Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1141 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 894 out of 1141
  2. Mixed: 145 out of 1141
  3. Negative: 102 out of 1141
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  1. TCJT11-10-1996
    Nov 8, 2013
    10
    THAT IS AN AWESOME GAME MAN! IT`S SOOOO COOOOL!!!!!!! I love ASSASSINS!!! NICE GAMEPLAY, GRAPHICS, AND VISUALS! THIS GAME IS VERY NICE!!! OXD OXD OXD OXD
  2. aaronspada
    Nov 15, 2013
    3
    The graphics are great, the game play is just awful. I didn't like ac 3 and I was wishing for a better game here and it just didn't deliver a great game. this will honestly be the last ac i will ever buy.
  3. The_Crusader
    Nov 17, 2013
    8
    In AC4, you follow the life of a privateer turned pirate turned assassin, Edward Kenway. This game, however, mostly ignores the conflict between Assassins and Templars.
  4. dj51234
    Nov 1, 2013
    3
    I feel like this is a DLC extension of Assassin's Creed 3. And like the other user said, it is the same missions from past games. Follow a guy, trail some guy, kill another guy. SAME missions, different setting. The ship stuff was a good idea but it is boring to me.
  5. austenite
    Dec 15, 2013
    2
    This game is bland. The combat is the same boring system used in previous AC games. You simply wait for the O to appear above your head then press it, then do it, then Square then do it over again 1000 times.(twirls finger in the air).

    The ship combat had the potential to be interesting. If they had included actual sailing mechanics (adjusting the sail angle depending on wind) it would    This game is bland. The combat is the same boring system used in previous AC games. You simply wait for the O to appear above your head then press it, then do it, then Square then do it over again 1000 times.(twirls finger in the air).

    The ship combat had the potential to be interesting. If they had included actual sailing mechanics (adjusting the sail angle depending on wind) it would have been. Instead it controls like driving a really big car about 5 mph in a giant parking lot. Not terribly exciting.

    The parkour bits are the same as previous games. You hold down a button and do all sorts of fancy free running stuff. No effort needed on the part of the player.

    The dialog and story are, at best, boring.    … Expand
  6. jafc34
    Nov 7, 2013
    9
    Assassin’s Creed Black Flag is a solid step up from the previous games, while it retains the core stealth assassination aspects of the game the story line has been re grafted around the life and times of a pirate captain which provides a more balanced and accessible gaming experience which would give it a wider appeal to more gamers. You can choose which aspect to focus on and advance theAssassin’s Creed Black Flag is a solid step up from the previous games, while it retains the core stealth assassination aspects of the game the story line has been re grafted around the life and times of a pirate captain which provides a more balanced and accessible gaming experience which would give it a wider appeal to more gamers. You can choose which aspect to focus on and advance the story as you please with plenty of side missions and exploration to ignore or investigate along the way.

    The story line is not a heavy presence in the game, that may please some but not all, the real world non historical persona of the character is nearly minimal and far less obtrusive than before.

    The game play mechanic is essentially the same with the addition of the new ability to pilot a ship and engaged in ship to ship warfare which is well done. The graphics are of high quality with the exception of the game world edge zones which are just annoying and the Hud which can get a little cluttered if there is a lot going on. The upgrade system is good, but some items do require additional real world purchases to obtain which is disappointing.

    An excellent AS game, it is well rounded, engaging and much better than the previous two games. An excellent point for those who have not played the series before to enter and enjoy. Wait until the price is not ridiculous and then put this one on your shelf, you will not be sorry.    … Expand
  7. McSkittle
    Nov 3, 2013
    6
    On the positive this game looks the best on the Wii U. My overall problem is there is no online and the game needs it because this still looks like assassins Creed 3 with pirate DLC.
  8. MitchellKiss
    Nov 6, 2013
    10
    Fantastic game! Best in the series since the glorious Assassin's Creed 2 and fixes almost all of the issues of the divisive Assassin's Creed 3. Black Flag delivers a beautiful open world experience which is as good as other open world games we have seen this gen, like Red Dead Redemption and Far Cry 3!
  9. akshajb07
    Nov 7, 2013
    10
    superb game! great mix of assasins creed 2 and brotherhood plus the pirates theme and gemeplay is amazing! it's a must buy for all real gamers. A great game no matter what the critics say it is a great game
  10. woop952
    Nov 6, 2013
    9
    Wow Samax22 I hope you're not expecting anyone to take your review seriously, jaysus. First off, this game is great, absolutely beautiful, there is a lot of stuff to do.Very addicting, I played over 30 hours in my first session. It will take you about 60 hours or more to do the main story, explore every location, and to do most of the side quest. Characters are pretty good as well,Wow Samax22 I hope you're not expecting anyone to take your review seriously, jaysus. First off, this game is great, absolutely beautiful, there is a lot of stuff to do.Very addicting, I played over 30 hours in my first session. It will take you about 60 hours or more to do the main story, explore every location, and to do most of the side quest. Characters are pretty good as well, Blackbeard and James Kidd are among the standouts. I liked the story except for the ending. Gameplay is good, same as AC3. There are a few things I didn't like, you will spend a lot of time following people around while trying to avoid guards and it can get annoying. And there in not that many missions in each sequence. But overall it's a great game, 9/10 for me.… Expand
  11. Hellion
    Dec 21, 2013
    0
    One of the most overrated franchises ever created. Predictable plot, mediocre combat, and worst of all..tons of cliches. Don't understand the hype or the interest.
  12. seantimothy
    Nov 5, 2013
    10
    The game is blowing my mind. They've combined all the best elements of all the games before, including Brotherhood, and packed it into what is undeniably the best action adventure game out on the PS3 right now. But don't take my word for it, at least rent it. But I'm thinking the replay value is worth the buy.
  13. DittoDude
    Feb 14, 2014
    0
    Awful awful awful game. Wolfpack Discovery mode M4: No Time For Rest is impossible, 100% sync is impossible, and too much sailing. By far, the worst game in the series
  14. Gamer44
    Nov 4, 2013
    10
    Assassins Creed IV is a phenomenal gaming experience this is truly the best assassins creed to date. The graphics is gorgeous the controls are smooth and the game is extremely fun and quickly becomes addictive. Ubisoft once again delivered a phenomenal game.

    Being a true die hard fan of the assassins creed games I was not let down one bit by this game it is a flawless gaming experience    Assassins Creed IV is a phenomenal gaming experience this is truly the best assassins creed to date. The graphics is gorgeous the controls are smooth and the game is extremely fun and quickly becomes addictive. Ubisoft once again delivered a phenomenal game.

    Being a true die hard fan of the assassins creed games I was not let down one bit by this game it is a flawless gaming experience and one I will enjoy for many more hours and years to come.

    If you played all the assassins creed games then I highly recommend this for you because simply you won't be disappointed a bit. Each assassins creed game was phenomenal but the fourth installment is by far the most superior one of them all.

    Thank you Ubisoft for delivering and making such an amazing game and I look forward to the future ahead wit Ubisoft    … Expand
  15. Joss
    Nov 3, 2013
    8
    Very interesting open world with excellent Naval navigation and boat fight. A lot of frustration from ACIII disapear with smart upgrades like economic system, hunting, and it's bug free On the ground, Parkour and jumping aren't precise enough for me, and AI is so dumb. But sword fight and assassinate is always the force of the game (more and more brutal). The Story is good withVery interesting open world with excellent Naval navigation and boat fight. A lot of frustration from ACIII disapear with smart upgrades like economic system, hunting, and it's bug free On the ground, Parkour and jumping aren't precise enough for me, and AI is so dumb. But sword fight and assassinate is always the force of the game (more and more brutal). The Story is good with charismatic pirates, and a good evolution. but like in every open world, it's sometime difficult to maintain the rythm. Seemless transitions between cinematic and gameplay are on the good way. To be honest, it's a good opus (more pirate than assassin and you could appreciate the multiplayer upgrade too.… Expand
  16. vixvicco
    Aug 13, 2014
    7
    This is a good game but I don't like the grinding aspect of it. Not something I expect from an assassin's creed title. I have played all the other games (that are available on console), and I have found them improving the games with each installment, but this was too different for me. If I had looked at more reviews I would have had fair warning about how much time is actually spent onThis is a good game but I don't like the grinding aspect of it. Not something I expect from an assassin's creed title. I have played all the other games (that are available on console), and I have found them improving the games with each installment, but this was too different for me. If I had looked at more reviews I would have had fair warning about how much time is actually spent on ships rather than on land. It doesn't feel like a real assassin game, more about ship battles and full combat battles, lot less stealth and lot less about assassin's, more about pirates, treasure and ships. The much complained about AC 3 was much better.… Expand
  17. Johng4
    Jan 9, 2014
    7
    First off this shouldnt have been called assassins creed 4 because it does not feel like a sequal to ac 3. It does not move the plot along what so ever seriously. I see it as some people like the ships in 3 they were going to make a new ac the next year anyway so they figured wtf they like ships lets give em ships. This is a pirate game with ac gameplay. Asside from that the story is notFirst off this shouldnt have been called assassins creed 4 because it does not feel like a sequal to ac 3. It does not move the plot along what so ever seriously. I see it as some people like the ships in 3 they were going to make a new ac the next year anyway so they figured wtf they like ships lets give em ships. This is a pirate game with ac gameplay. Asside from that the story is not very good tbh, its about connors grandfather . He is a man aspiring to be a very weathly pirate. Thats all he wants is money and fame and hell do whatever it takes to acheive that. He helps both the templars and assassins in this game for his own personal wants. He is not an aassassin, he is a pirate. A **** pirate. Really it all comes down to if you like pirates. If you do then get this game. If you wanted a true sequal to ac 3 in terms of story you **** out of luck they dont adress the the **** that happened at the end of 3 at all. Im bein dead serious. They turned the modern day segments into bull**** people complained before about the desmond segments sucking. HAHA at least they had a purpose the modern day segments in this game have no purpose what so ever. You are an employee at absturgo entertainment goin into the animus to collect research to create a game about pirates. I mean the real issues with the game are its plot. The good gameplay is all still here but that doesnt mean much when you dont give a **** about what your doing or why. Also i didnt like the ships in 3 so playin this game is a chore at times, becuase once you get into the game where it really opens up the ships take center stage you will be sailing for most of the time in this game and to some thats not a bad thing, but i bought this cuz i like assassins creed not **** pirates. There are some minor improvments like there are actually things worth buying in this game. You get different weapons sort of there really jus new sword skins cuz they all do the same **** Im dissapointed in this game and if your getting this game hoping for a sequal to 3 im sorry but dont get this at full price. Its not a sequel to 3 at all its more of an offshoot like brotherhood but hell tht game was like a full on sequel it moved the plot along as well as the gameplay this game does neither youve done all of this before and probabbly had more fun doing it then cuz u jus dont care about the story in this game so what is the motivation to play it. The tedious side quests? The mediocore story ? The combat you have seen many times before in better installments? Point is if your an ac fan dont pay sixty bucks. If you just want a pirate game, go ahead your probablly not gonna regret your purchase.… Expand
  18. SJ555
    Nov 26, 2013
    9
    Pros-
    *Vast and Beautiful World
    *Distinctive cities and locations to see
    *Edward is Epic
    *Vastly improved naval gameplay
    *Stylish story and character
    *Surprisingly good side-mission

    Cons-
    *Bugs
    *Repetition in story mission
    *Kinda lost that Assassins Creed Edge

