Ubisoft shook up the Assassin’s Creed formula with the fourth main instalment. While they didn’t deviate from the gameplay too much, they brought pirates into the mix which created an entirely new dynamic, which saw protagonist Edward Kenway sail the high seas.
It proved very successful, moving away from everything that made the third title feel a little bit boring and making a genuinely exciting sailing adventure, along with some of the more traditional assassinations.
This also led to a wealth of side content, from obliterating ships – from small boats to colossal, legendary vessels – to even just hunting some whales to upgrade your storage options. Beyond that, just sailing the seas and taking on huge storms, with wonderful twisters proved amazing.
And it looked incredible too. The next generation versions boasted improved visuals compared to the PS3 and Xbox 360 releases, which reacted stunningly to your movements. I only played the first quarter or so, but just writing this I’m eager to find some time and go take to the seas once again.
Gareth reviewed the game for us, and he told me soon after that he thought it was one of his favourite games, and definitely the best in the series. That explains why he scored it 9/10 then, and why his glowing review concluded with:
Black Flag is more than just a return to form for Assassin’s Creed, it is an overall improvement and probably the best game in the series yet. Wherever Ubisoft take us next, it will have serious difficulty living up to this instalment. It has taken the gameplay of the previous games, refined it, and combined it with a huge open world that is packed with enough content to literally last for days. If you have ever wanted a proper pirate game, this is as good as it gets.
It was a really smart move for Ubisoft to not take risks with a standalone pirate game and somehow make it feels as though it wasn’t shoehorned into the Assassin’s universe. I for one can’t wait to see where they take the series next, but I’m getting ahead of myself…
So, what did you think of the title? Did it improve on its predecessor enough to calm your woes, or did it just make you feel a bit seasick?
Let us know in the comments section below, by writing a short review of the title. Don’t drag on too long, and keep it short but sweet (or sour, if you feel so inclined). Remember to leave a Buy It, Bargain Bin It, Rent It or Avoid It rating on the end, and get your words in before Sunday afternoon to be included in next week’s Verdict round-up.
doomsday619
Im a huge Assassins Creed fan and Black Flag did not disappoint, while i love pretty much any game with the Assassins Creed tag this game felt a major improvement my last favorite was Brotherhood but this isnt too far behind and i have played it to death since release on my PS4. BUY IT.
leeroye
I am yet to get this game, really looking forward to getting it from Boomerang though as i really enjoyed AC3.
Dominic Leighton
It looks fantastic on PS4 and gameplay wise it completely made up for the workman-like number three.
Edward Kenway is a great character to play as, and the voice acting and ambient sounds really help ground him and each of the locations in reality.
I loved the sailing, particularly as it broke up the traditional clambering, sword fighting and sneaking. Overall I think it’s the best in the series, and I hope they return to the era again. Buy it!
Taylor Made
By far the best AC game since AC2/brotherhood. Being am assassin & pirate never looked so good with next gen boast. I had given up on AC after playing 3 which was so boring so when I bought AC4 I was a bit skeptical about what to expect.
But this game does not disappoint from ship battles, to skinning animals to getting drunk the game is an absolute beauty. I bought this game second hand in CEX but somehow it was my lucky day, who ever sold it did not redeem their code which I gladly did & received bonus mission with aveline
Buy
tactical20
I’ve not been able to do a weview for ages, so pleased it’s AC4 this week! Firstly I should say I’m a huge AC fan. I’m not even that into the incredibly detailed back stories. It’s the gameplay of the series I love. Bit of climbing, bit of fighting, bit of sneaky, bit of exploring, etc.. And the fact they last for aaaaaaages helps justify the price tag.
That said, I did find AC3 disappointing and was a bit worried how AC4 would turn out. I got a PS4 on launch day, and was desperate for games (still am!), so thought I’d take a gamble. And I’m pleased to say the gamble paid off!
It’s by far the best experience I’ve had on my PS4 so far, and again I was extremely pleased with it’s longevity. The hundreds of missions to do meant this game kept me occupied all over xmas and into the new year. There was enough variation to keep things interesting, although being a completist, I actually enjoy AC’s more laborious tasks too. The ship battling is a vast improvement on AC3, and has gone from one of the worst bits to one of the best.
