Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2658 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,006 out of 2658
  2. Mixed: 448 out of 2658
  3. Negative: 204 out of 2658
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  1. dreadstone
    Sep 30, 2015
    0
    Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is undoubtedly the worst Assassin's Creed installment in the franchise.

    It saddens a long-time Assassin's Creed fan to see that so many pseudo fans and sham reviewers continue to praise this game incessantly, with the general claim that "Black Flag is great because being a pirate and sailing the ocean blue is awesome! A great pirate action-adventure    Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is undoubtedly the worst Assassin's Creed installment in the franchise.

    It saddens a long-time Assassin's Creed fan to see that so many pseudo fans and sham reviewers continue to praise this game incessantly, with the general claim that "Black Flag is great because being a pirate and sailing the ocean blue is awesome! A great pirate action-adventure game!" This is precisely why this game is rubbish — it's fraudulent. I bought this game knowing that I would have to be a pirate—and quite frankly didn't mind the idea of being one—but thinking that I would still predominantly be an Assassin, as the main title on the cover is "[Assassin's] Creed IV". I was wrong; the subtitle sadly has much, much higher precedence than the aforementioned main one; in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, YOU DO NOT PLAY AS AN ASSASSIN AT ALL. Neither from a story perspective or a gameplay one.

    Edward Kenway was marketed as a "A Pirate Trained By Assassins". That tagline is far and away deceitful and out of sync with the storyline and the real origins of Edward's skills. Let's just say that Edward's tenure as an Assassin is momentary at best. For nearly the entire duration of the game, you will be playing as a pirate, plundering ships as you will and fighting for a liberated Pirate Republic alongside prominent sailors of the Golden Age of Piracy. That's all fine and dandy... if you want to only play as a pirate in a game marketed under the franchise name "[Assassin's] Creed". Do not—I repeat DO NOT—expect to play as an Assassin in this Assassin's Creed title. See how oxymoronic that sounds? Well, that's precisely what Assassin's Creed IV is — a glorified and fraudulent oxymoron in the form of a video game.

    Despite the obvious focus on piracy and open conflict, a rudimentary, mock stealth system has been implemented to ensure that the game isn't a complete scam. You are equipped with an inadequate and poorly-designed stealth implementation, yet still expected to go through some missions undetected. This shoddy attempt to incorporate an Assassin experience is only further hindered by the abysmal level design, which clearly lends itself towards open conflict. Assassin's Creed IV's main missions are surprisingly more linear than its predecessors' and have little to no variation; you'll either be working as best you can with the horrendous stealth implementation while tailing or sneaking on land or recursively immobilizing and boarding ships on the high seas. Either way, you will be met with a slew of missions containing very little variation and even less focus on any variant of stealth whatsoever — that is to say that social stealth is well-nigh non-existent in this game.

    Edward Kenway is a nice addition and is quite a likeable character, in a one-dimensional way, however. He's likeable by virtue of being a prototypical pirate — greedy, rebellious and selfish. Besides also being one of the funnier Assassins in the series, that's really all there is to like about him. Edward severely lacks the substance of his Assassin forerunners (Altaïr and Ezio) and his story isn't even remotely an interesting one; it's more entertaining than it is compelling or inspiring. His character development has no pace and occurs at the turn of a dime towards the game's conclusion, and as such, felt rushed and forced more than anything. Overall, Edward Kenway is an enjoyable character deprived of the quality and substance that made his predecessors (chronologically; not including Connor) memorable.

    In conclusion, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is neither a good pirate or Assassin's Creed game, though the severe lack of the former seems to be a prominent reason as to why this game is being treated as the savior of the franchise. In truth, it is the ground zero of the series' demise, in which all following games will consist of repetitive open conflict and mundane stealth sequences; the death of [Assassin's] Creed and birth of [Fighter's] Creed, if you will.

    If you aren't a true fan of Assassin's Creed and want a primitive, pirating simulator rather than a stealth-orientated, assassination simulator, you will like this game.    … Expand
  2. Pirante
    Mar 14, 2017
    6
    First ever Assassins Creed game I'd played and I was both surprised (pleasantly) and disappointed. The game looks pretty despite being a last-gen game and was easy enough to get involved in and find joy. I liked going around destroying things, fighting, upgrading my ship, etc etc it's fun...but it gets repetitive. The main missions, in particular, are far more of a chore than a pleasureFirst ever Assassins Creed game I'd played and I was both surprised (pleasantly) and disappointed. The game looks pretty despite being a last-gen game and was easy enough to get involved in and find joy. I liked going around destroying things, fighting, upgrading my ship, etc etc it's fun...but it gets repetitive. The main missions, in particular, are far more of a chore than a pleasure and something you do laboriously to progress the game as opposed to being intrigued by the story.

