![]() ![]() Ubisoft wisely avoids the morose spaghetti bowl that Assassin’s Creed’s plot lines have become in favor of a much lighter tale that embraces the adventuresome spirit of classic pirate stories. ![]() Black Flag is peppered with these sorts of annoyances, and though they certainly aren't deal-breakers, they had a tendency to pull me out of the experience a bit too often. For instance, the body of a guard who’s holding a necessary key might disappear if you leave the area, meaning that you have to restart a mission. Also, the world’s vast scope invites a handful of hiccups. That being said, Edward still occasionally disobeyed my commands by errantly jumping off rooftops and climbing up walls that I never wanted to scale in the first place, but those are minor nuisances. It does a great job of marrying the vertical city-based traversal of Assassin’s Creed II with the energetic frontier movement of AC 3. Just like previous versions, it’s a welcome alternative to the standard deathmatch that's become the norm in most multiplayer games, but it’s not substantial enough to be the main reason to keep coming back to Black Flag.Īlso back and better than ever is the series' signature feeling of momentum. Having to blend into your surroundings and try to trick other players into thinking you're an A.I.-controlled NPC provides ample moments of tense and entertaining mayhem. The freedom to tell your own stories also exists in the multiplayer mode, which, once again, refines the unique cat-and-mouse gameplay originally introduced in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. Black Flag is all about embracing freedom and carving your own path through the world. Want to discover every nook and cranny of Kingston’s sprawling expanse in search of Templar secrets? Or would you rather buy a small fishing boat and hunt for all manner of deadly sea creatures, using your spoils to upgrade your character? Maybe you just want to sail to a remote island, climb to the top of a mountain, and gaze in awe at the world around you. It treats you like an adult, and allows you to explore its gorgeous and activity-filled world to your heart’s content. When you ignore the main mission prompt and simply set out in search of your own fun, Black Flag is at its best. The size of the world is staggering, and the fact that it's absolutely brimming with fun and rewarding activities made me want to get lost as possible as I traveled from point A to point B. ![]() After a lean and exhilarating opening mission that places you in the blood-soaked boots of Connor’s much livelier and more likeable grandfather Edward Kenway, the world blossoms and allows you to explore its vast uncharted waters. There's a lot of information to digest in Black Flag, and being able to utilize a second screen instead of constantly bouncing in and out of menus helps keep you in the experience.īlack Flag learns from AC 3’s initial 10 hours of banal hand-holding by immediately throwing you into the action. The other versions support Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed IV Companion App, a free download that lets you turn any tablet into a home for maps, an Animus database, and much more. The Wii U GamePad acts as a map that comes in handy when you're searching for a particularly hidden piece of treasure, or you can play Black Flag directly off of the screen on your controller. The PS4 and Xbox One versions are nearly identical, and both deliver the same gorgeous adventure.Īll versions of the game come with some form of off-screen support. The way the camera zooms out when your ship reaches its maximum speed, the speakers bombard you with the sounds of the wind, and the sunset turns blood-orange, is simply amazing. And on next gen, the experience is even more impressive thanks to minimal loading and maximum draw distances that seem to go on for miles. The current-gen versions build upon the already-gorgeous AC 3 by showcasing well-lit, tropical locales and the amazing water effects on the open seas. No matter which console you decide to play Black Flag on, you can rest easy knowing that it’s one of the best looking games of 2013. ![]()
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