Assassin's Creed Black Flag: Resynced Review - The Pirate's Life is Still an Appealing One
Thanks to Ubisoft Australia, Player2 was fortunate enough to obtain a few codes for Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the remake of what is perhaps the most beloved franchise entry, the console-generation-straddling 2013 title, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. We set a couple of intrepid assassins (only in-game, don’t worry), editors Matt Hewson and Paul James, out on the high seas to explore how the seas have changed 13 years on. Join them for this co-op review of the experience.
Paul: So Matt, you and I have each put a few dozen hours into Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced and have already sunk many more into the 2013 original. Let’s provide some insight into our backgrounds with the game. I waited a month after the game’s initial release because I had it preordered on PS4, and the console was to be out a month post-launch. In a launch lineup of bangers like Killzone: Shadow Fall, Resogun, and… Knack, Black Flag was the first game I pounced on. I was stunned by how beautiful the game looked, and relished every moment while we were still in the height of Assassin’s Creed fever. I punched many dozens of hours into the game and returned for Freedom Cry as well. I had incredibly fond memories of the game, and so I was incredibly excited to check out this remake. What about you? How deep did you dive into Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag?
Matt: I was also a PS4 launch guy. For me, it was easily the best game at the system’s launch, and it really gave me a chance to test the new hardware sitting under my TV. I played, finished and played again in a 6-month or so period and loved every minute of it. At the time, it was the best experience Assassin’s Creed had ever offered, and it was easily the best Pirate experience I had ever played (but shoutout to Sid Meier’s Pirates!). That said, Assassin’s Creed has changed and evolved a lot over the years, moving in a more RPG direction; the question is: would this older-style Creed still hit with players? After all, Mirage, while pretty solid, didn’t really set the world on fire. Ubisoft seem to have recognised that and has made a lot of changes, many of which aren’t immediately obvious, and for mine, almost all of them are bang on.
Paul: Yeah, I’m really happy with the direction that this remake has gone in. From small things like stripping side objectives from each mission, the game adapting to you being spotted when stealthing up on a target rather than instantly failing you, parries being added, and more, you can see 90% of the original Black Flag here, but the 10% really transforms the playing experience into something far better suited to 2026. The game still adheres to the traditional action nature of earlier games, rather than pulling in all of the RPG systems of more recent entries too, which left me feeling re-engaged with the IP as I’ve drifted away a bit post-Valhalla.
Matt, how did you find the various changes, and was there anything that really struck you?
Matt: The new key crew member missions were a highlight for me. They felt a bit like something you would find in Mass Effect or Dragon Age, and they really let you dive into the backstories of these important parts of your crew. I especially enjoyed The Padre’s story as he goes from Pirate to Priest and back again. It was a very cool journey to take and absolutely adds to the game as a whole. The other addition I enjoyed was the new loot system. In the original game, you pretty much just went with the best weapons on offer, whereas here, each weapon has its own advantages and disadvantages. Want a sword with serious damage output? Well, that means you only get two quick takedowns, but if you went with a lighter, less damaging blade, you could get up to four. It is a nice give-and-take that really adds some customisation to how you want to play. What about you, which new areas, missions or mechanics stood out?
Paul: Yeah, the Officers, from their missions that you outlined to the opportunities that they unlock once they’re a part of your crew, were a real highlight for me, and you’re right, they do have a bit of a peak-Bioware kind of feel about them. Going off track and doing Templar hunts or Assassin’s Contracts are always a highlight as well.
The thing I loved about Black Flag in hindsight, and this remake consolidates that feeling further, is that the world had just the right amount of stuff to do in it. There’s still a tonne out there to explore, but if you decide to commit an hour to climbing up and sychronising at every location, finding all hidden chests and treasures, and partaking in a couple contracts, you’ll likely achieve all that you wanted to, and come away feeling pretty damn good about the use of the time, because much of what you earned can then be spent on improving your base of operations, or the Jackdaw.