I’m so pleased that this series has returned to form after it’s little blip, and I can’t wait for the next one, which I have no doubt will be the best yet! Buy it!
bunimomike
I’m not a fan of the franchise at all. Played an hour of the original Assassin’s Creed but never returned. I also felt that I owed it a bit more time but the years rolled by with nary a minute injected. However, the sailing part of Black Flag caught my interest. I say “caught” but it’s probably more like “harpooned, flensed, apportioned, sold, cooked, consumed and…” well, you catch my drift. :-)
After the initial couple of hours to get going on the rolling seas, I’ve never looked back. It has been one of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever played. It’s also, for me, a landmark occasion with the ocean looking utterly wonderful. From vast creatures tempting you with a quick digression and a sturdy harpoon to tsunamis that’ll smash the hell out of your trusty ship and so much more. It looks and sounds stunning. Let’s be fair. You know you’re onto a winner when you can select a sea shanty option and your entire crew start banging out some authentic ditty that has you smiling with every wave of water you traverse.
Sadly, here’s the downside. Bugs. I’m on the PC. Played it to death and have worked out I’m around six hours from the end of the game. A game-breaking bug has stopped me returning to it for weeks. Gutted. Utterly gutted. Thankfully, a new patch released recently and I’m hoping to find my sea-legs once more and take to the aquatic world that I’ve truly grown to love.
Buy it but keep a rabbit’s foot close just in case you need to pray to whatever god of luck you worship and hope that a bug doesn’t ruin the game for you.
tactical20
The only bug I’ve had on PS4 is never finding a royal convoy, which has stopped me getting the trophy. White whales and community chests appear no problem. Very odd. Rest of the game has been totally bug free.
JR.
This is the first AC I’ve played (PS4) that didn’t have any bugs. I think they made an effort for the new consoles because AC3 was a mess last gen.
double-o-dave
I stumbled across a few bugs on the PS4 version… But after being chased by a giant ant I realised I was playing the wrong game.
On a serious note, I managed to fall under the scenery somehow whilst climbing a few times which was quite annoying, and on some occasions when I had to trail people whilst listening to their conversations it failed to trigger the next section of events or their route they were supposed to take forcing me to get detected, then follow them again for another boring 5 mins.
The sailing, raping and pillaging – I mean plundering was great though.
Mick939
LOVED IT. End of
tantalus_blank
Finished this about a week ago. The smartphone integration was a fantastic addition to an already amazing game. A huge contrast to AC3 – as well as being generally much more thought out (just try comparing the UI’s) it was the first in the series to feel truly open world.
Buy it
element666
Buy it from me!
I had started to get bored of the franchise,to the point where I wasn’t even going to get this.
I’m so glad I did,as throughly enjoyed it and is now my favourite AC game to date!
DuffyBox
As a long term fan of the franchise I was apprehensive in the run up to ACIV’s release, I didn’t like the direction AC3 had taken the series and was initially worried by the increased focus on pirates. Turns out I shouldn’t have worried! While I don’t think Black Flag comes close to AC2 in most areas, it’s certainly a big step up from AC3.
One thing that particularly impressed me about the game was the water. I’m playing on PC and as you can see from my screenshots on Steam (http://steamcommunity.com/id/DuffyBox/screenshots/) the waves have a sense of mass and force behind them that puts most other games to shame. The rest of the game isn’t too shabby graphically either, for the most part ACIV is a fine looking game.
Personally I feel the combat is a significant downgrade from the AC: Brotherhood days, it’s been oversimplified for my tastes and the animations where you spend approximately six years systematically dismembering, eviscerating and concussing a guard instead of just slashing his neck once look patently ridiculous. It’s not horrible though and for the most part serves its’ function.
One feature I really really want to see from the series is post-campaign, procedurally generated assassination missions. How hard could it be to select a random guard, buff his stats and give extra rewards for killing him stealthily? Naval contracts too.
Anyway, I’ve rambled long enough. Buy it, for fans of the series and newcomers alike.