    The open world aspect is were the game shines - I just wish it was a bit more expansive (i.e. possibilty of changing ships, more extensive upgrades, etc) - the main game is the boring part (collecting tons of pointless things, doing boring stealthy missions). I also found the controls to be far from perfect, lots of incorrect inputs or unwanted actions. The parkour aspect also malfuncions and glitches from time to time, not game breaking by any means, but frequent enough to grate.

    It is a decent game overall - the sad thing is the potenial it has - if this was realised we could be talking about an absolute classic. Instead it is a decent game but a near-miss - I picked my copy up during the black friday deals so paid less than US$10 - at that price it is worth a look - at full retail price I think probably not.    … Expand
  3. DanielCorfour
    Nov 26, 2013
    6
    Assassin's Creed 4: 90% pirate, 10% assassin. To see a summary of this review scroll to the end.

    Ubisoft went ahead and did the obvious. They took, the best part of Assassin's Creed 3, really the only really good part, and made a game out of it. Literally, they retrofitted the game engine used in the previous title into this a new game, while barely adding or changing anything. This    Assassin's Creed 4: 90% pirate, 10% assassin. To see a summary of this review scroll to the end.

    Ubisoft went ahead and did the obvious. They took, the best part of Assassin's Creed 3, really the only really good part, and made a game out of it. Literally, they retrofitted the game engine used in the previous title into this a new game, while barely adding or changing anything. This whole game felt like an AC 3.1, rather than a new title.. which, I wouldn't have had a problem with, if they would have fixed the problems that plagued AC3, or actually gave us a good, satisfying story, like AC2, but they didn't.

    Assassin's Creed wasn't particularly good when it came to game mechanics, AC1 and 2 were kind of bad actually, instead, it was built by it's amazing storytelling, beautiful setting, and wonderful soundtrack. I still listen to Ezio's Family by Jesper Kyd from AC2. That song brings back a kind of emotions that I rarely feel with games. AC4, however delivers only one of these, the setting. I'm going to start by criticizing the story itself. It's terrible. First off, it has nothing to do with Assassins, they barely make a cameo appearance, both inside and outside the Animus. The whole game revolves around pirates, and that wouldn't be a problem, if it was a good story. And it starts out good, but then it gets riddled with plot holes, poor writing, scenes that don't make sense, and although they stayed away from the obvious parrot cliches, they added a bunch of them story-wise. The story does make a few twists, but most of them you'll see coming a mily away, and most of them don't make sense. There is no main enemy in the game, and most of the things that happen in the game make no sense. And if you were expecting a great ending.. don't.. it is terrible. The only plot-twist you won't see coming in this game is the ending.. they drop it on you out of nowhere, just when you were expecting the game would truly begin, and then they hit you in the face with a poorly done cutscene, and leave you confused.

    Here's a tip, dear Ubisoft. A story, every story, follows 5 basic steps, not necessarily in this order: Exposition, Rising Action, Progression, Climax, Ending. The 4th is completely missing, and the fifth leaves you confused, when it should leave you satisfied.

    Then there are the actual missions in the story. Boring, repetitive and most of them don't make sense. All you do is follow this guy, eavesdrop on that guy. And on rare occasions you kill someone. Missions involving ships can be interesting, but at times they are the same boring "follow that ship" nonsense. In comparison with GTA 5, or Red Dead Redemption, where every mission was unique and intriguing, here they are boring, unimaginative and repetitive. The same goes for side missions. Assassinations, Naval Missions and Templar Hunts. All of them are basically the same. If you did one then you did all, there's no point in continuing. You play through it once, but you won't want to play through it a second time.

    What saves the game is the beautiful and huge open world game, the side activities(not missions) and the naval combat. The setting is really amazing, although some fans of the series will find it irritating that you won't visit cities that much, only a couple times, and they are small with not a lot of things to do, the setting just didn't allow for that. Most of the time you will do what the game is all about: pirating. Naval combat is really fun, and it's been expanded upon a lot.: you can board ships, capture them, steal their cargo and send them to your fleet, you can attack naval forts and capture them. You can use those resources to upgrade your ship and so on. There are also underwater places you can explore, but there are limited, and in comparison with GTAV, where there was an entire open-world you could explore, here there are only ten locations, but it still looks great, and avoiding sharks and medusas is great fun. You can also raid plantations, which are a ton of fun... basically the side activities are really great, and make this game enjoyable, even though the story brings it down.