    Overall a way much better than AC3 an absolute amazing game
  19. RobyMarian2800
    Nov 3, 2013
    10
    Guys, the AC series is one of the best video games ever made. Yeah AC4 brings some things from AC2 like exploration but the are a lot of things that are better in AC4: 1.the Jackdaw is like the AC3 manor. In AC3 you needed to upgrade it in order to unlock some upgrades to the weapons. The Jackdaw is more resistent if you upgrade it.
    2. There are new weapons in the game like the dual    Guys, the AC series is one of the best video games ever made. Yeah AC4 brings some things from AC2 like exploration but the are a lot of things that are better in AC4: 1.the Jackdaw is like the AC3 manor. In AC3 you needed to upgrade it in order to unlock some upgrades to the weapons. The Jackdaw is more resistent if you upgrade it.
    2. There are new weapons in the game like the dual swords, the blow pipe, berzerk pipe, and the best of them all the 4 pistols that have free aiming.
    3. the treasures are all over the world
    4.you can hunt sharks.
    So before leaving a negative review to this game, please PLAY IT!    … Expand
  20. moviefan2
    Nov 6, 2013
    10
    i was not in the mood to write a review, but i thought this one deserves some props. when i first started playing, i was thinking brotherhood, which i did like. as i continued to play it just kept getting better. there is so much to do. the side missions and challenges were rewarding and challenging. the choice to do inland or sea missions was great because sometimes your mood wantsi was not in the mood to write a review, but i thought this one deserves some props. when i first started playing, i was thinking brotherhood, which i did like. as i continued to play it just kept getting better. there is so much to do. the side missions and challenges were rewarding and challenging. the choice to do inland or sea missions was great because sometimes your mood wants something different. the ship action was fun. i can't imagine why some didn't like this unless they don't like ac games. this is probably my favorite ac game so far. thank you ubi for a awesome game. the only thing i didn't like about this was that you can't attack the characters that aren't part of the mission. i like being able to interact with the innocent like in brotherhood. you can run into them or not them off of the docks, but that's pretty much it. great game still, just bring back the cheap attacks on the innocent...sounds bad, but it added a little mischievousness to the game.… Expand
  21. spookey0188
    Nov 5, 2013
    10
    I'm a big fan of the ac series. ac1 was awesome, ac2 was amazing, brotherhood was pretty good, revelation was crap, ac3 was terrible, but ac4 is probably my favorite out of the whole series. although ezio is still a better character with a better story, I still loved Edward as well. just get the game!
  22. CrashJones
    Nov 6, 2013
    9
    The 1st AC I played was III. About 4 months ago. I stopped playing before opening up anything major due to weird control issues. I got II about a month and a half ago, hearing it was the best one, and wanting to get to know the story before Black Flag came out. I burned through ACII & Brotherhood. I loved them both. Revelations is a beautiful game. The tower defense game people complainThe 1st AC I played was III. About 4 months ago. I stopped playing before opening up anything major due to weird control issues. I got II about a month and a half ago, hearing it was the best one, and wanting to get to know the story before Black Flag came out. I burned through ACII & Brotherhood. I loved them both. Revelations is a beautiful game. The tower defense game people complain about can be avoided by visiting the heralds. I was going to finish Revelations before picking up black flag, but could not resist.
    Black Flag is a Pirate game first and foremost. A GREAT pirate game. Since November 1st I have hardly stopped(November 9th today...wow... 8 days, gone, just like that). I am at 52% completed and the game awesome.
    I took a break from it yesterday and put Revelations back on and enjoyed a great 1 hour session playing the older Ezio. During that session I got to compare straight up(I also collected the 3rd disc and got to play Altair, seeing what happened to his youngest son and wife.. Revelations rocks as well...making the "Ezio Trilogy" the best Assassin "game".
    BUT!!!
    If you want Pirates!?!

    AC4:Black Flag IS the game for you!    … Expand
  23. FWordFizz
    Nov 8, 2013
    7
    Did you play Assassins Creed 2? Did you like it? Did you play Assassins creed three? Were you disappointed? If you answered yes to all of these questions you are like me. I had fun with it. Check it out if you arent getting GTA 5. Its better than ghosts but if you want something new and fresh skip it.
  24. monkeydluffy
    Dec 8, 2013
    9
    this is the best ac game the best part are the fights you can have with your ship the whole pirate theme is really good the online is pretty fun but no one is better than ezio and thats why is not a ten on ten
  25. LegacyFlareGame
    Dec 26, 2013
    8
    So the assassin's creed franchise continues to amaze gamers with this game being set it the pirate time era it calls for great pirate gameplay,fun and shenanigans. You play the role of Edward Kenway farther to Haythem Kenway [Charter from AC3]. I played this on ps3 and the game looks good for how a PS3 game also on next gen game should be. It brings over the naval combat from AC3 and isSo the assassin's creed franchise continues to amaze gamers with this game being set it the pirate time era it calls for great pirate gameplay,fun and shenanigans. You play the role of Edward Kenway farther to Haythem Kenway [Charter from AC3]. I played this on ps3 and the game looks good for how a PS3 game also on next gen game should be. It brings over the naval combat from AC3 and is stella the naval combat is definitely the best bit of the game. Where the naval combat is great the hand to hand combat really sucks press square to attack and press circle to counter in coming attacks adding pistol and other weapons to the combat that have other effects. The stealth feels really lame in this game with it being used less and less from other assassin's creed games. The charters such as Edward and your pirate crew are really awesome but you never feel like a pirate your crew always loves you and nothing really fell as your a pirate. The world in this game is amazing from the giant open ocean and vass epic landscapes are great to play in felt as a massive expanded far cry 3. The Desmond story dosen't continue
    in this game [thankfully] instead you play as you and go into the animus to play as Edward and do all the epic pirate snazz. The misson types are great ranging from a wide range of activates to do and plenty of side quest, hunting and plenty more. Assassin's Creed 4 black flag is my favourite assassin's creed game ever the pirate theme is great its well packed with a great open world but it still lacks in the combat which lets the game down for they really need to fix this in the instalment of the franchise The final verdict is a 8.5 a Great game and this defiantly one not to miss this holiday season    … Expand
  26. AllThingTrivial
    Dec 31, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. AC4 is a stark detraction for the series, it takes the Assassins Vs Templars conflict that has all but defined the previous games by heavily intertwining actual historical elements with a clever and innovative if somewhat contrived narrative of greater conflict and throws it out of the window in favour of committing acts of Piracy and watching Blackbeard intimidate random people. Whilst the assassins and Templars are involved, the new protagonist Edward Kenway, is very clear in his objectives. Make money, get drunk and generally be very stereotypically pirate-y. If it didn’t draw such stark similarities to the known mantra of the AC games it could be justified as an entirely separate release.
    Unfortunately this is where the main problem lies. AC4 seems like a case of going through the motions, endlessly trudging through supposedly intertwining plots that have no relevance to each other and begin to make no sense as Kenway shows up, courtesy of the mission marker, to do something that was never alluded to beforehand and trying to follow his desperate attempts to be pirate like as most if not all consumers expect before running off for no reason to help the assassins because its an assassins creed game and they have to be there. The narrative quickly becomes lost during the two polar opposite behaviours with the only focal point being a contrived pursuit of one obscure target which almost every character tells him to forget about and quite frankly I’m with them. It seems if it wasn’t for Abstergo being so desperate to see what’s inside then there would be no reason for Kenway to even bother. That’s not to say however that the story doesn’t have it moments where occasionally all the contrived nonsense can be forgotten in the face of pure unadulterated joy or the beautiful moment where the well set out missions allow for an incredible flow of play that is endlessly satisfying.
    This turns out to be the truth of AC4, the real fun is not made by the narrative rather by the player themselves which is no bad thing. Cruising the enormous and visually stunning Caribbean aboard a ship which can be directed to any corner of the map, or indeed anywhere inside the largest map ever seen, to commit acts of piracy that are incredible fun. There are few experiences more satisfying than utilising overwhelming force with a sea-tank loaded to the brim with broadside cannons capable of obliterating the enemy leaving them dead in the water as easy pickings or antagonising a brutally powerful man o war into a delicate dance requiring timing and genuine tactics to overcome. This is followed by a sublime boarding experience which really accentuates what the game seeks to encapsulate, swinging from the rigging to assassinate from above and massacring the individuals aboard until their surrender at which point resources are gained and these feed into a well thought out trade and economy system whereby collecting resources allows the ship to be improved so more piracy gives the potential for better upgrades to facilitate targeting higher ranked ships in a perpetual motion. Similarly the sea forts are enormous fun, obliterating towers and fighting to achieve control whilst the warehouses offer a fun and different challenge using assassin skills to sneakily if possible requisition useful items although thankfully the frustrating ‘do not be detected’ sequences have been dropped in a refreshing update of the series which makes the gameplay far more accessable.
    However not all of the creases are ironed out, the game too frequently sinks the immersion to davy jones locker by shoehorning in following characters whilst they spout exposition or eavesdropping sections even if there is no point. I literally found myself following a guy through about three guarded settlements only to drop down from a tree and slash his throat in full view of about twenty other soldiers after he talked about being drunk and other such irrelevant drivel. In an age where computing is so powerful and developed such simple filler seems anachronistic particularly so when the point of its inception is not at its core logical anyway and these blemishes on AC4’s appearances are not the only ones to remain. The navigation is still a bit clunky having Edward sprint up walls, launch himself off buildings or change orientation entirely without any input to suggest that’s what he should be doing with enough frequency it becomes annoying particularly after seamlessly taking out six guards on an immensely fun attack only to throw a smoke bomb to escape their colleagues except when it clears they see you desperately clinging to a roof dangling within sword range like a deranged puppet. The combat also has its problems, the camera does not give a wide enough FOV to parry incoming attacks particularly on ships and suchlike potentially being so close the only solution is to mash counter, some enemies predict what you do before you do it to annoying effect and fighting one enemy who can only be killed by following up an initial counter becomes tiresome when he stands there like an idiot abjectly refusing to attack. Yet the combat ultimately, as is now commonplace, is not that hard and the lack of enemy variety and weapons (Edward can now only wield dual swords) means after a while a certain level of boredom begins to dominate what is arguably one of the best visual melee spectacles in any game series even despite some strange bugs both with targeting and ragdoll animations.
    The characters who are for their part well played feel fleeting cameos purely there for atmosphere and to drive the story forwards being paper thin representations of exactly what is expected of the era. Whilst they deliver appropriately with Blackbeard being a particular highlight there is no humanity, no individualism which knits the characters together and that feels very much like the mantra of the game. It is incredibly enjoyable on its surface, a commit piracy and murder people in an open world with plenty to do setup that gives you a surface on which to operate. Try to read in to it, to go deeper, to spend time to get to know it remains far from the rewarding experience it should be, I spent hours pursuing short term goals of profit for certain expenditure being rewarded quite happily by the game frequently enough to remain invested yet when I took a step back at three o clock in the morning I felt deflated realising the past twelve hours had been used up on menial tasks with no overarching purpose. The superficial very much dominates here, the game expects you to play it obediently and not to question how its numerous well made parts function together as at that instant it begins to fall apart.
    That being said these individual parts cannot be understated in terms of how much they can be enjoyed but as a whole the game feels empty. A story going nowhere much like the character. Yet despite all this there is fun to be had if all pretences of logical story or a reason to keep massacring people for next to no reason can be thrown aside and for that reason it isn’t a bad game with enough entertainment to keep you going provided you do so with independent aims in mind rather than expecting the story to rope you in by itself.    … Expand
  27. SpawnCap
    Apr 21, 2014
    10
    One of my favorite Assassin's Creed game. Lots of content, ship battles are great, really makes you feel like a bad@ss Assassin/Pirate. Best graphics so far.
  28. FranciscoM
    Nov 23, 2018
    9
    Unlike some of my friends of praise AC 1 and 2 and the best games of the series, Black Flag was actually the first time I was in contact in the series and I loved it! It doesn't really feel like an AC game, to be honest, it focuses more on the historical events than anything else but that's why I loved it! Couldn't recommend it enough!
  29. WanyaRolf
    Mar 6, 2014
    5
    Assassins Creed is, since the first, a game that takes itself too seriously. It's boring, the missions are all about a boring story that was never any good, bu they seem to think that it's Pulitzer worthy . Instead of making a fun to play game, they made another follow-that-guy-around game. Even the gameplay aspect is getting weaker, since he jump automatically, sword fights are a QTE withAssassins Creed is, since the first, a game that takes itself too seriously. It's boring, the missions are all about a boring story that was never any good, bu they seem to think that it's Pulitzer worthy . Instead of making a fun to play game, they made another follow-that-guy-around game. Even the gameplay aspect is getting weaker, since he jump automatically, sword fights are a QTE with 2 buttons. The whole game feels extremely lazy. But I guess we play AC because of its potential. It has some much potential, but with this new iteration, I guess it's pretty clear that the game is much more focused on some half baked scifi story than to amuse it's players. In the whole game, that was not one mission that was genuinely fun to play.… Expand
  30. Apollus
    Dec 20, 2013
    10
    I really wanted to give this game a 9.5, but I rounded to 10.

