Pirates? Did you say Pirates? Assassins?! Say no more! You’re thrown into the Caribbean at the start of the golden age of pirates. You play as Edward Kenway. Privateer turned pirate. Prepare to meet Black Beard, Red Rakcham, Captain Kidd and the like, as you travel the Caribbean and conquer the seas.
This game was one of the most anticipated of this year. After the disappointment that was Assassins Creed 3 there were huge hopes for this game, needless to say Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag delivered, and then some. Visually stunning, amazing characters, beautiful game play, it’s a gamer’s delight.
Edward Kenway is on a quest to gain riches and glory. After having stolen gear from an Assassin traitor and getting your hands on his ship, the Jackdaw, stolen of course, you sail the oceans, capturing ships and killing your enemies. Crafting has made a return to the game. However, crafting here is more useful than the old games. You hunt animals for their skin, you can go harpooning for sharks and whales to get their skins as well. Each of these skins can then be used to make upgrades to your armour or weapons. Crafting also helps to upgrade the Jackdaw, from armour upgrades, increasing the number of cannons aboard the ship, to getting mortars to fire long range. Almost everything is upgradable. And with connectivity to the Internet you can get upgrades that are only available through those means. Kenway’s arsenal has improved — you get dual swords now — which make for fun combat; a blowpipe — which allows you to shoot sleeping poison or beserker poison — those being the major changes, even his combat style is fresh, jumping off walls onto enemies. It’s more acrobatic, swinging from ropes to land on ships you board. It has heaps of action. Free running doesn’t take much precedence in this game, however, which is more than made up for by sailing the seas.
Naval combat is the piece de résistance of this game. Along with access to forward cannons, broadside cannons and swivel guns for precision firing, there are fire barrels which act like mines and firing mortars. The Jackdaw is where you will be 70 per cent of the game, upgrade it as soon as possible. Upgrade it with a diving bell to go exploring underwater for treasures and blueprints to further upgrade your ship. Attack and captures forts to further consolidate your Pirate Empire, attack other ships steal their cargo and add those ships to your fleet, which can be used for side missions. Multiplayer has made its way back into the fold. With several modes to take part in, join friends and play against them. It is oodles of fun and through the single player campaign you gain customisation options that can be used for multiplayer characters, their strengths and weaknesses, Using the ‘Game Lab’ you can create your own maps, in addition to the ones that already come with the game.
Love Pirates? We got em. Love Assassins? Them too. Want to rule the Caribbean? Not an issue. Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is a masterpiece in the franchise, pick it up ASAP.