    In summary, it looks like this game was made just so Ubisoft can make more money off of the ship mechanics in AC3. Combat and land based mechanics are basically the same as the previous game, although they did need changing and improving. The game engine is the same as it was in the third title, with very little improvement, or change, when it, again needed it. And all of this would not be a problem if the game offered a good story, but it doesn't. The story seems like an excuse to sell an adapted version of AC3, and the story is driven by the game mechanics, and not vice versa. Luckily the beautiful setting, graphics and excellent pirate game save the game and prop up the rating to a 6/10. You can't help but feel, if they only spent a little bit more time, and wouldn't pump out a game every year, it could've been an amazing game.    … Expand
  4. Matodox
    Sep 7, 2014
    3
    This game is so overrated, it's annoying. C'mon people, it's basically just a clone of AC3, same visual style, same gameplay, no new tricks, fewer less interesting weapons and of course the sailing, which we also got to see first in AC3. I really don't understand how so many people hate AC3 and just loves AC4. I get that many still mourn Ezio's departure from the series, but hey he isn'tThis game is so overrated, it's annoying. C'mon people, it's basically just a clone of AC3, same visual style, same gameplay, no new tricks, fewer less interesting weapons and of course the sailing, which we also got to see first in AC3. I really don't understand how so many people hate AC3 and just loves AC4. I get that many still mourn Ezio's departure from the series, but hey he isn't the only thing that matters. I love AC, i've played every game ever since it's introduction in 2007. My favorite of them all (besides AC2 because it was a vast improvement over the first in everything) is AC3. Why? Because Brotherhood only introduced 1 new thing, summoning assassin's, Revelations is probably my least favorite. In every game that followed AC2 they gave us maybe 1 new thing to do or weapon to attack and then took something else away. In AC3 everything changed, Connor's running/jumping/crawling style is the same as Edwards. The Tomahawk was badass my favorite. The 2 swords Edward has are the only thing different from Connor. He's basically Connor, just with plastic surgery and 2 swords. The graphics are really great, i have to say that. But overall it just isn't anything we haven't seen before, even the main story. I really miss Desmond btw, i think it's lousy we have to play as some random Templar, really makes it feel this franchise just became a moneymaking machine with no depth or anything. Can't wait till' ACU, that looks real innovative for a change.… Expand
  5. REfreakk55
    Jan 3, 2014
    3
    It's difficult to describe this game, if you look at it from the pirate aspect then no doubt you can see why this game is fun but when you look at it from the Assassin's Creed aspect, then this game is just a downright train-wreck, Where is the stealth? Why has this franchise suddenly become obsessed with pirates? Not to mention the poorly written storyline that they scribbled together forIt's difficult to describe this game, if you look at it from the pirate aspect then no doubt you can see why this game is fun but when you look at it from the Assassin's Creed aspect, then this game is just a downright train-wreck, Where is the stealth? Why has this franchise suddenly become obsessed with pirates? Not to mention the poorly written storyline that they scribbled together for this game, I personally think Ubisoft is just desperately trying to make this franchise all that and more and they are failing at it, but then again I gave it a 3 because when you play this game and forget the other Assassin's Creed games and their plots, then yes the game can be some-what enjoyable but to all the die-hard Assassin's Creed fans, like myself, I strongly recommend that you DON'T buy this game, it has become clear Assassin's Creed is turning into Call of Duty, expect another similar or below-average sequel next year from Ubisoft for the same 60 dollars you keep wishing you had back............… Expand
  6. rodericrinehart
    Jan 30, 2016
    7
    A fun action-movie romp, with too much focus in the animus, and honestly, a pirate game in an Assassin's Creed skin. Doesn't really utilize the power of the PS4 due to being on all the old consoles.
  7. hectorefz
    Jan 23, 2014
    5
    Es un buen juego con respecto a assassins creed 3, pero como el 3, tiene bugs. todavia no es posbile realizar los "eventos" para el trofeo y al parecer ubisoft se olvido de esto.
  8. gypsygib
    Dec 7, 2013
    10
    I some how manage to always play the yearly iteration of Assassins Creed games (gifts, bargain bin, borrow from friends etc.) and never find myself particular impressed by them solid 7/10 experiences.

    Black Flag, however, is not only an amazing AC game, it's an amazing game in general and strong contender for game of the year. One of the best open-world games I've played and simply a    I some how manage to always play the yearly iteration of Assassins Creed games (gifts, bargain bin, borrow from friends etc.) and never find myself particular impressed by them solid 7/10 experiences.

    Black Flag, however, is not only an amazing AC game, it's an amazing game in general and strong contender for game of the year. One of the best open-world games I've played and simply a fantastic Pirate game.

