Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag , Splice the Mainbrace and Ahoy me Hearties

What could better in the cold dark of winter than to set off for the Caribbean ? , I can't afford to go for real so decided to check out Assassin's Creed Black Flag instead ... far cheaper.

I've played AC 2 and Brotherhood and while I found them to be fun to a point they didn't really grab me so I had limited expectations for Black Flag , those expectations have been far exceeded by what I've discovered , this game is great.

I'm playing on PC and the graphics are superb , the island settings , weather effects and sea battles are stunning and the feeling you get standing on a small island looking back on your ship parked just off it is fantastic , blue sky and crystal clear sea all around I can almost feel the warmth , the sound of distant cannons rumbling from a nearby sea battle just adds to the atmosphere , should I go and join in or just wait for one of the ships to get wrecked and then go and plunder it for goodies .... decisions decisions.
The story is good and missions are fun but your ship is where it's at , after the first section of the game the choice is yours whether you follow the path laid out for you or go and just be a pirate , the world is open and ready for you to plunder.


If you're looking for something interesting and fun to play until the sun returns I recommend Black Flag , no hesitation.

a reply to: gortex

This was the first AC I played start to finish and was not disappointed at all.

Great game for sure

a reply to: gortex

Meh.

I wish they'd put out a different game already. Like..6 in a row of these, all the same. I must admit the textures in BF are excellent, and very smooth, but the gameplay gets repetitive IMO.

I'd suggest Shadow of Mordor for a similar, but IMO, far deeper experience.

~Tenth

Like sremmos, this was the first one in the series that I played start to finish the first time through. I've eventually gone back around and played through all the others but this was the one I enjoyed the most, by far. Still have it, still pop it in to play still, even after buying it shortly after it came out. Good pick

a reply to: tothetenthpower

I have Shadow of Mordor and to be honest quickly got bored with it , it's like AC in itself but the location is limited and a bit bland , the core gameplay is pretty much rinse and repeat , I found it boiled down to kill a hoard of Orks , kill the captain then do it again.
The Nemesis system is interesting but not enough to hold my attention , I may go back to it but for now the open sea holds a lot more interest.

a reply to: gortex

2nd half of the games opens up a TON more options, like controlling the captains and such.

I really enjoyed it, put in about 80 hours to complete all the challenges and what not.

I'm waiting for the Witcher, that's the next thing I'm excited about. Well, that and Final Fantasy releases..

~Tenth

a reply to: gortex

Black Flag was maybe the best AC so far,I have followed the series from the first game.

The attention to detail on the isands was amazing,the ship fights perfected,awesome environments,top class story,cracking mayan glyph prize,without even mentioning the underwater missions and whale/shark hunting.

Great drunken pirate songs at the bars as well.


A top game-next AC is French revolution era I think.
Would have preferred the conquistadors VS Monteczuma era myself,but oh well they go forward in time it seems,for the story.

Ac 3 is pretty good I'm playing it now never been a ac fan but 3 and black flag looked good so this'll be A pick up for me..

originally posted by: tothetenthpower
a reply to: gortex

Meh.

I wish they'd put out a different game already. Like..6 in a row of these, all the same. I must admit the textures in BF are excellent, and very smooth, but the gameplay gets repetitive IMO.

I'd suggest Shadow of Mordor for a similar, but IMO, far deeper experience.

~Tenth

Not to go completely off topic. But AC did it's job well. But there's a new game on the horizon!

JUST CAUSE 3
Hope it makes the cut.

i.ytimg.com...


Due out December 30th 2015. I love when a franchise is made better. AC seemed great at first. But how many are there now? I only got 2 with DLC.
And folks at the gamestop insist I not waste my money.
It's been awhile since I got a game worth 69.99 and tons of fun.

Played the first one back in the days when it just got released on xbox 360. was very impressed with the storyline , and how they used conspiracy related stuff at the ending to drive you crazy for what to come.

The second i borrowed from a friend for Ps3 , i remember that i liked it , but i never completed it because in order to get to Rome i had to open all these boxes and i didnt feel like i wanted to do that at the time , probably into other games

Brotherhood and Revelations i never played.

