target the enemy’s weak points to hopefully sink or disable them. If they successfully disable them then they can board them, but boarding is done via a simple cutscene. There is nothing to actually do, and players will just move on to their next target.
While Skull and Bones and Starfield may be different games, their ship combat shares some similarities. Both will put players in control of a ship and have them target the weak points of their enemy. Starfield's targeting may be a bit more advanced, but Skull and Bones' version will also be very useful. However, the two games deviate immensely when it comes to the boarding process, as Starfield actually lets players engage in the boarding process while Skull and Bones' is automatized, and that leaves much to be desired.
Skull and Bones desperately needs to let players actually board enemy ships manually and not remove key parts of this potential combat system. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag characters did it in 2013 and Starfield is doing it in 2023, but Skull and Bones is seemingly moving away from this gameplay aspect. Combat would feel so much better in a full-blown pirate game if something like that was added, but it may be too late in the development cycle to change the way combat works, even though the game would probably be better with it.
Skull and Bones is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