    Let me start off by saying that this is my first Assassin's Creed game. I have been reluctant to start one for a while since I figured I didn't know the story or game-play. I easily jumped right into the game. The controls are pretty basic and the gameplay is fairly easy to grasp. I would suggest looking up some major    I really wanted to give this game a 9.5, but I rounded to 10.

    Let me start off by saying that this is my first Assassin's Creed game. I have been reluctant to start one for a while since I figured I didn't know the story or game-play.

    I easily jumped right into the game. The controls are pretty basic and the gameplay is fairly easy to grasp. I would suggest looking up some major plot points before starting, though not really necessary. I do not love this game because of the story, but rather the open world pirate setting. It baffles me that it took this long for a pirate game of this quality to be made.

    I am still curious as to whether I would like another Assassin's Creed game due to somewhat repetitive trailing missions, but this was the perfect dose for me.    … Expand
  31. mrnice
    Mar 20, 2014
    7
    The non-campaign content redeems this action title that otherwise wouldn't have stood out from the crowd. If you stick around and beat the forts and the legendary ships, and seek out ship upgrades, you'll see plenty of novel gameplay. But the campaign itself has few, if any, missions that amazed me. The transportation by ship or by foot can feel slow if not to fast-travel locations. I wasThe non-campaign content redeems this action title that otherwise wouldn't have stood out from the crowd. If you stick around and beat the forts and the legendary ships, and seek out ship upgrades, you'll see plenty of novel gameplay. But the campaign itself has few, if any, missions that amazed me. The transportation by ship or by foot can feel slow if not to fast-travel locations. I was frustrated dozens of times by the controls (when climbing, your character is 'glued' to his position, so the input will sometimes not be clear enough for him to move in the right direction from the 'glued' position). The 3rd person gameplay has been seen elsewhere before, and I saw no need for the the violence (cutting through people with swords like it was nothing, while the character seems to have conscience outside of combat). Aside from the action and the transportation, for which I give it 5/10, the setting has not been used much in games, much less in AAA 3d games, and it is modelled with lively detail and extreme variety. I could not have expected it to deliver so much graphical content, and compared to GTA V, this game had a lot more "Wow, there's THIS" moments. I could give it an 8/10 but then I remember the many similar missions and the repeating ship fights. Recommended if you're intrigued by the setting and you can see past the fights.… Expand
  32. XxBlackpoisonxX
    Dec 26, 2013
    10
    I thought no AC game could top AC2, but then this game came out, and it was by far the best assassin's creed game I have ever played, and easily the best game I have ever played, after playing the last of us this year, I said it was my favorite game ever, but this game topped it, you should really buy it
  33. somethingguy912
    May 13, 2014
    8
    As I said in my AC3 review, I would eventually come to my senses to make a review on AC4. While I am unfortunate not to catch the series right from the start, I will say that any game that requires the player to play the previous games to grasp the story might as well just give up trying to do so. What does that say for AC4? Well, surprisingly enough in the span of sequelitis, AC4As I said in my AC3 review, I would eventually come to my senses to make a review on AC4. While I am unfortunate not to catch the series right from the start, I will say that any game that requires the player to play the previous games to grasp the story might as well just give up trying to do so. What does that say for AC4? Well, surprisingly enough in the span of sequelitis, AC4 actually fares much better than AC3, not only in gameplay aspects or HUD gimmicks but also trying to get more newcomers invested in the story of before, as being out of the animus I got a more thematic glimpse of the late Desmond Miles (although he won't be missed) in a way that made me feel more compelled to play the previous games. Now, pushing that aside apart from the awkward First-Person animation and the 'silent protagonist gutting' they decided to do apart from the usual 3rd person perspective, the true fun and experience is inside the animus itself.

    The pirate life shines fully in this so to say 'simulation', as you get to feel the aesthetic, the glory, the triumph, and even the failures of the golden age of piracy. You get to meet many of the infamous pirates such as Edward Teach, Calico Jack, Black Bart, and a load more whom have such invigorating personality that they have you hugged into the pirate life. The naval exploration has vastly improved from it's predecessor, and while the previous alone was great, they made that aspect even greater. Sea Shanties, sunken ships, intense naval battles and boarding ships, and even fighting mother nature itself all prove to satisfy the excitement and luster of that romanticized pirate age. Not only that, but ship customization has been expanded greatly, now much more visual and more indepth, with what I have to say is some of the finer qualities of water physics out there apart from others. Unfortunately, all this pirate theming has greatly taken away the aspect of the Templars and the Assassin's, in a way sort of taking a backseat to all the pirate booty and treasure. Besides that, visuals have greatly improved, even the parkor tree climbing is now much more dynamic than it's predecessor with few repeat ferns. The HUD is also a lot less confusing, and while I have to complain why they always have to change the HUD every bloody time they make a game, I still find this one a lot less teeth-grinding than in AC3. Gameplay, well hasn't really changed all that much, although now bushes can be more greatly used to keep yourself hidden. The few new weapons that you can use are the sleep darts and berserk darts, which help since now enemies have individual stealth indicators ala Far Cry 3, which also makes the game less of a chore. Also, crafting in the game is also a lot less confusing from it's predecessor as well, taking inspiration from Far Cry 3 (as a matter of fact, a lotof different aspects from here take what worked well in FC3). But most importantly of all improvements is the story and characters, with Edward Kenway being a much more capable and charismatic figure rather than the lifeless Connor (or his native american name, which I won't even try to spell). The characters around him also spur a variety of colors, rather than blending into one another per scene. You even get to see a relatively accurate portrayal of the exploits of those aforementioned pirate captains, such as Teach's bombardment of camps for medicine, or Mary Read's crossdressing (that was the most disturbing part of this game for me), and they all do it with enough spirit that I could tell that the actors were having a lot of fun voicing these characters, ESPECIALLY Blackbeard, who is the best out of all of them. The story also improves the idea of the First Civilization and of what happened after Desmond's ultimate fate, as I said before making me more interested in the AC Lore than I was before. I will end this review with saying that typically, sequels only get worse from their original or predecessor and only few times do they get better, but I have to say that Assassin's Creed Four actually manages to do the impossible and be better than AC3 and possibly as good as AC2 (I wouldn't know, since I haven't played it) While I can't give it a perfect rating, since there is still some gameplay exploits not fixed in AC3 and still quite a few stealth syntax errors, AC4 puts the AC franchise back in with the big guns.    … Expand
  34. TFORPULLONE
    Jul 3, 2014
    9
    As i have played only revelations and the third one little bit. The Black Flag surprised me quickly it's interesting story. The graphics fit in well and gameplay is my favorite and fantastic. And also the sailing on the sea, it just perfect game. I would also say that it's the second best game of 2013 after GTA V :). Great game and must to have in ur collection. Deserves 9/10
  35. hooper-316
    Dec 30, 2013
    10
    Top game absolutely great fun and I wish I had picked it sooner rather than later.
    I love nearly all aspects of this game from free running to taking control of a full sized galleon but if there is any criticism I would say the online modes are most definitely the worst I've played in recent years which is a crying shame as the rest of the game is a joy to play.
  36. Munich
    Nov 6, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Since the release of GTA V, this is the highest score I am giving to a game. I played almost all of the AC games. Not particularly a fan of them ,but I enjoyed most of them a lot. The only games I haven't played are Assassin's Creed III and Liberation. I didn't expect anything major when I first inserted the disc in my console, but just when you don't expect it, miracles happen. I found myself playing for 5 straight hours with a bunch of soda cans to my left, and some sandwich left overs to my right. The game just dragged me in, in some sort.

    Apparently, you play as Edward Kenway, a privateer who takes down a rogue member of the Assassins and assumes his identity in order to make some profit about himself. Kenway is a really good character, perhaps my favorite videogame character of all times. He is charismatic, mature and yet pretty naive in a few occasions. Very relatable, to say the least. There are also some very interesting historical figures that make an appearance in this game, like Stede Bonnet, the failed pirate, Edward Thatch also known as the devilish Blackbeard, Bartholomew Roberts, Benjamin Hornigold and more. The voicework is also perfect, and the dialogue makes the characters feel very lively.

    What makes Assassin's Creed IV so addicting is the world that surrounds it and the number of activities you can do. You have your own ship, with your own crew, with which you can attack other ships and steal their cargo. You can go hunting, or diving around shipwrecks in an attempt to find lost treasures. It's all up to you, really. After I was done with the campaign, I spent most of my time shooting berserker darts at a bunch of guards in Kingston and then had fun watching them brawl with each other. It's all up to you on how you wanna spend your free time, really. The main campaign is not something to be noted, though. With a handful of missions being quite repetitive, but all of the sandbox games suffer from that, even GTA V.

    Overall, I think the game totally deserves it's score. It's the best games in the franchise, and probably one of the best games released in PS3 this year. It's totally worth your cash.    … Expand
  37. Prometheus_ts
    Dec 30, 2013
    7
    The game started as if it was a previous version of the AC3 with the usual bugs, and strange animations, not the ACII that one was the best) But after you discover the ship and you get to own it the game changes and becomes quite entertaining and fun, much better than the previous.

    Though the annoying part is the Bastergo where every dependant there treats you like a 10 years old    The game started as if it was a previous version of the AC3 with the usual bugs, and strange animations, not the ACII that one was the best) But after you discover the ship and you get to own it the game changes and becomes quite entertaining and fun, much better than the previous.

    Though the annoying part is the Bastergo where every dependant there treats you like a 10 years old kid making funny faces and talking of pirates of carribean arrr and other stupid voices....

    They should just have dropped the assassin creed story and make a pure piratesque game!    … Expand
  38. TiagoRPG
    Apr 12, 2014
    9
    Simply magnficent, i really hate the AC3 Battles of ship, it was going to push me far from the serie, but when they make AC4 everything that was horrible on the AC3 was corrected, the battles in the ships are really enjoyable, but like all AC i vote tha the worst is the online, i don't think this game needs multiplayer it's reaaly not funny at all!
  39. Jalopicus
    Apr 15, 2014
    6
    Fantastic game but you only get about 70% of what you pay for because the multiplayer is habitually broken. I don't mean "broken" as in "unbalanced," but rather a more literal sense—much of the time it just doesn't work.

