SPLICED GAMING /
REVIEW / ASSASSIN’S CREED IV: BLACK FLAG
by Miklós Szecsei
ISSUE 02
PLATFORMS
PC / PS3 / PS4
Wii U / Xbox 360 / Xbox One
GENRE
Action Adventure
MULTIPLAYER
8 Players
DEVELOPER
Ubisoft Montreal
PUBLISHER
Ubisoft
AGE RATING
18
WEBSITE www.assassinscreed.ubi.com
Assassin’s Creed IV:
Black Flag
The series evolution we expected last time is finally here
T
Even the characterisation of protagonist Edward
Kenway seems to echo a growing ambivalence
towards the series’ main plots: he’s a pirate and as
such isn’t one to become bogged down by greater
causes that don’t involve plunder and rum. His
brash, heedless character is a welcomed tonal
shift from previous protagonists. Additionally,
Ubisoft Montreal’s decision to have the modern
day portions play out in first-person with “you” as
the main character in an Abstergo (read Templar)
Entertainment research department is very
clever. That also allows them to treat the modern
day portions with a bit of social commentary
on the gaming industry. As is to be expected,
the modern day portions of Black Flag become
suitably bonkers towards the end, but there’s
almost a self-aware tone this time around and
there’s definitely a preoccupation with conveying
the story of Edward and his fellow pirates. To that
end, the game benefits hugely.
From the moment the game
If you have an Android or iOS tablet, be sure to pick up was unveiled in March this
a copy of the free Black Flag Companion App. It’ll give year, all the way to the days
you a second screen that provides a ton of connected leading up to its release, Ubisoft
features and displays the world map (in real-time) made a big deal about the open
while playing. Internet connection required. world of Black Flag. While
there’s no denying that it is the
most open gaming world in an
Assassin’s Creed to date, it isn’t as open as, say,
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. You’re still going to
encounter loading screens especially as you sail
his time last year I was crying
very (very) manly tears brought
on by the bitter disappointment
of Assassin’s Creed III. As
such, I was somewhat reticent
when it came to expressing any sort of interest in
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Secretly, however,
I was hoping the game would restore my faith in
Ubisoft’s seminal franchise.
It has most certainly done just that.
Much of the narrative baggage from the
previous five Assassin’s Creed games has been
excised, which results in a gaming experience free
from the constraints of having to drive forward a
bloated, over-arching plot. The basic Assassin’s
Creed tropes are still there however: there are
Templars and there are Assassins, and both sides
continue this secret, global power struggle. It’s
all very dogmatic and, I would argue, is becoming
less and less important as the series continues.
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