Is Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag a Pirate’s Paradise?
The Assassin’s Creed franchise is back with its highly anticipated sequel – Black Flag. Set in the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century, we are introduced to the likeable character of Edward Kenway. While he contrasts strongly with our previous protagonist Connor Kenway, his personality is far better matched to that of Ezio Auditore da Firenze: bashful, cocky and ambitious. While he may dress like an assassin, his main priority is being a pirate.
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The sheer size and scale of Black Flag is superior to that of ACIII, and arguably even Brotherhood and Revelations, and the illustrious beauty of the Caribbean is one of the most appealing aspects of the game. Travelling from island to island in Edward’s ship, The Jackdaw, one can see the vast amount of land to traverse, the missions to complete and ocean to sail. The draw distance is impressive, with minimal pop in, allowing Ubisoft to showcase the exotic islands of the Caribbean. The Jackdaw is an integral part of the game, as it not only allows you to investigate new islands, but it opens up the world of Black Flag in many ways that could not have been possible. By being able to customize the ship, the player can upgrade weaponry, armour and appearance, adding yet another layer of depth to the already comprehensive game.
However, there are some aspects that could be improved by Ubisoft. Silly glitches include Edward Kenway getting stuck in the environment, though this is a rare occurrence. Overall, the animation is fantastic, but in the big cities such as Havana, the frame rate suffers drops below 30 frames per second, which results in a choppy motion. While playing, the controls are often unresponsive but on the whole are relatively accurate. Aside from these few issues, Black Flag is successful in what it aims to achieve both in regards to visuals and gameplay.
The missions in Black Flag mirror those of the previous games, with stealth being the priority of the protagonist. Similarly, combat sequences are essentially the same, though guards are much faster, smarter and can be difficult opponents in battle. Maneuvering The Jackdaw can often be a mission in itself, particularly when fighting another ship, but this makes the game realistic and challenging.
Extra aspects include hunting animals (which was taken from Far Cry 3 as it worked so well), upgrading weapons and searching for treasure. This not only lengthens the game, but allows the player to experience what Assassin’s Creed is truly about – fantastic gameplay with a great variety of things to do and explore.
Overall, Black Flag is a fantastic and enjoyable game. Edward Kenway is a great protagonist, in which his wit is a welcome addition to the franchise, as is his relationship with his crew. There is no downside to the location – the Caribbean is the perfect setting for Ubisoft to showcase its talent, with a vast array of islands and terrain. While there are some glitches, these are relatively minor and have little bearing on the actual game. The variety of missions is excellent, and while they can be repetitive, there is much to do to stop you from getting bored. All in all, Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag has undoubtedly raised the bar for future games of the franchise.[divider]
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