    Specifically, it's plagued by constant disconnections from both the host and the server and despite spending an inordinate amount of time on the forums seeking aid    Fantastic game but you only get about 70% of what you pay for because the multiplayer is habitually broken. I don't mean "broken" as in "unbalanced," but rather a more literal sense—much of the time it just doesn't work.

    Specifically, it's plagued by constant disconnections from both the host and the server and despite spending an inordinate amount of time on the forums seeking aid there has been little or no progress. When you do manage to play a match there's a whole other level of malfunction in the matchmaking and contract assignments—it's not uncommon to play team games at a 4 vs 1 balance and/or be asked to "find" and kill a player who is standing directly in front of you. If you have liked AC multiplayers and/or you end up liking the AC4 multiplayer you will be repeatedly let down.    … Expand
  40. vizard00
    Jan 26, 2014
    3
    AC2 was a great game , but this one named Black flag a pirate story , so expected a great sea experience a views u know sun water birds Land over there... but lol when i played the i was shocked by the quality of the waves and how the Main character Swim its a joke UBI right ?! , a pirate game with a bad water effect and quality , and the character movement are flow at all , so i say andAC2 was a great game , but this one named Black flag a pirate story , so expected a great sea experience a views u know sun water birds Land over there... but lol when i played the i was shocked by the quality of the waves and how the Main character Swim its a joke UBI right ?! , a pirate game with a bad water effect and quality , and the character movement are flow at all , so i say and ill always say AC2 was and will be the best game ever produced in Ac series .… Expand
  41. eimajamie
    Dec 18, 2013
    8
    Black Flag has greatly improved on the previous installments of Assassin's Creed, for the most part... First of all there is a huge, beautifully detailed open world for you to explore, with dozens of islands and secrets to uncover. Riding around as the captain of your own ship plundering booty and recruiting crew has never been so much fun. Battles are well done and the cannon mechanicsBlack Flag has greatly improved on the previous installments of Assassin's Creed, for the most part... First of all there is a huge, beautifully detailed open world for you to explore, with dozens of islands and secrets to uncover. Riding around as the captain of your own ship plundering booty and recruiting crew has never been so much fun. Battles are well done and the cannon mechanics have been polished, you can can customize your ship with new sails and other decorations. The combat is sharp and the stealth has been improved upon, however, the selection of weapons available to you has actually been reduced, which I found unimpressive. The story, while taken in a different direction from past games, is very compelling and will draw you into the world. The soundtrack is wonderful, being appropriately powerful or tense in given situations. The multiplayer is nicely presented though I thought some of the modes could have been done better, especially "Wolfpack" where you find yourself in a team with other online players constantly running to targets assassinating them and protecting chests, this felt rather cluttered and the narrating woman's voice was quite annoying after repeating the same phrase 20 times in 2 minutes. Black Flag still suffers from numerous glitches, repetitve missions and frustrating moments where free running doesn't work as well as it should, but this is without a doubt still a very enjoyable, beautiful game with tons to do.… Expand
  42. militarynewb
    Nov 17, 2013
    9
    I've just started this great adventure that we call Black Flag, and I have to say plainly and simply. Wow. Just when I thought Assassins Creed was reaching the end of its days, it comes in and brings this next exciting installment to the stage. With this, they have secured the franshises future for years to come, Bravo!!!
  43. ACFAN
    Nov 18, 2013
    7
    First of all, the graphics & the story telling has definitely been improved. The game itselfs lacks mystery and assassins creed spirit. It's too much "Yarr I'm a pirate" and what most players know as Assassins Creed has been toned down heavily.

    I love Assassins Creed and I really enjoyed this game but I was quite let down by the story. Pros: * Great improvement in storytelling and    First of all, the graphics & the story telling has definitely been improved. The game itselfs lacks mystery and assassins creed spirit. It's too much "Yarr I'm a pirate" and what most players know as Assassins Creed has been toned down heavily.

    I love Assassins Creed and I really enjoyed this game but I was quite let down by the story.

    Pros:

    * Great improvement in storytelling and graphics

    Cons:

    * Doesnt quite feel like Assassins Creed
    * Nothing new when it comes to combat and missions

    Overall: Enjoyable game but has lost the Assassins Creed spirit, please go back to it or lose the Assassins Creed name.    … Expand
  44. Krobolt
    Dec 2, 2013
    9
    After the release of Assassin's Creed II, the series became an annual release franchise. Ubisoft eases inevitable gamer fatigue by making major changes to each new game to come. Brotherhood brought in a well-received ability to create your own Assassin's Order, which the player could call upon in combat. Revelations brought in a less-successful brand of tower defense mini-games and IIIAfter the release of Assassin's Creed II, the series became an annual release franchise. Ubisoft eases inevitable gamer fatigue by making major changes to each new game to come. Brotherhood brought in a well-received ability to create your own Assassin's Order, which the player could call upon in combat. Revelations brought in a less-successful brand of tower defense mini-games and III brought in a new system of homestead missions as well as naval based combat that was highly successful. Black Flag is a bit different in those regards. Black Flag took the naval mechanics of III and expanded on it, creating an open world, and an entire game, in itself. Its the most successful series of mechanics the series has seen in years.

    With a new age comes a new hero; Captain Edward Kenway. This new assassin isn't like
    the previous heroes in the series. Where as our past heroes fought for honor, justice, and freedom, Edward 's motive is pretty straight forward; to make himself some coin. Edward became a pirate so that
    he could get money (a lot of money) and that remains when he enters into the assassin order. Preferring the “everything is permitted” side of the creed, Edward kills and plunders to his heart's content. During the majority of the game, this remains until the last few hours when his character finally develops into a hero fans are willing to root for.

    The story itself is very similar to the character of Edward in fact; straight forward and bland.
    Aside from his search for the “Observatory,” Edward has no real motive, antagonist, even loyalty, making his character arc the weakest in the series so far. The characters you meet can be your friends one scene and your enemies in the next. These transitions are poorly executed and abrupt, leaving only a few characters feeling truly fleshed out. The plot also makes the game feel very separated as an Assassin's Creed game. Considering Edward spends so little time affiliating with the assassins and more with pirates, you'll sometimes think your not playing an Assassin's Creed game. In the end, however when your stabbing, climbing, and eliminating Templars, you'll feel familiarity take you home.

    As for the present day story, I would stay away from it entirely. Following the story of the previous game, you take the role of an Absetergo Entertainment (not Industries) employee who uses the Animus to research the life of Edward for a future Abstergo project. The present day story itself is nonsense and feels separated from the previous entries as if its taking place in another universe entirely. Filled with lame hacking puzzles and little to explore, this is a feature to stay away from as much as possible. I couldn't get into the Animus any faster.

    As for the missions, there is plenty of variety here. The main campaign is filled with lame tail/eavesdrop missions that will keep you sighing every time. The side missions however will keep you
    begging for more. As well as a vast open sea to explore filled with small islands beaming with chests and animus fragments, sunken ships filled with treasures, and massive forts and enemies to plunder.

    On land, familiarity takes over. Edward stabs and climbs as his ancestors before. Straying away from the towering monuments of the previous games, you'll be sticking to smaller cities with a few forts and castles here and there. The environments are all beautifully rendered, from the Caribbean jungles to the towering buildings of Kingston. There is plenty to do in each city, from chests to find, viewpoints and sea shanties, even animals to hunt to upgrade Edward's weapons and pouches. There is also assassin contracts as well as missions tied to collecting five Templar keys to unlock some sweet armor. The combat has been refined from the previous game, making it more comfortable when combating multiple foes. This creates fast high paced action sequences all the more fun with a new weapon selection system, making combat simplified.

    On sea however, you enter a whole new world. The massive scope of the West Indies is exciting to explore, filled with activities to keep the player entertained.

    You take wheel of your ship “The Jackdaw,” armed to the teeth and filled with a crew all your own. The naval gameplay has been modified this time around creating a more flexible way to pilot your ship and combat. Instead of a weapon wheel, the weapon you fire is dictated by the direction the camera’s facing, so looking to the side means that the broadside cannons are active, while looking behind gets the fire barrels ready to drop. This makes the combat simplified and easy to learn. As for the crew, they are my personal favorite element of the game. Your crew takes a major role in plundering as they will help in your success in plundering. As you sail your crew will sing sea shanties (that you can acquire more of through collectibles) as well as comment on your actions such as abandoning ship. It never gets old when you reach for the wheel after a successful looting and your crew cheers for you in your glory and success. The crew is filled with such charm I can't imagine the game without this element. There has been many days where I leave with a shanty or two stuck in my head, constantly humming them throughout my day.

    But the naval gameplay doesn't just end there. To survive out in the West Indies, your going to need a powerful ship capable of making Davy Jones quiver in his boots. You'll need plenty of resources to make The Jackdaw into a force to be reckoned with. All of the ships that explore out on the open sea carry plenty of supplies necessary for upgrading the Jackdaw. You can use the captain's spyglass to see what each ship is leveled and what resources each ship carry. You'll be using this a lot to make sure your next assault will really be worth the hassle. These ships won't go down lightly as they will fire back as well as call for reinforcements, so plan accordingly. Once you've withered the ships health down to red, its time to plunder the ship. I encourage all players to plunder a good majority of ships early on as resources are a necessity. If you just destroy a ship without properly plundering it, you only receive half the resources.

    Once plundering, you are tasked to completing a few objectives before capturing the ship fully, some include killing a certain amount of crew members and destroying the enemy flag. As you jump abroad the enemy ship, this is where things can get a little hectic, as combat can get feel really crammed on the deck of a ship. With enemy soldiers fully surrounding you as well as combating your fellow crew-mates, you be constantly wondering who has their shot aimed at you. As you successfully plunder the ship, you will be given a few as to what to do next, repair the Jackdaw from its previous battle scars, remove your current wanted level, or send the now captured ship into your own fleet.

    Edward's Fleet is a new gameplay element similarly to the Assassins' order mechanics from Brotherhood. You can access your own personal fleet inside the Jackdaw's captain's quarters. Its here where you can manage your ships, access trade routes, and combat other ships to acquire more resources. As you send your ships off to locations, an in-game timer is set often taking a few hours for ships to get there and back. As your fleet returns, fortune follows with treasure maps and outfits, as well as coin and upgrades for the Jackdaw. The experience is completely optional however, but I would suggest using it ever now and again.

    Multiplayer returns once again in as high of quality as ever. It won't knock off Grand Theft Auto Online or Call of Duty off their pedestals but it is definitive an enjoyable experience through and through. Wolfpack returns once again for co-op based missionary where players team up to hunt NPCs as well as a new Game Labs mode. In Game Labs, players can create their own game types and share them with friends and other players. “Pistoleer” was a personal favorite of mine, where a player is given the abilities, shield and disguise, and players can only kill using a pistol. This made matches feel intense, leaving me paranoid and careful of every move I made.

