Skull and Bones has changed its direction so many times that it may not be completely clear what the game is about. One of the most recent and popular pirate games out there is Sea of Thieves but the two aren’t similar as much as you’d think.
We already know quite a few details regarding Skull and Bones from the latest closed beta tests. So if you played or are familiar with Sea of Thieves and are planning to pick up Skull and Bones, here are all the similarities and differences between the two titles.
Skull and Bones and Sea of Thieves similarities
Despite both games being multiplayer pirate games about sailing and plunder, that’s almost all the similarities they have. Both games give the ability to sail your own ship and do “pirate things” ranging from completing quests to fighting enemy ships and gathering tons of loot, but each game does it differently.
One of the bigger similarities is the open world where you can encounter and interact with other players who are doing their own thing. You can join them for public events taking place around the map or fight them, although the rules of engagement are quite different in Skull and Bones.
There are several smaller mechanics like treasure hunting, that are somewhat similar in Skull and Bones and Sea of Thieves. In both games, you can stumble upon treasure maps you need to interpret to find the correct island and spot to dig up the loot.
Skull and Bones and Sea of Thieves differences
The biggest difference between Skull and Bones and Sea of Thieves is the gameplay and progression. Skull and Bones is a third-person action-adventure RPG focused on naval exploration and combat with controls similar to Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. You get to walk around as your character sometimes but only on outposts to talk to vendors and buy items. On the other hand, Sea of Thieves is always a first-person game where you’ll spend a good amount of time exploring islands and fighting enemies using swords and guns.
Progression-wise, Skull and Bones is an RPG at its core. Complete quests, collect loot, upgrade your ship, and progress through the game in multiple sessions. One of the unique features of Sea of Thieves is all the loot is tied to the session and after you log out, you only get to keep gold, unlocks, and earned reputation.
As for the multiplayer, you can encounter other players in Skull and Bones, but the game allows you to opt out of PvP if you want. Although some things will be seemingly locked behind PvP, there’s no need to worry about other pirates all the time, which will certainly be a sigh of relief for many. In Sea of Thieves, things work quite the opposite.
At any point, someone can pull up and nuke you to the ground without warning. It’s part of the game but is also a reason some players might steer away from Sea of Thieves and enjoy Skull and Bones much more.
