There were plenty of exciting announcements at the recent Sony State of Play, but Sea of Remnants looked to be one of the most unique games revealed at the showcase. Sea of Remnants boasts a beautiful art style and imaginative world that promises an exciting new pirate adventure that could be a strong competitor to Sea of Thieves.
Sea of Thieves isn’t the only pirate game that Sea of Remnants is set to compete with, though. Ubisoft’s notorious Skull and Bones is still kicking, despite a rocky launch and negative reception. 2024 saw a few substantial commercial flops, and Skull and Bones unfortunately found itself among those ranks. After 11 years in development, there was hope that Skull and Bones‘ troubled development could have paid off, but after failing to capture the spark of being a pirate, Sea of Remnants may be taking its place.
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Sea of Remnants Seems to Embrace the Larger-Than-Life Nature of Pirate Legends That Skull and Bones Lacks
Skull and Bones’ Gameplay Doesn’t Exactly Make Players Feel Like a Pirate
The concept behind Skull and Bones was incredibly exciting. While Sea of Thieves had been scratching the pirate fantasy itch since 2018, the prospect of having a fresh take on this type of adventure was compelling. However, instead of going on grand quests for legendary buried treasure and thrilling sword fights, Skull and Bones proved to be more about fetch-questing and sailing one’s ship around.
Unlike Ubisoft’s past pirate title, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Skull and Bones doesn’t allow players to walk around their ship, leaving only character movement for land-based moments. Ultimately, Skull and Bones is more of a naval combat simulator than anything, which can be great for gamers who are into this style of fighting. When it comes to nailing the feeling of being a pirate, though, the game falls flat.
Sea of Remnants features a pirate city called Orbtopia that serves as a central hub for players.
Sea of Remnants’ Imaginative World Seems Primed to Bring Pirate Role-Playing Front and Center
Among the exciting announcements at the recent Sony State of Play, Sea of Remnants stood out immediately with its charming aesthetic and introduction of Puppetfolk. This puppet-inspired world already seems filled with the swashbuckling, dream-like features that make pirate legends so much fun. Complete with mermaids and tales of a land filled with untold riches, the game is teasing a world and story that is filled with fantastical awe.
On the official PlayStation blog, developer Joker Studio described the action adventure RPG as a bold journey, stating, “In Sea of Remnants, you play as an amnesiac sailor who sets off on a voyage alongside a mysterious girl—two travelers with different goals yet bound to the same path across the sea.” Like Skull and Bones, a player’s ship is still important, but instead of making that the main focus, the actual characters and their journey are teased to be the heart of Sea of Remnants, and that’s the major difference that can truly bring the pirate fantasy to life.
Sea of Remnants boasts a beautiful art style and imaginative world that promises an exciting new pirate adventure.
Sea of Remnants will be free-to-play.
Of course, with Sea of Thieves currently being the reigning champion in the pirate simulation genre, only time will tell if Sea of Remnants turns out as promising as it looks. The arrival of Sea of Remnants could even inspire Sea of Thieves to up its game, which could prove to be a fun head-to-head challenge. As the wait for an official release date for Sea of Remnants continues, it’s thrilling to see a fresh sea-faring game that seems to fully understand what makes pirates so compelling.