    Despite its story flaws, frustrating stealth gameplay, and sometimes glitchy world, Assassin's Creed 4 is a hard game to put down. Some elements have been crafted to fit for a better experience. You'll notice the lack of tutorial missions as well as a redefined weapon selection system assigned to the d-pad, making the game easier to pick up for new players. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience much more than the last few games in the series, but it still hasn't reached its full potential just yet. Once you get through the few rough tides, its all smooth sailing here on in.    … Expand
  45. fredojep75
    Dec 4, 2013
    10
    First I have to say Assassin's Creed is by far my favourite game series. and this installment is the best by far. the characters are all lovable and deep, especially the protagonist. the story is interesting and keeps you emotionally invested all the way through. (There is one moment that brought tears in my eyes...) All the land locations are recreated with the care we have come to expectFirst I have to say Assassin's Creed is by far my favourite game series. and this installment is the best by far. the characters are all lovable and deep, especially the protagonist. the story is interesting and keeps you emotionally invested all the way through. (There is one moment that brought tears in my eyes...) All the land locations are recreated with the care we have come to expect from Ubisoft (especially Havana.) and the missions are all interesting. but it's the freedom to explore the open seas, the naval combat and the upgrading of the Jackdaw that make the game rise above the others in the franchise. the open world of the Caribbean is a joy to explore and plunder. it's a masterpiece. 10 for me.… Expand
  46. awsom
    Dec 31, 2013
    7
    Assassin's Creed 4 is kind of a disappointment to me. Don't get me wrong it's still good but it does a lot of things wrong. Money has some use now considering the main gimmick is the Jackdaw and upgrades for it cost a lot. So it has improved a bit gameplay wise but combat is as boring as ever with only the big brutes to make it bit challenging. Then the story takes a big flop with theAssassin's Creed 4 is kind of a disappointment to me. Don't get me wrong it's still good but it does a lot of things wrong. Money has some use now considering the main gimmick is the Jackdaw and upgrades for it cost a lot. So it has improved a bit gameplay wise but combat is as boring as ever with only the big brutes to make it bit challenging. Then the story takes a big flop with the present day being a first person office simulator with only a hacking mini game to keep you occupied. Most of the quests in the animus on land are tailing missions which is stupid. So in short, AC4 is a good stand alone game. Better than AC1+3 at least but compared to others it's not that good.… Expand
  47. fowl
    Jan 19, 2014
    10
    The BEST AC since the 2nd. Such a great story, so many collectibles, so much to do, maybe the best AC ever, and one of the best Action/Adventure games of 2013.
  48. TrackkSixx
    Dec 10, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is one of the first that really gives you a sense of what sailing is. Personally I enjoyed AC3 ONLY for the sailing parts. That being said, this is AC, not a pirate sim. I didn't play the main story line until I had to, which means immediately. If you want to upgrade your ship at all, you have to play the main story. That would work if the main story was actually engaging. To me it was all the same: Find this guy; follow this guy through all kinds of ridiculous obstacles (groups of 20 guards); eavesdrop on this guy while he wanders through more hordes of guards; DON'T KILL HIM YET!!!; watch from the shadows as he wanders very slowly into a guarded fort; now you can kill him. I don't understand why they do this, why must I follow him for so long? As he's wandering the streets, I'm on a building ready and able to drop onto him and rain down awesomeness, but no, I have to wait for what seems like hours until he gets to a fortified location. Edward Kenway must be the worst Assassin of all time. Or he's a masochist and enjoys torturing himself assaulting a fort by himself. Overall the game was great, but for the wrong reasons. I loved the freedom of sailing all over the map and pirating with no sense of urgency. But when your main story line is so tedious and annoying, it reduces the good parts of the game.

    GOOD
    Great pirating and ship mechanics.
    LOVE the sea shanties the crew sings!
    Graphically beautiful, bought it on the 360 and it's the best looking game I've ever seen.
    Ship customization options were good, not great.
    Much better character in Edward Kenway rather than Conner.
    Huge map, and fun to sail across.

    BAD
    Boring Main Story, made it feel like the main story was a side mission.
    Tedious repeating missions (WHY EAVESDROPPING!?!?!?).
    Mute, Formless, and Clunky character during play outside the animus, AC Revelations did just fine without having much of a part for Desmond, I understand the reason to remind people they're in the animus, but I hate mute main characters, just a pet peeve.
    The story animus/real doesn't give anything new to the series which makes me think it's more of a really big expansion to AC3 along with the $60 pricetag.
    Uplay You'd think by now Ubisoft would have made Uplay seamless... They haven't, it interferes just about every time I turn it on.
    Took me a few upgrades to realize buying sails has no effect other than visually, kind of disappointing. Leather sails are quite different from canvas, just sayin.
    Kenway's fleet... minigames were dumb turn based ship to ship, and the biggest problem I had: You only ever control the Jackdaw! With the exception of 2 missions I can remember, all you have is a comparably small brig with a maximum of 23 guns.

    Overall: Mediocre (Pretty much what I've come to expect from an AC, but I keep buying them for some reason)    … Expand
  49. AliBader1997
    Dec 31, 2013
    10
    Amazing, beautiful, and epic. This game is definitely the best AC game yet, there is soo much stuff to do and yes after a while it does get slightly repetitive but not really in a bad way. The story is simple, but still pretty good and perfectly captures the way of life during the Golden Age of Piracy. Graphics are amazing, way better than AC3 and Edward Kenway is a much more excitingAmazing, beautiful, and epic. This game is definitely the best AC game yet, there is soo much stuff to do and yes after a while it does get slightly repetitive but not really in a bad way. The story is simple, but still pretty good and perfectly captures the way of life during the Golden Age of Piracy. Graphics are amazing, way better than AC3 and Edward Kenway is a much more exciting character than Connor. The only problem I had with this game is the controls, Edward disobeys my command every now and then which sometimes has fatal consequences. Its a 9/10 game, I gave it a 10 because it deserves a higher User Score. 8.1 for this? No way should be 9.5.… Expand
  50. jbi6059
    Jan 1, 2014
    10
    I cant stop playing this game its got everything you need, great graphics, good story, awesome mechanics and barely any lag im pretty sure most gamers would enjoy this game
  51. Zbrawlrock123
    Jan 2, 2014
    10
    Best free roam and can lift your spirit every time. You can upgrade your ship,boarding ships,liberate naval forts, and a long story that can lift you anytime. I recommend you to buy it. It's Awesome!!!
  52. Zodiaci
    Jan 10, 2014
    10
    I'm not a fan of the Assassin's Creed franchise. This game is like they took everything that was wrong with the previous games, threw them in the trash and then disintegrated them. There are way more types of missions, collectibles, secrets and tons of new tricks. Edward Kenway is the first of the series that doesn't decide to chase nearby flies or examine cracks in walls as he's runningI'm not a fan of the Assassin's Creed franchise. This game is like they took everything that was wrong with the previous games, threw them in the trash and then disintegrated them. There are way more types of missions, collectibles, secrets and tons of new tricks. Edward Kenway is the first of the series that doesn't decide to chase nearby flies or examine cracks in walls as he's running around.The combat is still easy, but not as easy as previous games and has an actual feeling like you could be defeated rather than a feeling that you are going to use your massive instakill-explosion at every encounter. It IS still easy though, don't be fooled. The acrobatics you can perform are much easier to use and don't disobey everything you say.
    Also, pirates.    … Expand
  53. ebj3000
    Feb 2, 2014
    10
    This was easily my favorite AC game so far. It incorporated everything that was good about AC2 and added pirates! One of my favorite games from last year was Far Cry 3, and the open world and crafting of AC4 felt a lot like that game. I absolutely hated AC3 aside form the naval combat, but there wasn't enough of it. AC4 allows you to roam freely, hunt, harpoon, etc. There are plenty ofThis was easily my favorite AC game so far. It incorporated everything that was good about AC2 and added pirates! One of my favorite games from last year was Far Cry 3, and the open world and crafting of AC4 felt a lot like that game. I absolutely hated AC3 aside form the naval combat, but there wasn't enough of it. AC4 allows you to roam freely, hunt, harpoon, etc. There are plenty of side missions to keep you busy as well.

    This is definitely worth your time. Ubisoft is quickly becoming one of my favorite publishers.

    Note: Don't ignore the Community Challenges while you are playing the game if you want to get 100% synced.    … Expand
  54. NicoDane
    Feb 13, 2014
    10
    Assassins creed 4 Black Flag is a ton of fun. This is the best game i have ever played in 2013. And if this is not the best then it is one of the best assassins creed games that have been made. It has never been more fun looking for treasure. It makes you feel like you are a part of the crew. In Assassins creed Black flag they have combined the gameplay from assassins creed, with theAssassins creed 4 Black Flag is a ton of fun. This is the best game i have ever played in 2013. And if this is not the best then it is one of the best assassins creed games that have been made. It has never been more fun looking for treasure. It makes you feel like you are a part of the crew. In Assassins creed Black flag they have combined the gameplay from assassins creed, with the hunting system from Far Cry. and instead of just have 2 pistol like in Assassins creed 3, you can now have 4 PISTOLS. You have to upgrade Edward, BUT you also have to take care of Jackdaw your ship. Because if you never upgrade it you will never be able to defeat a man'o war.

    Overall: Assassins creed 4 Black Flag is one of the best games Ubisoft has ever made    … Expand
  55. verglia
    Mar 31, 2014
    5
    Okey ,now for real.Stop milking the cow ubisoft.Make a pirate game if you want,just dont call it AC,AC ended with ezio for me(he had spirit and was very interesting,if we don't count Desmond ofc).I would give this game 8(but AC tittle-meh).It's not AC, it's sailing,sailing,sailing from AC.
  56. GamergodsFail
    Apr 29, 2014
    7
    Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag was a rather mixed bag for me. On the upside...it was fun as hell! I don't think I've ever had more fun in an Assassin's Creed game! The exploration, ship plundering and the minigames, Abstergo hacking, etc. All of that felt splendid!
    On the downside...I felt the story was incredibly weak for an Assassin's Creed game. Especially the present-day Abstergo    Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag was a rather mixed bag for me. On the upside...it was fun as hell! I don't think I've ever had more fun in an Assassin's Creed game! The exploration, ship plundering and the minigames, Abstergo hacking, etc. All of that felt splendid!
    On the downside...I felt the story was incredibly weak for an Assassin's Creed game. Especially the present-day Abstergo story, or lack thereof. It's practically cut off from the rest of the series. Also, the controls were very unresponsive or inaccurate to which the direction I turned a lot of the time. This included me jumping to my death when I meant to perform a leap of faith. Among the other complaints include several bugs, one of them which was a game-breaker that required me to restart a checkpoint. Did I already mention a disconnected storyline?
    With all things considered, this is a decent game, but I wouldn't consider it a good Assassin's Creed game. I think the Ezio ones are still better. If you've played all the previous entries or are looking for more closure after the disappointing ending that Assassin's Creed III delivered, I'd pass. However, if you're a newcomer to the series, now would probably be the perfect time to start.

