Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced review: A pirate’s life, reborn
Ubisoft’s lavish remake gives a beloved adventure a new lease of life
The original Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (actually the sixth entry) is one of the most popular games in the long-running series. Released almost 13 years ago on PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U (remember that?), it built on the naval gameplay introduced in Assassin's Creed III and featured a gorgeous depiction of Caribbean islands. This full remake puts a real polish on the piratical proceedings courtesy of Ubisoft’s modern Anvil engine.
Set in the early 18th century during the Golden Age Of Piracy, the game follows the rollicking adventures of Edward Kenway, a roguish British privateer who can climb, fight and sail with the best of them. Borrowing several elements from last year's Assassin's Creed Shadows, the remake expands parkour traversal and places a greater emphasis on stealth, making exploration and infiltration feel more fluid than before.
The few fans of the original game’s modern-day Abstergo elements will be disappointed at their excision but the game feels more settled as a stand-alone pirate/assassin adventure. The Caribbean is a stunning location to explore and it features some of the best-looking seas in gaming although the new time-of-day and weather effects can turn sailing excursions into terrifying battles against the waves. These stormy sorties are supremely atmospheric, soundtracked by the various collectible sea shanties. These songs (including several new additions) remain one of the game's great pleasures, giving personality to Kenway’s crew as his ship hunts enemies across the region. More than a decade later, Black Flag remains one of the strongest entries in the series and this remake brings it bang up to date for a modern audience.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is out now on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.