Skull and Bones is touted by Ubisoft as a quadruple A live service title larger than anything else before it. What was meant to be an expansion to Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag is now a full-fledged pirate game with an abundance of naval combat. But can you still disembark your ship in Skull and Bones?
One of the most controversial decisions for Skull and Bones has been how Ubisoft has decided to handle land traversal and land combat. Those expecting the same spontaneous and hassle-free land traversal as its predecessor might be disappointed. Let's take a look at how disembarking your ship works in Skull and Bones.
If you're interested in the game, read all about it in our Skull and Bones hub and see how it measures up against Sea of Thieves.
How to disembark ship in Skull and Bones
To disembark from your ship in Skull and Bones, you need to approach a valid area, such as pirate dens, outposts, and shipwrecks. Once you're nearby, you'll get a button prompt(Circle on PlayStation and B on Xbox). Press the relevant prompt, and the screen will fade to black, after which your character will appear on land.
Note that you need to be within a certain range of these ports and locations to disembark. If you're too far away, you'll get the error 'Disembark (Sail Closer)', which means you need to get closer to your destination.
To leave an island or site and embark once more, approach the rowboat at the docks and press the button that shows alongside the 'Embark' prompt.
Can you land anywhere in Skull and Bones?
You can only disembark from your ship and land at pirate dens, outposts, and shipwrecks in Skull and Bones. Yes, this is a step down from Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag, which would allow you to disembark and begin pirate shenanigans anywhere.
The locations where you can disembark are generally campaign or story-relevant areas with a high population. Most islands cannot be fully explored on foot. Furthermore, you don't have to disembark from your ship even when you're harvesting resources. You'll simply get a prompt to harvest resources, and if the prompt is missing, it means another player already harvested the spot.
Lastly, and perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the game's mechanics, there is no combat on land or foot. All combat is exclusive to naval only, which you can only perform from your ship.
That's all you need to know about how the disembark and embark mechanics work in Skull and Bones. For more guides, learn about the open beta and how to get the Snow Leopard.