    7/10 - Decent    … Expand
  57. lukevandam
    May 19, 2014
    8
    best game in the series since brotherhood few problems with it though number one edward kenway seems a bit stupid at times as to what is going on and two some of the on land missions are boring other than that fantastic game can't wait for unity
  58. Nikos453
    Jun 14, 2014
    9
    the game is awesome!! i thought its graphic will be bad like all the new games which are coming for ps3 and xbox 360 but the game on ps3 is really awesome the story is a little bore like all the time tall this guy tall this ship that is only bad on the game the free roam the new parkour skills the upgrades and you can order your crew your ships to collect money for you i have all the acthe game is awesome!! i thought its graphic will be bad like all the new games which are coming for ps3 and xbox 360 but the game on ps3 is really awesome the story is a little bore like all the time tall this guy tall this ship that is only bad on the game the free roam the new parkour skills the upgrades and you can order your crew your ships to collect money for you i have all the ac but this is the best AND SORRY FOR BAD ENGLISH… Expand
  59. EzioA88
    Jun 24, 2014
    10
    I loved Assassin's Creed. I adored Assassin's Creed II. I had the same feeling for Brotherhood and Revelations: remarkable. And for a few months, III was my favourite game of all time. It just felt like the perfect evolution of the series and was a remarkable game that certainly delivered upon its hype. But now we reach Black Flag- a numbered entry that has released a year after the last.I loved Assassin's Creed. I adored Assassin's Creed II. I had the same feeling for Brotherhood and Revelations: remarkable. And for a few months, III was my favourite game of all time. It just felt like the perfect evolution of the series and was a remarkable game that certainly delivered upon its hype. But now we reach Black Flag- a numbered entry that has released a year after the last. But don't think for a second that it is a shameless cash grab. This is the best in the series by far and is my third favourite game in the series. It also helps that it is the first next-gen effort and is therefore massive in size and scope.

    The gameplay is key in this entry, mainly because it is nothing like the other games. On land familiarity soon sets in, with similar parkour mechanics and combat that isn't that different. Crafting is very reminiscent of Ubisoft's other open world smash, Far Cry 3, with the simple mechanics being a relief after III's complicated systems (well for some anyway). The economy is a little more barebones and there are no brotherhood mechanics. For the first two hours this seems like a slimmed back entry and not even better stealth can really help it. But just as you think you have been "Revelationsed", BOOM! It happens. The opening of the game comes back into play and you get set off onto the open seas with your own ship (The Jackdaw really is the second main character) and your cool uniform. This light years ahead of the third game's starting, seeing as how you don't have to go through 6 hours of tutorial. The ship is full of options, with customisation being key. You can unlock new statues and sails for it and also buy new weapons like mortars and various cannons. You can upgrade your carrying capacity and your durability- the theme of piracy is high, as money really is key to your successes. I don't know if it's just me or are we gamers getting money hungry, after th heists of GTA V and the appearance of money in MW3's multiplayer? Back on track now. The amount of control you have over your ship is amazing and the impacts on the gameplay are profound. I can definitely see AC continuing along this path in future spinoffs and entries.

    To go with your ship is a massive open world. There are over 50 main locations, with 3 main, large cities and hundreds of islands that are littered with treasures, collectibles and various other goodies. I don't know the exact stats, but is this bigger than GTA V's open world or are they about equal? Because it is friggin' large. The graphics are absolutely beautiful. As usual the characters and animation work is top of the line, but they are outshined by the open world. The colours are vibrant and uplifting and this is some of the most realistic water in gaming. There is hours upon hours of content here, with assassination contracts making a welcome return, along with plenty of naval missions and- wait for it- fortresses! They replace bases and are ridiculously good fun to take on. They have their own level just like ships and net you great bonuses. First you take out their defenses, then you dock and then you kill some captains, before brutally murdering the owner of the base (a gunshot to the head always works well). There are also Legendary ships, which are basically the best of the best. They are good fun to take on and embrace variation with each type.

    I haven't talked about the story yet, but that's because it is the weakest part. Well, not so much the story, just the missions. You see it is a well written, entertaining escapade, with great characters, a cool hero and some well conceived themes, along with accurate re-enactments of historical events. The missions are just so repetitive. The final acts are enjoyable, with good set pieces and fun assassination missions (Stealth is way better as I mentioned before), but there are just way too many tail and eavesdrop missions. They get repetitive and let the game down, but only slightly. I did like the present day sequences though, which are first person, highly immersive and rarely interrupt your gameplay, with most of the content being optional. The multiplayer is also strong, with ship battles not appearing but custom game modes being fun. I spent hours with the MP and actually loved it.

    AC IV isn't perfect, but it is the best in the series and for that I love it. With hours of great content, some spectacular gameplay and a good protagonist, this is one must buy game, no matter which gen of consoles you own!    … Expand
  60. BenHazelden
    Oct 13, 2014
    7
    A bigger improvement since the last two installments, Black Flag has regained the former strength of the originals, even though it seems more like 'Pirate's Code' than 'Assassin's Creed'.
    7/10 - Ben Hazelden
  61. SythusRATINGS
    Oct 19, 2014
    9
    The year is 1715. Pirates rule the waters of the Caribbean and have established a lawless Republic. Among these outlaws is a lethal young captain named Edward Kenway. His notorious exploits earn the respect of legends like Blackbeard, but draw him into an ancient war that may destroy everything the pirates have built for themselves.
  62. AssassinsCreed1
    Nov 7, 2014
    8
    I have been a fan since the beginning. Assassins Creed 4 Black Flag has many improvements over AC3 and is largely a great game with a few missteps like repetitive missions and uneven story issues. I think this is honestly the best pirate game ever made it hits the nail on the head for the pirate theme in fact it focuses more on pirates than assassins and gels them both togetherI have been a fan since the beginning. Assassins Creed 4 Black Flag has many improvements over AC3 and is largely a great game with a few missteps like repetitive missions and uneven story issues. I think this is honestly the best pirate game ever made it hits the nail on the head for the pirate theme in fact it focuses more on pirates than assassins and gels them both together convincingly.

    Side activities - The things to do outside the story missions are incredible, assassin contracts, sneaking into enemy islands or caves to loot treasure, freeing captured pirates, many things gives you money, loot, territory and crew members. With loot you can built your ship, your character and it allows you to tackle bigger challenges, there is always something that engages you and makes you feel like you’re doing something new. The Templar hunt quests are awesome and do an amazing job of expanding the world in which you live in. You can tackle all side missions in whatever way you want.
    This game has hunting and it is quite fun you can shoot predators down from a distance hidden in bushes or in trees or you can confront them using quick time events to kill them. Using their pelts to upgrade your ship, weapons, tools and character. Another great side activity is the underwater sections where you swim in shipwrecks looking for loot, treasure and ship blueprints. The funnest thing about this is the way you can hide from sharks in reeds and always have to go back to air pockets for an extra breath; you feel very vulnerable which an exciting rush is.

    Naval combat - Very fun and satisfying, you could bored other ships for literally hours without getting bored there is just SO MANY different ways to approach other ships. You can attack and conquer other forts which is addictive first using your naval combat from a distance to destroy their canons while attacking/dodging other ships near and far, then jumping straight into the chaos on the fort ground to cut through the enemies utilizing the ground combat then finally assassinating the captain.

    Mission structure and gameplay - Okay for allot of the missions they are very open and let you tackle them in whatever way you wish with little handholding, which is very important, however this is one of the real lacking parts of the game the overall repetitiveness of the main missions. WAY too many missions you will find yourself doing the exact same thing over and over again whether it is eavesdropping, tailing someone or something in-between. The parkour and freedom of movement is great but can be tricky and pretty much is the same as in AC3 but tree running ans siling is smooth and works very well. The way you can go from running to sailing in seconds is really special.

    Story - The story is very well thought out and lasts about 22 hours or so, as you follow Edward through his personal journey and experience the historic moments of the period is great and participating in them is amazing, something that makes all AC games truly special. All the main characters are convincingly accurate especially Black Beard he is SO WELL DONE. You start to feel attached to the main character especially in the later missions. However it is not without its downsides some missions are not very well explained and you will wonder how you got there and why you are really doing it.

    Combat - The combat is fun at first and there are some really cool kill animations but largely it stays the same as AC3 just counter the incoming enemies attacks and they die or just keep tapping attack to kill the weaker guys. But it’s not horrible, a good side is there are different enemy types that require different means to kill them like you will have to counter with a different weapon such as a gun or requiring you to break their defense before striking, this keeps combat away from being too repetitive.

    One thing I just have to say is that for us hardcore fans we have noticed that the AC games have gotten less about the assassin way of life and has focused more on the theme. Such as in AC3 where Connor was more of a warrior than an assassin and was not fully dedicated to the order. Similarities can be seen here. The stealth and eavesdropping has not really evolved much, there needs to be more assassinating and stealthy upgrades.