Speaking of which, how was it to be back on the high seas once again?
Matt: Man, that ship combat is better than ever. It seems that there have been a few tricks learned from Skull and Bones along the way, and as a result, the high seas are an even more entertaining place to be. The new special abilities like the high-speed ram really add to the flow of the combat, and going toe-to-toe with some of the high-level treasure ships remains a joy. But the thing I think I liked most, which was true all those years ago, is assaulting Forts. It becomes a real scramble between taking down Fort weapon emplacements and dodging the inevitable reinforcements that arrive shortly after you begin your assault. It is a true blast that I don’t think any other game has replicated in the years since.
I guess we should talk about how things look, considering it is a remake. It is undoubtedly a stunning game, but not without some rough edges, don’t you think?
Paul: So I had that moment that we’ve all had with a remake where I looked at Black Flag and thought “Oh yeah, that’s how I remember it”, and then I went and looked at the 2013 game and boy was I wrong. Black Flag Resynced looks fantastic; the lighting is great, and it really helps those Caribbean colours to pop, but as you say, it’s not without some faults as well. I spent some time playing the game on my PS5 Pro and a standard PS5, and ships in the distance stutter across the screen in ugly ways; there are some invisible walls that get in the way from time to time, and other quirks that break the immersion from time to time. As for the sounds of the seas, the voicework is great, the clashes of steel and the explosions from ships are striking, and the low hum of activity is always nice; and I won’t be forgetting those shanties either. It was great to listen to them again.
Matt, what did you observe in this respect?
Matt: Yeah, I had a heap of graphical glitches on both the Pro and the standard PS5. They usually revolved around flapping flags or belts and capes. You know the type: the wavy physics of the cloth go bonkers and look horrible. Nothing like the infamous AC Unity, but they’re all the same. I suspect that these will be smoothed out in the launch patch or soon thereafter in any case. There are also some remnants of the old game there that make things a little awkward. Things like small tables and chairs being unmovable, and therefore they get in your way when running around the towns and villages. You don’t realise how important destructible or movable furniture in a game like this until someone takes it away from you.
Otherwise, this is a stunning game. Underwater is especially gorgeous. I spent a lot of time in the photo mode, trying to get the best shot I could that highlighted the corals and sealife. I think it is also worth mentioning the removal of the “modern” sections of the game. While personally I don’t think it is too much of a loss, it is still a loss, and I think perhaps the only real misstep made here. That said, I also know that many don’t care for the modern Creed story, so player data probably told Ubisoft it wasn’t worth the effort. What do you think, Paul?
Paul: It’s a tricky line for them to walk now. Because there wasn’t anything super substantial formed after the completion of the Desmond story, it’s hard, even with a remake of the game that came out next, to suddenly kick off a new arc of some sort. The weird nothingness of what was in the original Black Flag wasn’t something I missed in this rendition personally.
As we bring this one home, I must say that I loved the way that Ubisoft have paid respect to the original game, whilst also modernised it in ways that help the game to thrive in the modern context. There are a lot of Assassin’s Creed games of a similar (or earlier) vintage that would benefit from remakes such as this, and I do hope that Ubisoft considers bringing a Black Flag Resynced approach to these games. It would work exceptionally well. Thoughts?
Matt: I am not sure I would want too many of the older games redone, but I do like the approach where they mix in the RPG-style AC titles with the older-style games. It worked as the one-two pairing of Valhalla and Mirage, and now with Shadows and Black Flag. It helps to keep things fresh without taking the series off in weird directions. As for Black Flag itself, it keeps exactly what made the original so beloved and then throws a whole host of improvements on top. It is pretty hard to ask for more than that with a remake. Both old fans and newcomers alike should really dive into what is possibly the premier Pirate fantasy out there.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced was reviewed on the PS5 and PS5 Pro with code kindly supplied by Ubisoft.