    I bought GTA5 and Black Flag at the same time and have been playing Black Flag exclusively. So far, my top games of the year are Last of Us and Black Flag. It even feels odd putting an Assassins Creed game in my top games of the year, but it really is a fantastic game all the gameplay mechanics are improved, the story is far more cohesive, and the world is vast and beautiful. Sure, your still doing a lot of the same tasks and side missions, but they somehow aren't drudge-fest like previous games due to the minor gameplay tightening. Even fighting carries the risk of dying this time around (if you don't upgrade your health).    … Expand
  9. aadms
    Nov 15, 2014
    8
    The story is on the level of the series best so far, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood. It' protagonist is by far the best in the series, however the game doesn't really have an antagonist to combat through the plot, unless you count the protagonist himself. Sadly, the gameplay and animations are from the clunky ACIII version, which can become frustrating when you're doing racing mission toThe story is on the level of the series best so far, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood. It' protagonist is by far the best in the series, however the game doesn't really have an antagonist to combat through the plot, unless you count the protagonist himself. Sadly, the gameplay and animations are from the clunky ACIII version, which can become frustrating when you're doing racing mission to capture someone, or trying to escape, and you get hung up on a wall or decide to crouch on a pole, allowing your enemies to freely shoot you or whack away at you with their swords. At least they toned down the number of enemies on the rooftops so that you can move through town without setting off a hornet's nest. Overall, when movements are performed flawlessly, it looks great. As far as the overall graphics, it's the best so far being in 1080p with no frame drops. The open world is the biggest, without being bored to tears, as you have fast travel, plenty of ships to meet an plunder, or castaways to save and islands to explore. I easily put in a hundred hours playing this. Pirate combat is tough at first because you need to speed resources and money to upgrade your ship. At the end of the game, my ship was not fully leveled up, but I was finally a terror on the seas that I was hoping for. (A good terror because you can't attack innocent vessels without going out of sync+all your assassin contracts are for evil, bad people who are slave traders, smugglers, and those who prey on the weak). Excellent voice work and music all throughout the game. The time I spent in Black Flag was very enjoyable because they hit the 18th century caribbean atmosphere perfectly. Just clean up the wonky combat and animated movement and this game would've been a ten.… Expand
  10. GrumpyReviewer
    Feb 12, 2014
    9
    I have played them all and I can say that - at least for me - although ACIV is more of the same it still manages to be a breath of fresh air. This game is sick! I absolutely love the pirate theme - which made me enjoy a game like Rise 2, for instance. Edward Kenway's story is very cool and interesting and he's the best assassin after Ezio; with a lot of charm and witty remarks, withoutI have played them all and I can say that - at least for me - although ACIV is more of the same it still manages to be a breath of fresh air. This game is sick! I absolutely love the pirate theme - which made me enjoy a game like Rise 2, for instance. Edward Kenway's story is very cool and interesting and he's the best assassin after Ezio; with a lot of charm and witty remarks, without mentioning his abilities as an unofficial assassin (would this be considered a spoiler?). And then there's the Caribbean sandbox... seriously, I could only play the naval part of the game and never conclude its story, really. It is that awesome. Fantastic graphics, soundtrack, gameplay, cast of characters and stuff to do. It is a perfect game of the the PS4 launch, since there are not many games available to play. You can stick with AC4 for months. It is a blast!… Expand
  11. intrepidis
    Jan 4, 2014
    7
    A good game, but could be better. Visuals: the sea, ships, towns and animals look great. The resolution and frame-rate are both impeccable. Although the character models are sharp and move great, I find the skin textures are too shiny to be believable. (Maybe I've been spoilt by Heavy Rain The Last of Us?) Audio: music is spot on, sound effects are great. Sailing the seas and listening toA good game, but could be better. Visuals: the sea, ships, towns and animals look great. The resolution and frame-rate are both impeccable. Although the character models are sharp and move great, I find the skin textures are too shiny to be believable. (Maybe I've been spoilt by Heavy Rain The Last of Us?) Audio: music is spot on, sound effects are great. Sailing the seas and listening to your crew sing sea shanties heightens the experience.

    Gameplay: At first I just wanted to get on a ship and sail to new islands, to explore on my own... But I found the game shepherding me too much and I had to fulfill its tasks, which was annoying. After a while the game opened up and I could explore as I wanted, but the thrill had kind of passed by then. (I'm probably being too harsh here.) Another thing is that big blue unbelievable walls (Animus style) appear telling you that you can't proceed in certain directions while in the current mission. I hate that. In fact, the whole Animus idea really destroys the illusion of the game (and previous Assassin Creed games). All Animus sections are boring... I just want to be a pirate. Anyway, you eventually find the strength to ignore all this nonsense.