    So to round Assassins Creed 4 Black Flag up most side activities are engaging and enjoyable, the naval combat is the best part of the game and is one all in its self, the theme of pirates is done exquisitely, the main missions can get old but they are not terrible, combat is over familiar, decent but nothing special, story is great but can seem random sometimes, music is amazing, parkour and gameplay is still upheld, and last but not least the landscapes are absolutely beautiful and stunning to observe.    … Expand
  63. maciejkpl
    Nov 16, 2014
    9
    This is not an Assassin's Creed game. This is an pirate game with AC elements. And it is great at it. The sense of adventure, discovering uncharted places, treasure, ship battles, environments. As an AC game it probably deserves 4/10 tops, but as an action-adventure it's an honest 9/10. One of the few games that I rushed from work to play on my PS3, and the only one game that afterThis is not an Assassin's Creed game. This is an pirate game with AC elements. And it is great at it. The sense of adventure, discovering uncharted places, treasure, ship battles, environments. As an AC game it probably deserves 4/10 tops, but as an action-adventure it's an honest 9/10. One of the few games that I rushed from work to play on my PS3, and the only one game that after finishing it I got a feeling similar to finishing a great book - suddenly the whole world is empty and it takes a long time to find something similar. Forget it's an AC game and you'll love it.… Expand
  64. heartscreed
    Nov 17, 2014
    10
    I absolutely LOVED this game. From the amazing gameplay to the amazing story, everything about this game made me love the Assassin's Creed franchise even more than I already did. As soon as I started playing, I simply couldn't stop. It was addicting. Edward, in my opinion, is a very lovable protagonist. He begins simply as a man looking to become right in the West Indies, but throughoutI absolutely LOVED this game. From the amazing gameplay to the amazing story, everything about this game made me love the Assassin's Creed franchise even more than I already did. As soon as I started playing, I simply couldn't stop. It was addicting. Edward, in my opinion, is a very lovable protagonist. He begins simply as a man looking to become right in the West Indies, but throughout the game, the more he encounters the Assassin's the more his sense of justice begins to develop. He's well aware of the fact that that he essentially **** over the Assassin Order early on in the game, and is willing to do anything he can to make things right. Edward also experienced many difficult losses throughout the game, and each time was able to rebound from them. Also, this game probably has the best ending of any Assassin's Creed game. Story aside, I really enjoyed the naval combat. I was skeptical at first, but as I progressed further and further and was able to upgrade my ship more and more, I really began to enjoy the naval gameplay. I became so attached to the Jackdaw that often times when I was doing missions on land, I longed to be back on my ship just sailing the West Indies and earning the best prizes I could find. Overall and excellent, excellent game. It just may be the best installment of the series thus far.… Expand
  65. filiperibsantos
    Nov 20, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The story outside the animus isn´t as great as the previous games. also i miss desmond miles.
    But the animus game as a edward is very good, but the story is just horable comparing to the other games.
    Hope they finish the story soon... because AC it´s starting to loose its magic    … Expand
  66. TheEliteGamer
    Nov 28, 2014
    7
    This game is a good game overall. The biggest addition that makes this game great is the Naval gameplay. In AC3 naval gameplay was very minimal. In AC4 the whole game is based on sailing to different locations around the map. Another thing that makes this game great is the collectibles. Bottles, Mayan Stelle, Animus Fragments, and chests all add extra time to your free roam expereince.This game is a good game overall. The biggest addition that makes this game great is the Naval gameplay. In AC3 naval gameplay was very minimal. In AC4 the whole game is based on sailing to different locations around the map. Another thing that makes this game great is the collectibles. Bottles, Mayan Stelle, Animus Fragments, and chests all add extra time to your free roam expereince. Also the crafting and upgrades for Edward and the Jackdaw {the name of your pirate ship in the game} make it really fun to take down ships and go hunting. I can't say much about the story but so far what i have finished was really great. The combat is a little better with new weapons and the amount of weapons you can carry. You can have up to 4 pistols! This game is not a must buy, but is worth 30 dollars at least with the game and add-on's. Thanks for reading!… Expand
  67. LatinCritic13
    May 18, 2020
    9
    Forget about the American Revolution, in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag we are introduced to Connor Kenway's Grandfather, Edward Kenway, a Pirate turned to Assassin fighting and finding his way of life in the notorious times of plunder, rum, and women in which turned out to be very best AC title since AC2. The combat has been vastly improved from the first, the naval combat is exciting,Forget about the American Revolution, in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag we are introduced to Connor Kenway's Grandfather, Edward Kenway, a Pirate turned to Assassin fighting and finding his way of life in the notorious times of plunder, rum, and women in which turned out to be very best AC title since AC2. The combat has been vastly improved from the first, the naval combat is exciting, and of course, the exploration of the West Indies is astonishing to wonder around on. The real star in ACIV is the history and that makes it one of the best gaming experiences we have ever got. Plus, the voice acting in this game is way sharper than its predecessors and I can see why this game is so good compared to the others. I thought this game would be a tragedy as AC3, then I realized Black Flag is an important piece of relic in AC history.… Expand
  68. PZJ
    Nov 29, 2014
    7
    Very fun game. Great sailing mechanics and pirating. Ground fighting is the same as all these games so you probably know what you're getting. Only real downside was that the plot was linear and pretty boring. Boring characters, same old cut scenes when you assassinate them, same old mission types. If you like pirate games you''ll enjoy this.
  69. pandaholic
    Dec 12, 2014
    9
    At first this game was incredible. The differences it took from the rest of the series, not only in game play but in story line, being non-linear and then sort of misleading to the overall plot was a good experience to play through. I soon become bored though, and took a couple almost a year to pick it back up and beat the game which I was still very happy with the end, as weird as it left off.
  70. Willzilla
    Dec 16, 2014
    9
    Definitely a game worth picking up if you are a veteran Assassin's Creed fan or you are just starting the series. AC Black Flag was my first AC game and after playing it for 20+ hours I went out and bought the Ezio Trilogy to see why it was so hyped. This game is amazing. From the Naval combat to exploring the hundreds of different island ports to fighting jaguars in the jungle, this gameDefinitely a game worth picking up if you are a veteran Assassin's Creed fan or you are just starting the series. AC Black Flag was my first AC game and after playing it for 20+ hours I went out and bought the Ezio Trilogy to see why it was so hyped. This game is amazing. From the Naval combat to exploring the hundreds of different island ports to fighting jaguars in the jungle, this game has enough content to satisfy almost any gamer. I only have one complaint about this game and that is the fire-ant mentality of the enemy ships. there is nothing worse than you being down on supplies and having a damaged ship, going after a small ship to gather supplies and then being attacked by 3 Man o' Wars. Also the real-world quests are nothing short of inconsequential. But other than that there isn't much to complain about. The naval aspect is refreshing and AC4 is the first game to successfully pull off naval combat in a way that doesn't take away from the gameplay itself. Another interesting part of the game is the animals. In previous Assassin's creed games, horses and pigeons were the only animals you could interact with. But now you have rabbits, monkeys, lizards, jaguars, crocodiles, whales, and sharks, all of which can be hunted and stripped down for supplies. Hunting animals was a much needed aspect that just boosted the Assassin's Creed experience.
    Overall this game is the much needed reboot that the Franchise needed. 9/10 This game needs to be in your collection.    … Expand
  71. freakmode
    Jan 16, 2015
    9
    Gorgeous world to explore. Raiding ships. Assaulting forts. Hunting( and being hunted). Harpooning and treasure hunts. Everything you would want in a pirate based game! This game, hands down, has the best water ever rendered. Love watching enemies being mauled by a surprise jaguar attack. Customizing and upgrading the Jackdaw is the fuel for daring to raid a "hard" level ship when you knowGorgeous world to explore. Raiding ships. Assaulting forts. Hunting( and being hunted). Harpooning and treasure hunts. Everything you would want in a pirate based game! This game, hands down, has the best water ever rendered. Love watching enemies being mauled by a surprise jaguar attack. Customizing and upgrading the Jackdaw is the fuel for daring to raid a "hard" level ship when you know you're biting off more than you can chew.
    Got it late, so couldn't get access to other elements of play. Hate withheld content.
    Anytime a game has me playing at ten hour stretches (last time was Skyrim and Far Cry 3) I know it's a keeper.    … Expand
  72. ACGAMESOP
    Jan 18, 2015
    8
    It is one of my favourite games for ps3.I loved the side quest and Edward is a badass.I loved naval but i prefered to pass the most time out of the ship,inside the sea or on land.The only bad thing is that Edward is neither an assassin nor a templar and he moves between the both sides but i didn't really care about that
  73. Aky03gamer
    Jun 13, 2015
    8
    I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HATES THIS EXCELENT TITLE, but is an excelent game, but with some details that are not very good, like that the game is very easy, you dont need practice like the assassins creed's of Ezio, you only need to press 2 buttons in a normal combat, and this can turn boring.
    Graphically the game is good, and I didn't feel loses of FPS like in other games, the story is    I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HATES THIS EXCELENT TITLE, but is an excelent game, but with some details that are not very good, like that the game is very easy, you dont need practice like the assassins creed's of Ezio, you only need to press 2 buttons in a normal combat, and this can turn boring.
    Graphically the game is good, and I didn't feel loses of FPS like in other games, the story is very simple, but is not bad, is not in the level of the past games of the saga, but you can enjoy it, is very hard to get bored in this game (probably in combat, but making parkour or reaching the 100% is very fun) IS FAR TO BE THE BEST GAME IN THE SAGA, BUT IS A GAME THAT YOU CAN'T SAY THAT IS "TRASH"    … Expand
  74. ramsey97
    May 5, 2015
    10
    Holy **** what an AWESOME game! it took me three weeks to finish this game because I was so
    immersed into the boat warfare mechanic they made, I really felt like a pirate sailing around the open world
    ocean when I wasn't doing the story, the atmosphere Ubisoft made was AMAZING, they made an amazing pirate game as well as an AC game. The superb soundtrack and mechanics of the ship (and    Holy **** what an AWESOME game! it took me three weeks to finish this game because I was so
    immersed into the boat warfare mechanic they made, I really felt like a pirate sailing around the open world
    ocean when I wasn't doing the story, the atmosphere Ubisoft made was AMAZING, they made an amazing pirate game as well as an AC game. The superb soundtrack and mechanics of the ship (and the singing) all felt awesome. I don't understand the scores of 0, AC4 does have problems but no way it deserves a zero. The strongest assets of the game I think are its atmosphere and story/characters. In my opinion, the story is the best in the AC franchise so far and all the character's were amazing. I really did like Edward as a character, it felt cool and different to play as a less righteous assassin than the ones in the other AC games. That all being said the sword fighting and most of the combat felt a little weird and awkward, it was smoother in AC3 in my opinion. Overall AC4 is an amazing experience and I'd recommend it to anyone, my original score was 9.7 so I rounded it to 10.    … Expand
  75. SrPepe
    Oct 29, 2017
    8
    Me gusto mucho este Assasin's Creed. Me daba miedo ver como quedaba la saga después de la trilogía, pero este no me decepcionó, un mundo abierto increíble, se le puede exprimir muchísimas horas al juego.
  76. Empyrea
    Sep 17, 2017
    9
    This is more a game of pirates and ships than an AC game. If you plan to play other earlier games of this serie you should play them before start with Black Flag because there is an spoiler (from AC III). This is a good game with great graphics and very colourful. In my opinion I think they could have made a new game with a completely different story instead of extend the Assassin's CreedThis is more a game of pirates and ships than an AC game. If you plan to play other earlier games of this serie you should play them before start with Black Flag because there is an spoiler (from AC III). This is a good game with great graphics and very colourful. In my opinion I think they could have made a new game with a completely different story instead of extend the Assassin's Creed saga. This game is longer than the last AC games. It took me 28 hours to beat (including some extras, although if you want to do all of them you can easily spend many hours). In this game the naval battle is more complex than in AC III. An advise: make sure you have mortar's ammo when you attack fortresses.… Expand
  77. indigobeast
    Jul 10, 2017
    9
    This in my opinion is the greatest assassins creed game of all time. I know most of the fans prefer the second one and I also love that game. But this game is practically a masterpiece and it's also way better then assassins creed 3 which i was very disappointed with. There is so much to do in this game that you'll be playing for hours outside the story to do everything there is to do onThis in my opinion is the greatest assassins creed game of all time. I know most of the fans prefer the second one and I also love that game. But this game is practically a masterpiece and it's also way better then assassins creed 3 which i was very disappointed with. There is so much to do in this game that you'll be playing for hours outside the story to do everything there is to do on the map. Lets get to the story. I'll be honest it doesn't feel right for an AC game. it's more pirate based but that's kinda the whole point. Edward kenway was a great protagonist and he's also very relatable as he's had a tough life and once to become rich through piracy to have an easier life with his wife. Now the naval combat, it was absolutely brilliant. Boarding and sinking ships has never been so much fine in a pirate game, it felt rewarding and badass and it was controlled perfectly and never gets old. The abstergo nonsense is unfortunately still in the game but it' still not as bad as it was in the past. I also got 100% on this game recently. Unfortunately there's only one thing I dislike about it. Kenways Fleet. It's basically a mobile game and a crap one. You have to wait at least 18 hours to get all the stuff you want and you can't speed it up and gets old. Luckily it's not required to have a great experience in possibly the greatest pirate game to date. Get it if you haven't already!… Expand
  78. Asgard-Sama
    Aug 28, 2018
    7
    • Historia: 6/10
    • Personajes: 8/10
    • GamePlay: 8/10 • Gráficos: 9/10 • Sonido: 10/10 • Música: 10/10 • Longitud: 9/10 • Valor de repetición: 1/10 • Valor del jugador: 7/10 Un gran juego increíble de batallas navales pero un mal Assasin Creeds. - El Protagonista mas soso e insustancial de la saga hasta el momento, aunque me parece un buen detalle que sea el abuelo de Connor    • Historia: 6/10
    • Personajes: 8/10
    • GamePlay: 8/10
    • Gráficos: 9/10
    • Sonido: 10/10
    • Música: 10/10
    • Longitud: 9/10
    • Valor de repetición: 1/10
    • Valor del jugador: 7/10

    Un gran juego increíble de batallas navales pero un mal Assasin Creeds.

    - El Protagonista mas soso e insustancial de la saga hasta el momento, aunque me parece un buen detalle que sea el abuelo de Connor del Assasins Creed 3 enlazando ambos títulos y personajes.

    - La jugabilidad sigue siendo tan buena como en el titulo anterior, no tiene peros.

    - El Combate es aun mas fácil que en los anteriores, simplón y aburrido.

    - La Banda sonora sigue siendo excelente y el detalle de que tu tripulación pirata cante canciones mientras navegan es una gran puntazo.

    - La historia esta bastante bien si nos enfocamos en la parte de la piratería y sus historia, pero como Assasins Creed es bastante floja.

