The actual setting is The Caribbean in various stages of the 18th century, although for some reason a specific time isn't really referenced in this game, it just passes in months which you have to work out yourself through dialogue, because apparently a fictional date is too difficult to write into the story. Still, this is a period of history that I find particularly fascinating, and the main cities of Nassau, Kingston and Havana are presented in a nice fashion, if a little bland compared to previous cities in the franchise. But the character of the game really comes from the open ocean, where many islands and shipwrecks can be discovered. It is a really well put together map, that for me finally takes the franchise into that 'open world' feeling. I think this new focus on naval elements makes the game feel a lot more open, and I really do like that. So thumbs up from me.
I will also say that it looks very nice, even on my aging Xbox 360. Yes, even though it was made for a more powerful console it still performs very well, even if a few of the textures are a little ugly. But those ugly ones are overshadowed by the deep jungles, and the beautiful looking azure waters that also happen to be dynamic, which makes them look even better. The audio, as we have come to expect from this series, is spectacular. The score is at it's usual brilliant best, but for me the best contribution comes from sea shanties, which your crew will very kindly sing for you to instantly cheer you up. I would happily listen to them for hours. There are the usual noticeable glitches, but then show me an open world game that hasn't. However, there might be slightly more than you expect from a triple a game, and especially the signature free running system, that I absolutely loved from previous games, gets very frustrating and temperamental at times. Which is quite amazing, as it worked an absolute treat in number three.
Mmm, that's some nice looking water.
Probably the biggest advancement comes from the naval elements of the game, which really define a great open world experience. It centers around the fictional ship known as 'The Jackdaw', that looks as pathetic as it sounds. But with a few upgrades here and there, with what is a very good upgrade system, the ship can at least become something respectable. Although I still wish it was possible to pilot captured ships, as some of them look fucking brilliant. But I can't really complain, some of the best moments of the game happen from the ship's helm, and it really shows there is some progress in a rather stale franchise. The only downside is the trading mini-game, which is excruciatingly boring, and has no real benefit apart from a few extra coins. You get the sense that it's really only for the completionists, who thankfully are unlikely to reproduce.
As for the actual campaign, which should be the main selling point of all RPGs, it's really a tale of two halves. It follows what appears to be every single pirate in the history of the world as they generally do very little. Sometimes it feels more like a soap opera, with new characters arriving every mission, and the total number must reach about 5 million by the end. But once the formalities are out of the way, the real story begins, and thanks to some solid character development and a good, if a little predictable script, it does eventually get there, and the climax is something rather special. My main concern is that this slow burner of a campaign changes villain every two seconds, and so without any clear direction it sometimes feels like a bit of a chore, and what could have been an excellent final mission is instead something rather ordinary.
Wait, which one are you supposed to be again?
My other problem is that there is a lack of variety in missions. They all come in very repetitive forms, and for the love of god if I have to do another tailing mission that desynchronizes when 'I'm detected', I shall cry, 50% of the bloody campaign must be made up of those, and at times it's very frustrating, as it's exactly the same mission you did about 15 minutes ago. I just hate games that force you to do things you wouldn't otherwise do, it takes away any sense of fun. The mission Nazi's at Ubisoft have also taken away the fun of viewpoints. Anyone who remembers them from the original few games will remember how it used to be a great challenge to scale the tallest towers, but now it's usually just a case of climbing up a random pole. And with multiplayer being the same old average, and at times very tedious killfest, I can't help but feel Ubisoft are trying to squeeze the life out of this old man of a franchise. Where are my classics gone? Where is my Ezio Auditore? He was a proper protagonist. You couldn't tell whether he was going to stab the person or fuck them up the ass, but now we have to contend with somebody who can't decide whether they're a pirate or not. Black Flag's just fine, but I can't help but feel it could be better. Maybe if Ubisoft weren't just trying to make money and actually put more hard work into it, then maybe I wouldn't be moaning about it right now.
Rant over, but in all seriousness Black Flag is one of the better Assassin's Creed games, and the first one I would consider recommending for a long time. It may not have been a revelation (because that was the last of the Ezio trilogy), but there are some new features that at least show the series is developing in the right direction, although they will try and milk the classic elements for all their worth first. But what I really enjoy about this game is that feeling that there's always more to discover. Yes, sometimes it does feel like a slog, but you will end up enjoying it I promise, even it that takes quite a while. But trust me, your patience will be rewarded.
Final Score: 84/100 ****
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