    Summary: a lovely game, marred by some annoyances, but well worth a playthrough. The companion app (for your phone/tablet) is also brilliant.    … Expand
  12. gustavorios2
    Nov 23, 2013
    6
    great game! I really like the way assassins creed franchise evolved

    shame it DON'T SUPPORT 21:9 ASPECT RATIO like most of ubi games... that's a -1
    What the ultra-wide users do? play in a small screen on the center of the monitor?
  13. DSouls_guy
    Feb 6, 2014
    9
    I played the Xbox 360 version of AC4, and I just didn't get into it that much for some reason. but then I figured I'd give AC4 another go but this time on the PS4 and all I can say is that I'm blown away by the amount of details and realism the PS4 version threw at me. the PS4 version of AC4 didn't have single issue with frame rate drops or any other problems the last gen systems had. AC4I played the Xbox 360 version of AC4, and I just didn't get into it that much for some reason. but then I figured I'd give AC4 another go but this time on the PS4 and all I can say is that I'm blown away by the amount of details and realism the PS4 version threw at me. the PS4 version of AC4 didn't have single issue with frame rate drops or any other problems the last gen systems had. AC4 is played in native 1080p but i'm not sure how many frames it's getting. now if only Watchdogs would just come out.… Expand
  14. Edduk_77
    Feb 11, 2014
    9
    I don't know Why this is the 1st Assassins Creed game ive played but after this Im sure it wont be my last. This may have a bearing on my outlook to the game. From the moment I put the disk in the drive I was impressed with its presentation. The UI looks fantastic and the visuals throughout the whole game are impressive.
    As im new to the series the whole Abstergo Interludes are a bit lost    I don't know Why this is the 1st Assassins Creed game ive played but after this Im sure it wont be my last. This may have a bearing on my outlook to the game. From the moment I put the disk in the drive I was impressed with its presentation. The UI looks fantastic and the visuals throughout the whole game are impressive.
    As im new to the series the whole Abstergo Interludes are a bit lost on me and I find them pointless. I gather this part of the game ties in the previous ones? (im yet to complete the game too btw so im hoping these bits have some sort of story tie in by the end of the game)
    The controls are very intuitive and you soon get the hang of controlling your ship in battles as well as the hand to hand combat.
    One other thing Im impressed with, is the companion app. So while your not playing the game on the PS4 you can earn ingame cash using Kenways fleet. You can also use it as a map while playing which is very handy while looking for buried treasure!    … Expand
  15. jack2059
    Feb 6, 2014
    6
    Do not be fooled.
    I hated AC3, it was a buggy mess. But the lure of this beautiful looking open world pulled me in to the series again.
    And for the first few hours of this game, it feels like something special. Very fun ship combat, great exploring and a lovely colorful world. But then you are reminded, its just ANOTHER Assassins Creed. As the game moves on, you are on foot more and    Do not be fooled.
    I hated AC3, it was a buggy mess. But the lure of this beautiful looking open world pulled me in to the series again.
    And for the first few hours of this game, it feels like something special. Very fun ship combat, great exploring and a lovely colorful world. But then you are reminded, its just ANOTHER Assassins Creed.

    As the game moves on, you are on foot more and more often, and this is where the game falls apart.
    The 5 game old combat, could be done blindfolded. The variety offered in the form of different shaped/dressed enemies is plain annoying. A fat guy who throws a grenade, one who cant be attacked, one you have to counter. Its just so blurgh.
    Weapons are again pretty limited considering the depth early games had.

    Then add on the climbing and running aspects, as usual you will spend countless hours running up the wrong wall, jumping when you didn't ask it to.
    I write this review on the back of one of the oh so fun trailing missions, 2 minutes of slow walking, i ascend to a rooftop to kill my target, only for the game to jump on to one of his guards 5 meters behind him. 3 times i've centered my screen on him, watched him flash and flicker as he becomes my target, only for the game to decide otherwise.

    That point also brings up the mission design. Ubisoft, please stop thinking we enjoy walking slowly behind people for 5 minutes, only to be seen at the end and have to restart the entire thing.
    Or to eavesdrop on a conversation, and have to follow our target through a camp full of enemy men.
    Even Assassinate missions/contracts have become so mundane, no longer do you need to work a position and take guards out. Now just stand back and shoot a berserk dart at them and walk away.

    It would also be nice if Ubisoft didn't treat me like an idiot. I left my ship alone, i go to the mission, and suddenly my quartermaster is beside me, i leave the cut scene and he has vanished.
    I silently kill a target as he stops off at the first of a few areas, two bodyguards and a few area guards. I kill him from a haystack, and in the cut scene am then putting his clothes on, what happened to his guards?

    How in the world this series moves on from here i have no idea. The series was flat lining until they brought in ship travel, that helped to gloss over the old lazy boring gameplay. If they do indeed bring out another game this year, or even two like has been rumored (one for each generation of console), it needs to take the game in a crazy new way. But please, just let Creed die. Give us a new Prince of Persia.