    - Su mundo abierto naval es espectacular, puedes pasarte horas y horas navegando, combatiendo y cazando en el mar, para mi el barco, el combate naval y la jugabilidad del mismo es lo mejor y mas divertido de este titulo y donde personalmente invertí mas horas por pura diversión.

    - Las ciudades, islas y ambientación están muy logradas y gráficamente luce genial

    Para mi una mala continuación de la Saga Assasins Creed aunque como titulo Naval es excelente, el Assasins mas flojo hasta la fecha, con un protagonista soso, historia pirata interesante aunque no tenga nada que ver con los Asesinos, el barco y su jugabilidad lo mas divertido, le doy un 7 a este titulo.    … Expand
  79. Focaccia
    Mar 11, 2018
    10
    Assassin's creed IV is a masterpiece. The naval battles, the new addition to this game, are fast-paced, fun, and control really well. The main cities are also very detailed and are a joy to explore. The story is amazing, especially the ending, and the main missions are the most fun in the entire franchise with some typical AC missions and some new unique ones which are equally as fun.Assassin's creed IV is a masterpiece. The naval battles, the new addition to this game, are fast-paced, fun, and control really well. The main cities are also very detailed and are a joy to explore. The story is amazing, especially the ending, and the main missions are the most fun in the entire franchise with some typical AC missions and some new unique ones which are equally as fun. There are tons of side quests to distract you from the main quest, such as the assassination contracts, which are really fun to complete. The jumping and climbing mechanics are executed perfectly, i've never had any problems while climbing buildings. The wii u version has a map on the gamepad, which allows you to see where you are going without having to pause the game, a really useful touch. This is one hell of a game, and a must have for any assassin's creed fan.… Expand
  80. joe_g7
    Oct 31, 2018
    9
    The best Assassin's Creed game since Assassin's Creed 2. LOVED the sea battles.
  81. syandicate
    Jan 11, 2020
    7
    +Ship battles and boarding +Open world is huge
    +Story is medicore.
    +Characters are medicore -Side activities
    -Combat -Enemy AI
  82. Jyadaus
    May 6, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you think its a pirate game, its 10/10. If you think its a Assassin's Creed game, its 6/10.

    Main scenario is very bad. You are just following mans. Edward Kenway is sometimes copy of Ezio, sometimes Altair. And other characters are very bad. I don't remember any single of them. (Before finish the review i remember Adewale lmao)

    Also, we arent Assassin. And on last 2 sequence, we are playing as an Assassin. Funny fact?

    Openworld? Its really good. We can travel freely, we can fight freely. We can conquest castles, we can find treasures, we can do Assassin contracts. Best openworld on the AC series.

    Combat and parkour is really bad. We are killing an Assassin without any train of Assassin. Its like game is fighting and climbing automatic. Ubisoft thinks gamers are stupid. I really miss AC(I)'s combat and parkour systems.    … Expand
  83. Kvantaliani03
    Nov 20, 2021
    8
    rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
  84. Berik
    Jan 21, 2019
    7
    You remember when the best parts of Assassin's Creed 3 were the naval contracts instead of the story, missions, and you know... what makes it an Assassin's Creed game? Well it's kinda the same this time, only now we can explore and forget about the story all together.

    By surprise Ubisoft was already working on a game take incorporated the naval missions in a full blown game. Needless to    You remember when the best parts of Assassin's Creed 3 were the naval contracts instead of the story, missions, and you know... what makes it an Assassin's Creed game? Well it's kinda the same this time, only now we can explore and forget about the story all together.

    By surprise Ubisoft was already working on a game take incorporated the naval missions in a full blown game. Needless to say the reactions were very positive. But now with over 80 hours in the game, did it deliver on expectations?

    First off, this game shouldn't have been called Assassins Creed: Black Flag. All the Assassin story line missions are a big fat stain on the game. It would have been better if this was a stand alone pirate game. And unfortunately some content you need to upgrade your ship is locked in the story missions, so that's a bummer.

    But when you just go plunder ships, upgrade your ship and take forts you are going to have an awesome time! I highly recommend you completely ignore the story and just start shooting ships to become stronger and stronger.

    So all and all it is a good game. It's a shame the Assassin's Creed content taints it. I give it a 7/10.    … Expand
  85. All_ButTrU4
    Jul 27, 2022
    6
    Foundn this extremely difficult to get through which to be honest kind of made the game a frustrating chore . Otherwise tge graphics were as great as always and the story a beautiful complex thriller.
  86. vlad1233
    Jan 9, 2019
    10
    очень хорошая игра, она даёт насладится карибами и всей той эпохой в целом.
  87. Dingytheman
    Feb 28, 2020
    4
    Big map with little substance, most islands look the same and are very linear, the same goes for most other activities like hunting or diving, they are a copy/paste job with little dynamic. Weather feels too scripted and predictable as well. Story is boring with intrusive tutorials throughout.
    Fighting and naval combat were better in AC3, it's more arcadey in BF and animations are also a    Big map with little substance, most islands look the same and are very linear, the same goes for most other activities like hunting or diving, they are a copy/paste job with little dynamic. Weather feels too scripted and predictable as well. Story is boring with intrusive tutorials throughout.
    Fighting and naval combat were better in AC3, it's more arcadey in BF and animations are also a considerable downgrade as is the A.I and notoriety system. There's little incentive to explore as most treasure is auto converted to gold when there could have been some depth to the trading and far more interesting items and customization options, but it's like every other aspect about this game, it has no depth.
    There's some fun to be had but at heart it's little more than a superficial title with pretty graphics.    … Expand
  88. A7madAssassin
    Jul 18, 2020
    10
    This is my favorite Assassin's Creed game. Everything about this game is amazing
  89. Ashtar124
    Jun 23, 2019
    8
    Fantastic visuals and fun gameplay mechanics for the playstation 3 but a lot of glitches
  90. genarkandur
    Dec 2, 2020
    8
    If you want to travel in a big open world, participate in ship wars and assassinate some people this game is just awesome. I didnt have big expectations and now i am happy with what i get.
  91. drongodan
    Feb 27, 2020
    9
    Good graphics, great exploration. Fun missions. Story was a bit naff tho. Definite improvement over III
  92. ente2ente
    May 26, 2021
    9
    Good mix of seawar, 3rd person fight games, stealth game, action adventure, diving, RPG and a lot of beach and sun. I love freeing slaves and cooperating with female pirates. And those great ideas with the sleeping and berserker arrows for the blowtube, the treasure hunting and gathering. It's not perfect (after 70 hours I won't replay that much) but very very great. One of my favouriteGood mix of seawar, 3rd person fight games, stealth game, action adventure, diving, RPG and a lot of beach and sun. I love freeing slaves and cooperating with female pirates. And those great ideas with the sleeping and berserker arrows for the blowtube, the treasure hunting and gathering. It's not perfect (after 70 hours I won't replay that much) but very very great. One of my favourite games with Red Dead Redemption!… Expand
  93. Axelgu
    Dec 7, 2019
    10
    Um dos melhores jogos que joguei trilha sonora impecável,considero o melhor da franquia,a história é de cair com queixo,se você tiver oportunidade compre vai valer muito apena.
  94. Simoss13
    Aug 25, 2023
    9
    After many years I tried Black Flag as I was interested in the pirate theme. Luckily I was impressed.
    Coming into the franchise fresh I feel I'm missing some key points in the story that would of been through the games library arc but the main story of Edward was easy to understand and surprisingly interesting.
    I liked the open world nature of the game. Being so vast at the time would of    After many years I tried Black Flag as I was interested in the pirate theme. Luckily I was impressed.
    Coming into the franchise fresh I feel I'm missing some key points in the story that would of been through the games library arc but the main story of Edward was easy to understand and surprisingly interesting.
    I liked the open world nature of the game. Being so vast at the time would of been novel as only few games achieved this on 7th Gen hardware. The graphics are beautiful, except for the characters face, still hold up today. There are some minor frame drops, it's as bad as other titles with less impressive graphics.
    Music is fitting. My favourite is being on your ship sailing in the seas hearing your crew sing shanties, really builds the mood of pirate theme. I just find blending assassins/templars with pirates in the Caribbean a little jarring.
    The upgrade system is fair. However, I did find I had to do some grinding for the resources needed at times.
    The game is worth your time clocking about 45hours on the main story and extras. There is some critiques I have though:
    - The platforming can be janky causing some frustration. I did die a few times where the character was climbing instead of running (or vice versa)
    - The open world is refreshing, I didn't feel the world was exactly "alive" compared to games like GTA. So travelling to islands seem like "copy-paste" and takes some immersion away
    - Post the 3/4 mark, the games missions tends to repeat themselves too often    … Expand
  95. FidelGastro
    May 16, 2020
    8
    This game looks perfect. A freedom of moving, lot of sandbox things. But i feeled a bittersweet taste from this.
    I was dissapointed that its didnt continue in story of Desmond.
    Good humor in game.
    It could be way worse ... so 8/10
  96. Huriele
    Jun 1, 2020
    5
    In my opinion, this the best Assassin's Creed ever made.
    But, there are so many problems.
    The parkour Is Epic and Explore the map is really fun.
    But the story is s**t, as a s**t as the mission.
    Follow people in my opinion is not fun, Sorry.
  97. Josuesniper
    Jun 15, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Es uno de los mejores assasisn creed que se han creado con el 2 tiene una buen a historia un buen mundo abierto y sobre todo un increíble desarrollo de personaje… Expand
  98. Tarihcigamer
    Jul 3, 2020
    7
    Suikastçiler ve korsanlar kesinlikle birbirine zıt iki tema ve ne yazık ki Ubisoft bu iki zıt temayı birbirine uygun hale getirememiş. Zaten Assasin's Creed 3'ten sonra seriye son vermeleri uygun olurdu. Neyse, uzun lafın kısası: OLMAMIŞ.
  99. YigidOx2
    Feb 12, 2021
    8
    I guess Ubisoft didn't know that its engine was not suitable for multi-person battles at the time. There are a lot of bugs in the board thing, but it does. Also, Edward's story about going on this journey is ridiculous. Then they rescued it again with the events that developed. Also, did BlackBeard, a guest of legends, die this way? However, it is really a legend to drive a ship as youI guess Ubisoft didn't know that its engine was not suitable for multi-person battles at the time. There are a lot of bugs in the board thing, but it does. Also, Edward's story about going on this journey is ridiculous. Then they rescued it again with the events that developed. Also, did BlackBeard, a guest of legends, die this way? However, it is really a legend to drive a ship as you want on this large map.… Expand
  100. martinho_99
    Mar 11, 2022
    7
    I know everyone really likes Part 4 but there were so many aspects I did not like. For me this is the part where I started to be unable to retrace why someone must be killed.
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Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best PS3 Game of 2013
11
#11 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2013
15
#15 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. CD-Action
    Dec 13, 2013
    90
    All the distinguishing features of the series – the Templars, parkour and brutal assassinations – are here, but now they are not the core, they are just elements of the best pirate game ever, of a Red Dead Redemption at sea. [13/2013, p.52]
  2. Impulsegamer
    Nov 16, 2013
    90
    Black Flag is a remarkably new take on the series, and I would go as far to say it’s the finest entry we’ve seen to date.
    Read full review
  3. XGN
    Nov 15, 2013
    85
    With the new Assassin’s Creed we find ourselves in the Caribbean with a new main character called Edward Kenway. Black Flag focuses on the sea battles we saw in the third game and continues with this, with some new additions. Overall, you’ll be busy for a while – 40 hours, give or take – but the story isn’t that compelling.
    Read full review
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