By Ben Mapp
If our recent review of Watch_Dogs didn't convince you that Ubisoft are anything but the expert craftsmen we describe them to be when it comes to putting together lively, visual and utterly immersive gaming worlds, then perhaps this will make you see reason. But of course, the open sea is a treacherous place, so make ready the sails and man those cannons as we continue our in-depth reflection into last year's swashbuckling epic, Assassin's Creed IV - Black Flag.
If our recent review of Watch_Dogs didn't convince you that Ubisoft are anything but the expert craftsmen we describe them to be when it comes to putting together lively, visual and utterly immersive gaming worlds, then perhaps this will make you see reason. But of course, the open sea is a treacherous place, so make ready the sails and man those cannons as we continue our in-depth reflection into last year's swashbuckling epic, Assassin's Creed IV - Black Flag.
Now where was I? Oh that's right!
GOLD!
Gold does not pile up easily in Assassin’s Creed IV and everything has a price in a world of piracy. If you want to maximise you ship’s defenses, broaden your clothing options and/or unlock an array of secret items (be they weapons, armour or otherwise) then you’ll have to raid other ships, hunt down certain animals, carry out assassinations, discover certain towns/islands, etc. There’s pure incentive here. These are just a few options available to you in the huge world of the West Indies.
In that respect Black Flag draws on elements of both Assassin’s Creed II (replacing the Italian villa with the Jackdaw ship), as well as Brotherhood (as you can open your own shops and taverns on certain islands), and Edward is by far the most customisable protagonist in the series thus far. Each of his costumes is unique and varied; although personally I thought that his default robe was the most intimidating and appealing so I played him wearing that. He is also one of the most likeable protagonists.
GOLD!
Gold does not pile up easily in Assassin’s Creed IV and everything has a price in a world of piracy. If you want to maximise you ship’s defenses, broaden your clothing options and/or unlock an array of secret items (be they weapons, armour or otherwise) then you’ll have to raid other ships, hunt down certain animals, carry out assassinations, discover certain towns/islands, etc. There’s pure incentive here. These are just a few options available to you in the huge world of the West Indies.
In that respect Black Flag draws on elements of both Assassin’s Creed II (replacing the Italian villa with the Jackdaw ship), as well as Brotherhood (as you can open your own shops and taverns on certain islands), and Edward is by far the most customisable protagonist in the series thus far. Each of his costumes is unique and varied; although personally I thought that his default robe was the most intimidating and appealing so I played him wearing that. He is also one of the most likeable protagonists.
Again, whilst not giving too much away, Edward’s allegiance doesn’t lean a great deal to either side in the ongoing Assassin/Templar feud. He has one priority in life, but you’ll have to play to find out what that is! Players of the previous games will also be rewarded with the option to clothe Edward in the garments of Altair, Ezio or Connor (all through the magical hacking power of the Animus of course) as provided for via the U-Play system, if they had completed the previous relevant Assassin’s Creed games – which I thought is an awesome little addition! The Caribbean is abundant with desert islands, large populated towns (such as Havana and Kingston), as well as deep jungles complete with tropical wildlife to hunt and skin (an enhanced version of the hunting system from the previous game). You also come across islands filled with ancient Mayan ruins, with hidden treasures and puzzles of their own.
Anyone who has ever played The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker will be already familiarised with such an expansive ocean world. The world map of Black Flag is separated into three tiers. The upper tier features enemy ships and fortresses which are easy to overcome. The middle tier features slightly more challenging foes, and the bottom tier exposes you to the game’s much deadlier enemies. It is therefore advisable to work your way down gradually although – should you choose to – you can ‘try’ to sail to the bottom tier of the map and ‘try’ to take on the notorious ‘legendary ships’ anchored there.
Anyone who has ever played The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker will be already familiarised with such an expansive ocean world. The world map of Black Flag is separated into three tiers. The upper tier features enemy ships and fortresses which are easy to overcome. The middle tier features slightly more challenging foes, and the bottom tier exposes you to the game’s much deadlier enemies. It is therefore advisable to work your way down gradually although – should you choose to – you can ‘try’ to sail to the bottom tier of the map and ‘try’ to take on the notorious ‘legendary ships’ anchored there.
But you will fail. Those guys are hard. They’re also gigantic and have really thick plates of armour. I wouldn’t recommend that you sail too far down south until the storyline compels you to, but the choice is entirely yours! The game also takes influence from the map-conquering side quests which featured heavily in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. By raiding various outposts and fortresses throughout the Caribbean you will be able to own those areas of the sea, similar to the areas of Rome in Brotherhood. This also means that whenever a ship passes through your part of the map, your new outposts/fortresses will immediately fire upon them for trespassing. You can loot whatever remains, or join in if you wish to! Watching this happen is quite gratifying and makes you want to sail off and dominate the rest of the world.
In terms of the main storyline the campaign missions of Black Flag revisit most of the types seen in previous games, such as tailing a target through a crowded town, stealing an item (such as a key) off said target, listening to their conversations and – of course – assassinating them. What separates Black Flag from Assassin’s Creed III though is how flexible these missions are.
For instance, in Assassin’s Creed III, Connor had to assassinate targets strictly by the book (by remaining hidden and not drawing too much attention to himself). Black Flag however embraces a more classical style of gaming as seen in the earlier Assassin’s Creed games where you, as the player, had the option to either remain hidden or just run straight into a line of guards, hidden blades (or pirate swords) at the ready. The mission difficulty therefore varies depending on your approach, which makes things all the more interesting particularly because, as mentioned above, Assassin’s Creed III was frustratingly limited. Black Flag allows you to play most of the missions in the manner that best suits you, which makes the whole game so much more enjoyable and fun.
There’s a whole bunch of stuff I’ve also not got around to talking about, like the fact that you can dive down to the ruins of shipwrecks (and avoid sharks) or the fact that you can go harpooning (white whales, humpbacks, great whites, etc!), but know that this game is positively jam-packed with things for you to do. As a fanboy of this series who, like so many others, felt dismayed at Assassin’s Creed III, Black Flag is a wet dream. It’s one of the most gorgeous, expansive and genuinely fun games I have ever played. Because there is so much to do in it even after the main campaign has finished, this game is sure to give you years worth of replay value.
For instance, in Assassin’s Creed III, Connor had to assassinate targets strictly by the book (by remaining hidden and not drawing too much attention to himself). Black Flag however embraces a more classical style of gaming as seen in the earlier Assassin’s Creed games where you, as the player, had the option to either remain hidden or just run straight into a line of guards, hidden blades (or pirate swords) at the ready. The mission difficulty therefore varies depending on your approach, which makes things all the more interesting particularly because, as mentioned above, Assassin’s Creed III was frustratingly limited. Black Flag allows you to play most of the missions in the manner that best suits you, which makes the whole game so much more enjoyable and fun.
There’s a whole bunch of stuff I’ve also not got around to talking about, like the fact that you can dive down to the ruins of shipwrecks (and avoid sharks) or the fact that you can go harpooning (white whales, humpbacks, great whites, etc!), but know that this game is positively jam-packed with things for you to do. As a fanboy of this series who, like so many others, felt dismayed at Assassin’s Creed III, Black Flag is a wet dream. It’s one of the most gorgeous, expansive and genuinely fun games I have ever played. Because there is so much to do in it even after the main campaign has finished, this game is sure to give you years worth of replay value.
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