    PS, i havent mentioned the story cause frankly, i have no idea what it is, and i dont care. The game is made in a way that you very rarely actually do story missions, you get distracted with collectibles and side missions and travelling so often.    … Expand
  16. bill_dep
    Jan 14, 2014
    10
    Το παιχνιδι ειναι υπεροχο απλα, ευτυχως δεν ειχε καμια σχεση με το απαισιο 3 και καταφεραν να μας μεταφερουν με τον καλυτερο τροπο τους πειρατες στο σπιτι μας !
  17. miszbreesz54
    Nov 28, 2013
    8
    AC IV is definitely an improvement from ACIII. ACIII was terrible! I care about Edward and I love the fact that he's not dull. I don't care much for the story, but I love the gameplay, the gameplay definitely makes that up for me. Battling other ships is amazing! I didn't think I would care for it, but I'm glad I was wrong. Guess what? There's actually STEALTH! There was no stealthAC IV is definitely an improvement from ACIII. ACIII was terrible! I care about Edward and I love the fact that he's not dull. I don't care much for the story, but I love the gameplay, the gameplay definitely makes that up for me. Battling other ships is amazing! I didn't think I would care for it, but I'm glad I was wrong. Guess what? There's actually STEALTH! There was no stealth whatsoever in ACIII and I'm glad that Ubisoft was smart enough to put it back in you'll really need it in this game. You're not a killing machine compared to Conner you're an actual ASSASSIN. Now the cons to the game are regenerating health and, again, only one button for free running. I hate regenerating health. I hate having to run away from battle just regain my health back, I prefer to have potions so I can heal right then and there. Free running.....I still don't like the one button, but since this game is nowhere near as buggy as ACIII I can tolerate it. Thank you Ubisoft for fixing most of the problems.… Expand
  18. Leandro36
    Dec 1, 2013
    7
    Story is weak and hard to follow at times, too many ship and tailing missions, but other than that it easily improves vastly from the other games and does everything other than the story much better.
  19. m0rb
    Nov 27, 2013
    6
    okay, let's get some things out of the way first...
    I am NO console fan-boy, not a cheerleader for PlayStation, nor for XBoX!
    I am a PC-gamer and a proud one, too... for that, my review is focussing on the differences between this "next Gen" and the good ole' PC. I'll write something about the game first in this part I and later in part II I'll say something about this PS4 version.    okay, let's get some things out of the way first...
    I am NO console fan-boy, not a cheerleader for PlayStation, nor for XBoX!

    I am a PC-gamer and a proud one, too... for that, my review is focussing on the differences between this "next Gen" and the good ole' PC.
    I'll write something about the game first in this part I and later in part II I'll say something about this PS4 version.

    I. (the game itself):

    I played ALL parts of the AC franchise and while I didn't like them all, I didn't hate all either.
    "Black Flag" is in my opinion the best AC yet!
    This is so, because they took what I loved about ACIII the most, sea-fights, and built their game around that, plus I absolutely adore pirates since I was a kid.
    The setting in the carribean is just great and while the islands are pretty small, this has the upside of the islands not overwhelming you with their sheer size.
    On the other hand, when in a sea-fight, it can be annoying when you crash with your ship into a sandbank, for there's yet another island in your way... ;)
    Anyway, LOVE the seafights and the "boat-play" and I LOVE how the world looks in this installment, with bright colors and a turquoise sea. Just beautiful!
    Normal combat is as dull as it has always been it's just always the same. Swing sword, wait for a chance to counter, then counter and kill your enemy that's it. But then again, hasn't it always been as dull as it is now? I think yes, it was always like this.
    Storyline is nice, from what I've seen until now I'm not yet through atm. Missions are, again, more of the same, which can be dull at some points and they should come up with more new ideas, IMO...
    But, on the gameplay itself, "AC Black Flag" is a solid game and I'd give it 8/10 points.

    Part II: the PS4 version...

    I own the game on my PC and now I visited a friend, who proudly wanted to brag with his new PS4, asking me, with a stupidly arrogant grin on his face, whether I'd had seen any game as beautiful as this ever before in my life.... unfortunately, I HAD TO tell him straight-out "YES!" OMG, yes! He wouldn't believe me that my version on PC looked better than his PS4 version not enough that I didn't even have a top-of-the-line graphics-card, for mine was mid-range and is almost 3 years old...
    So we kept on playing for an hour more and I took him to my home, where he could witness proof of the PCs advantage over his PS4.
    He didn't want to believe me, but when he actually saw proof of my not lieing, he almost teared-up! Yes, he really was about to cry.
    And as I had mentioned, I use a "Radeon HD 5850 Xtreme", an 2 year old reboot of an almost 4 years old GPU that runs OC, but lacks some functions of the newest GPUs and, as I said, it isn't even an expensive top-of-the-line graphics-card...

