Aizio's Verdict: Assassin's Creed 4 Blackflag

Assassin's Creed 4:Blackflag

Platform: PS3

Using the spyglass, Captain Edward spotted a nearby frigate roaming escorted by two gunboats. The frigate carries vast cargo and supplies needed for The Jackdaw and the crew. Edward’s cargos are running dry. He must do something. He turns to his Quartermaster asking for advice, “What’s your take, Ade?” Adewale, once a slave, putting a cheeky smile on his face “I say aye!” Depleted in resources, this is Edward chance to collect as much resources as he can. The storm is coming. This will be a bumpy ride. If you thought being an assassin is exciting, how about becoming both pirate and assassin? How can you deny the vast riches and resources of the open Carribean seas? Once you there, it stars to reels you in. Welcome to the world of Assassin’s Creed 4: Blackflag.

Using the spyglass to find treasure is a unique feature in AC4

In fact, it does not stop there. The feeling of becoming a true pirate is being delivered really well by the developer. The eagerness, greed, selfish and all that related attributes of a pirate are what makes you keep coming back for Blackflag. For being the annual franchise with the likes of *cough*cough* Call of Duty*cough*, many are doubtful of Blackflag’s ability to produce better experience and exciting game. Can the Blackflag silence the critics and restore the glory of its predecessors?

Assassin’s Creed 4 Blackflag takes you to explore the vast open-world of Caribbean seas with so many undiscovered locations and a lot of ship to plunder. You play as Edward Kenway, father of Haytham and grandfather of Connor (from AC3), in search of wealth and dream of returning to England a more respectable man. Upon seeking for adventure, Edward’s fate intertwined with the Templars and Assassins who are in search of the so called Observatory. What makes the Blackflag different from its predecessors is its unique world and stunningly beautiful visuals that look authentic even in the current gen consoles. Its side missions feel rewarding and encourage players to come back again and again. Every resource you collect or plundered gave you rewards to upgrade your precious Jackdaw, weapons and tools. Crafting and economic system are majorly improved from the previous game. The fighting feels more smooth and flexible although it does not respond sometimes. The side missions are a lot. Believe me! You will be very busy doing all these chores, totally forgotten about the main story. The lists are a lot and the most exciting for me are capturing the fort and fighting legendary battle ship.

You'll play Edward Kenway as the main protagonist. You'll will be accompany by these guys. Arrr! 

The multiplayer component is a great addition to the franchise. What I like about this feature is that it guides you by giving tutorials on how to play the multiplayer and there’s also a wolfpack which seems to me you need to have a group of friends in order to play this feature which is unfortunate to me. At least is enjoyable and fun to play although with some random people. However with the entire remarkable thing being said about Blackflag, there are the things that the developer seems to neglect. The main story, if you ever played previous instalment of Assassin’s Creed, can be divided into two parts, past and present. Both main story are somewhat lacking of inspiration and feel dull sometimes. The narrative tries to become more emotional and try to capture the audience but it seems confused with unorganized plot and the characters are less memorable. In fact, the only character that I feel strongly attached to are Edward Thatch and James Kidd. It seems to lost its assassin’s root by telling more about the pirate tale rather than assassin’s creed. It should be a balance between those two.

The multiplayer this time contain a new Wolfpack feature which allow you to play main mission with you friends

Overall Assassin’s Creed 4: Blackflag is a great experience to explore and enjoy. Whether you play it on current gen and next gen, Black Flag presents a world full of adventure and opportunity, where treasures scavenged in a remote jungle can be used to turn the tide in a massive naval battle against mighty Spanish warships. It's a game where you can sail the seas for hours at a time, either hunting great white sharks or simply listening to your crew sing one infectious sea shanty after the next. There's an incredible scope to what you can do in Black Flag, with a level of harmony between its component parts that encourages you to try it all, and a story that keeps you invested throughout the whole thing.

The verdict

9/10

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