AC3 i did play , i did not finish the storyline but i thought it was really good , very nice setting.

AC Black Flag i bought and i gotta say i did like it , i actually enjoyed doing the ship battles and the fact that i can just sail somewhere , drop my anker and go take a look on the beach to investigate.

Probably the AC game i put the most time in.

Black Flag is soo damn fun. Great pirate framework...but

Its too easy. the ground combat you are immortal without need for stealth or anything, and your ship rapidly becomes OP...not enough customization, etc.

I do hope though that devs took note of the great fun the pirate dynamics were and inevitably make a fully fleshed out proper pirate game..

But yeah, definitely worth a buy as it is...for an AC game

a reply to: gortex

Have to agree Black Flag is a great game! So much so i think i may go install it again and give it a play through.

I'm really surprised they did not incorporate the ship aspect into Assassins Creed Unity.

Have you played Assassins Creed Freedom Cry?

a reply to: andy06shake

Have you played Assassins Creed Freedom Cry?

Not yet , I have it with this copy but I'm ploughing through the main game first , will probably dip in at some point to check it out.

In the last 5 years, I'd say my most memorable are from Black Flag. Fighting, meh. The game really, very Meh. Mind you it's probably my age and annoyance and consoles holding back advancements that things are in a ten year status of Meh.

BUT, once I'd broke out into the open water. Wow. The ship crested the waves. Liquid waves. No longer graphics, an ocean. When the sunlight hit the waves from behind at the right angle, you are rewarding with turqoise green sparkling like jewels. The layers and the tech behind making that ocean are stunning. I don't think enough people appreaciated the programming and art that went into making it. As I said, the game, meh. But I could just sail around for hours admiring what they achieved.

Such a shame the story was lame, repetitive and lacked depth. If the graphical prowess of the ocean was used on the characters it could have been so much grander. But it was a highlight in gaming for me just for that ocean.


(Although Brother a Tale of Two Sons was a much more focused and engaging experience for me, and was also beautiful and brought me to tears, put that emotion and focus in an AC4 black flag-esq game and it could be amazing. Perhaps building a raft to escape an island, but perhaps having to use your fathers grave marker? Or tearing up a quilt made by your mother to bind it together? Then drifting off on that ocean, with little control perhaps just at free will of the weather engine? Perhaps washing up on a few smaller islands to pick up gear on the way? Or facing a slowing sinking raft? Shark attacks? Tormented by a 'fight club' like character in your head? So many ideas could be explored rather than the cookie cutter, go here and fight these people, pick up item. Ughhh, I'm over that these days.)

a reply to: Qumulys

If we could take the series Black Sails and somehow incorporate the storyline into the Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag game engine, now there would be a game eh?

a reply to: andy06shake

Had to google Black Sails (kind of have limited gaming interest these days being almost 40) and saw that it was a "Free to Play via Kongregate" and thats where I stopped! It could be something great (naval battles is what I get the drift of) but I'm kind of over the pew pew side of gaming. A little is ok, but I think I'm more after an engaging storey with stronger acting. Kind of waiting for gaming to catch up with whats happened in tv over the last few years with shows like Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones actually giving a gripping storey. Or True Detective, movie actors that have you grabbed by the eyes and instead of ten camera angle changes every five seconds, they used long single camera angle takes. Where the actor can actually act.

Also eyes, I can't wait until games can do believable eyes. Anyways, I'm sure the Black Flag engine could be mixed with quite a few good games, heck even a Monkey Island with the AC4 engine would be a hoot!

Good game,but kind of repetitive.I love the ship battles,but the legendary ones are a pain...
Edit,@Qumulys,Star for Monkey Island mention..love that game series..

Same story, started playing a couple weeks ago and Im now just sailing and discovering,
will get back to the actual game at some point. Love the game, beautiful at times.

a reply to: tothetenthpower

Plus one for Shadow of Mordor, fantastic game!

I have played every AC game that's been out, AC 2 being my favorite, but I did enjoy Black flag a lot, sailed forever trying to encounter and spear the white whale

a reply to: gortex

I'm in deep wandering around the ocean Plundering and finding Treasure..LOVE this game!