    Nevertheless, the graphics on PC even a mid-range PC, mind you!, the graphics look just better on PC!
    Everything is clearer, more crisp AND I run a game in AT LEAST 30 FPS, many games even in constantly 60 FPS...

    Apart from graphics, I didn't notice that many differences between PC and PS4 controls on PS4 were equally great on both systems, which leaves the PC on the throne of "great gaming experience", IMO.
    I honestly have hoped for this "next Gen" of consoles to finally become better than a decent PC (not top-of-tzhe-line, I must remind you!that consoles will NEVER achieve!), but, unfortunately, this "next Gen" is not quite there yet and even my "3 years old mid-range rig"(!) is still kicking this consoles ass!
    I hope that this has only been the case for the games aren't quite there yet, but then again, even if it really were for "AC BF" being one of the very first PS4 games that it could NOT beat my PC YET, I have to remind everybody sharing this hope that, in December I'm gonna buy an "enthusiasts" GPU (GFX 780 Ti), the best there is out there at the moment and with that, I don't think ANY of the next 3 years PS4 games could beat my PC then!

    on this particular PS4 version, I have to rate "AS: BF" only 4/10

    which leaves us with:

    game itself: 8/10
    PS4 version: 4/10

    OVERALL: 6/10    … Expand
  20. hemmo1986
    Jun 3, 2014
    6
    Assassin's creed: Black flag is interesting in the fact that, while giving the appearance of a fresh new,massive world, it becomes clear after a few hours of hands on time, that assassin's creed black flag is indeed just another game in the franchise with a new coat of paint.

    While the setting may have changed from European mainlands, to beautiful Caribbean island locations; the    Assassin's creed: Black flag is interesting in the fact that, while giving the appearance of a fresh new,massive world, it becomes clear after a few hours of hands on time, that assassin's creed black flag is indeed just another game in the franchise with a new coat of paint.

    While the setting may have changed from European mainlands, to beautiful Caribbean island locations; the game-play has widely remained unchanged. From the typical tail the NPC missions, to the unchanged combat mechanics, dated character animations, and physics.That' s not to say this game doesn't have its moments, because it certainly does.

    Sailing the high seas is extremely enjoyable, while also taking in the beautiful locations and activities the game has to offer.

    The new setting offers pretty oceans and islands, it really isn't that graphically outstanding.
    Quite disappointing really.

    This game is a fun and entertaining one, it just doesn't offer anything drastically new or innovating for the series. Being an assassin's creed game, you should truly know what to expect.    … Expand
  21. afrowe
    Nov 27, 2013
    9
    This is the new installment in the AC franchise, and it definitely lived up to its hype. The open-world feel to it is stunning, and it's fun even to just sail around and explore different islands. You'll never be bored, since it's packed with so much to do, such as finding buried treasure, harpooning whales/sharks, going diving, completing assassination contracts, and much much more.This is the new installment in the AC franchise, and it definitely lived up to its hype. The open-world feel to it is stunning, and it's fun even to just sail around and explore different islands. You'll never be bored, since it's packed with so much to do, such as finding buried treasure, harpooning whales/sharks, going diving, completing assassination contracts, and much much more. Visually, the game is amazing. It's definitely a step-up from AC3, and the open-worldness adds to a sense of excitement to even just get out there and see what you can do. The sailing has definitely been improved from AC3, and it can be very fun to do. On the other hand, the game falls victim to previous games' level scenarios, such as tailing people and eavesdropping on conversations. Even though sailing can be fun, it can also get tedious, especially considering how massive the map is. Thank God for fast-traveling, though. The game is often at its best when you're on land, which isn't exactly what the developers were going for when they had an idea for an open-world pirate game where you can sail the seas. Overall, a very good game, and definitely worth a purchase.… Expand
  22. Monkeyfingerjak
    Dec 2, 2013
    10
    The mixed reviews belie a very impressive game. It's open world is among the very best out there and the shear volume of side quests will keep you busy for months. Definitely worth picking up...
  23. tomoman
    Jan 5, 2014
    10
    Best game I've ever played, and for sure, with Captain Kenway, Ezio could finally go away. I didnt like Connor and Aveline much like Ezio, but Kenway is the best. Great game.
  24. vidapirate
    Dec 17, 2013
    10
    Nearly perfect, one of the funnest AC's yet! Definitely worth looking into. It sure has felt like an up and down roller coaster ride with these games, but this one hit a high note. Well made and super fun to play!
  25. ExpiredCodes
    Jan 20, 2014
    4
    At first this seemed like a game that could really be fun, but then after leaving the first city of the game the gameplay became boring and stale immediately. I rarely play it anymore because I get bored of it so quickly. I wouldn't recommend this to my friends either because the multiplayer, although seemed like it would be fun ended up being more repetitive gameplay over and over again.At first this seemed like a game that could really be fun, but then after leaving the first city of the game the gameplay became boring and stale immediately. I rarely play it anymore because I get bored of it so quickly. I wouldn't recommend this to my friends either because the multiplayer, although seemed like it would be fun ended up being more repetitive gameplay over and over again. Naval gameplay isn't as big as I thought it would be and free roam out sea is just the same thing, shoot cannon(s) until your enemy is weakened enough to board their ship or finish them off. While free roam on land is a bit better because of how you can approach different tasks, so much of the game asks you to sail that it makes me not want to play anymore. As for the graphics, the game looks suprisingly good for a cross-gen title with a few hiccups with character models and textures. But no matter how good this game looks it can't overcome the repetitive gameplay.… Expand
  26. SolarGaming
    Jan 1, 2014
    7
    Single Player:
    Gameplay: While the core features are still there the actual feeling of Assassins Creed, at least for me, is not there. The combat is simple, but a bit too easy. In the earlier Assassins Creed games when you were fighting a target you at least had a challenge in open combat, but here you take them out by countering once or twice and doing a quick slash, or stab to finish    Single Player:
    Gameplay: While the core features are still there the actual feeling of Assassins Creed, at least for me, is not there. The combat is simple, but a bit too easy. In the earlier Assassins Creed games when you were fighting a target you at least had a challenge in open combat, but here you take them out by countering once or twice and doing a quick slash, or stab to finish him. Naval combat is a blast and where this game really shines, it's innovative system where random events at sea, such as storms or a convoy, can infuriate you with wanting those 132 Kegs or so of Rum in the British Frigate, but you know you really can't take it at that strength. You really can't get any new ships, you pretty much just upgrade the Jackdaw (Your personal Brig) with more Broadside Guns, Hull Resistance, and etc. The story had some shocking moments and really touching character scenes that I won't spoil, overall the Single Player for Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag was really good, especially the story.

    Multiplayer: While I really didn't dive far in to the Multiplayer I played enough to get the gist of at least what most people will be doing on the game. Missing a HUGE opportunity the game didn't add a Navy Battle game mode to the Multiplayer, the retical didn't seem to function very properly seemingly going a little to the right, but of course this could just be my skill level in the Multiplayer. The level editor I couldn't get to work for me but it seems most people could. Overall the Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag Multiplayer was kind of disappointing.
    Overall:
    Likes:
    A Great Story, with great characters, and writing.
    Naval Combat was really innovative for the franchise.
    Ship Customization.
    Random Events

    Dislikes:
    Difficulty
    Multiplayer    … Expand
  27. masterjohnson1
    Jan 22, 2014
    8
    Never liked assassins creed untill now, thought I would get it so I had something else to play with my PS4.
    Never new I could have so much fun in a multiplayer match, Thats all I enjoyed from this game, the multiplayer. The story was ok but some of the mission got boring, everyone should try this out if not for the story then the multiplayer
  28. e1000io
    Jan 22, 2014
    9
    Había decidido abandonar la saga Assassin Creed por tediosa y repetitiva, pero esta ultima me ha vuelto a enganchar, un juegazo del que he disfrutado como hacia tiempo que no disfrutaba.
  29. Juelz2014
    Jan 29, 2014
    10
    I have played the first Assassin's Creed and it was pretty good. I played the second one and I couldn't get into it. Didn't even try the third one. When I got the PS4 I bought a couple games and one of them was this one. I am so happy I chose this game, it is so good. I like being a pirate and like that it's based in the Caribbean. The missions are pretty fun and the graphics are prettyI have played the first Assassin's Creed and it was pretty good. I played the second one and I couldn't get into it. Didn't even try the third one. When I got the PS4 I bought a couple games and one of them was this one. I am so happy I chose this game, it is so good. I like being a pirate and like that it's based in the Caribbean. The missions are pretty fun and the graphics are pretty good. I'm surprised the total score is only 7.8 it's worth more then that!… Expand
  30. RSJohn7293
    Feb 20, 2014
    10
    This was my first ever AC game, and it was amazing.

    Only thing I dislike is the need to add a trophy that requires you to spend countless hours grinding online to lvl 55 or I would of given it a 10.
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Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best PS4 Game of 2013
3
#3 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2013
4
#4 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. GamingTrend
    Apr 20, 2014
    90
    The PlayStation 4 version of the game is mechanically the same as the PlayStation 3 version, but the new engine is eye-poppingly awesome.
    Read full review
  2. Merlin'in Kazanı (Turkey)
    Jan 30, 2014
    83
    Ubisoft significantly improved the multiplayer side of things. Also, story takes you places.
    Read full review
  3. Thunderbolt
    Jan 4, 2014
    80
    It’s difficult to imagine Assassin’s Creed ever leaving the sea behind.
    Read full review
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