Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 922 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 723 out of 922
  2. Mixed: 96 out of 922
  3. Negative: 103 out of 922
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  1. sontopo98
    Sep 10, 2023
    4
    Never seen such a horrible game like this. Really horrible experience with the ships, very boring story. Def top 1 of the worst assassin's creed for me.
  2. M1sfiT
    Sep 3, 2023
    8
    Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!acbf
  3. FrankCreeper
    Jul 28, 2023
    8
    A beatiful sequel of Assassin's Creed 3 with a fantastic free roaming style....and a great setting of atmosphere and a beatiful story.Still worth it to play after a decade only one thing is bad the repetitive of combat system style P.S. (I Played both version of the game PS3/PS4 and XBOX360)
  4. Jerg4n
    Apr 7, 2023
    8
    One of the best pirate games ever made but not that great of an assassin game. The story is really good though, and the pirate aspects alone make this one of the best games in the series, for all the wrong reasons. They should've called it Pirate's Creed.
  5. lopuxilo
    Feb 11, 2023
    1
    Дерьмеще с невозможностью нормального сохранения. Такое ещё поискать надо.
  6. Jebuss
    Feb 1, 2023
    10
    Incredible game. Just don't go in wanting difficult combat mechanics. For those who complain about all the side things just don't do them.
  7. farrrullll
    Jan 27, 2023
    8
    Assassins Creed Assassins Creed Assassins Creed Assassins Creed Assassins Creed
  8. Lucaschavesz
    Jul 16, 2022
    10
    Jogo que mais me marcou. A imersão e o protagonista são simplesmente incríveis.
  9. TheGuzart604
    Feb 13, 2022
    10
    A MASTERPIECE S2, extremely amazing game, little cloying, addictive gameplay, memorable fights and improvement system, the best game I've ever played without a doubt.
  10. JJ2FAS4U
    Dec 28, 2021
    9
    Atmosphere: 9
    Enjoyment: 10
    Gameplay: 9
    Graphics: 8
    Music: 10
    Story: 8
    Total: 9.00
  11. grimreapersims
    Aug 31, 2021
    7
    ....................................................................................................................................................................................................blank
  12. CloudStrife05
    Aug 17, 2021
    10
    A drunken Pirate turned Assassin who is the grandfather of the protagonist and father to the antagonist in the previous game with being able to command a ship and have side missions with the ships based in the Caribbean? Bet your bottom dollar this is my fav. AC game there was, especially when it came out.
  13. memus
    Jul 13, 2021
    6
    The weakest one so far: Brotherhood's structure with hi-def version of Liberation's setting.

    The good: * Pirates! Everyone loves pirates. Also, their shanties are great. * Sailing the ship can be quite fun. Fight and plunder! * The side missions with treasure maps are great. * The weather changes were surprising. Both storms at sea and rainfalls at land were a nice change of pace.    The weakest one so far: Brotherhood's structure with hi-def version of Liberation's setting.

    The good:
    * Pirates! Everyone loves pirates. Also, their shanties are great.
    * Sailing the ship can be quite fun. Fight and plunder!
    * The side missions with treasure maps are great.
    * The weather changes were surprising. Both storms at sea and rainfalls at land were a nice change of pace.
    * It's less glitchy than AC3. Still, it's glitchy.

    The bad:
    * Edward is the weakest protagonist so far. And the overall story doesn't make much sense and is boring. In general, despite game's length all the characters seem hollow and disconnected.
    * The art direction is weak. All the cities and islands look the same. There is no great architecture. And the game doesn't uses colors in an interesting way. It's no Uncharted by any means.
    * Also, that's the first game where climbing is boring. There is no precision to it. And with the weak art direction, I was always confused what's climbable and what's not.
    * The Animus puzzles are bad. Maybe even worse than in ACR.
    * The soundtrack is copied from Pirates of the Caribbean and Game of Thrones
    * The achievements are a disaster. You need to play multiplayer and buy DLC to get them. Ubisoft, what?!    … Expand
  14. Nart566
    Apr 13, 2021
    8
    I feel like I am pirate. Open world is very big and amazing. Graphics are good for 2013. But Edward's combat mechanics aren't enjoyable It is simple and it looks weird. Story is so so but characters are very bad especially our enemies
  15. Nebraska619
    Feb 27, 2021
    5
    This game is pretty average. I loved the idea of the naval warfare mechanics which made the game sorta fun but the rest of the game just seems like a carbon copy. The combat is extremely easy to the point where i can take out 7 enemies without taking any damage. Then you give me a gun and smoke bombs and the game gets even easier. The bush takedowns and hay bale takedowns are way to cheapThis game is pretty average. I loved the idea of the naval warfare mechanics which made the game sorta fun but the rest of the game just seems like a carbon copy. The combat is extremely easy to the point where i can take out 7 enemies without taking any damage. Then you give me a gun and smoke bombs and the game gets even easier. The bush takedowns and hay bale takedowns are way to cheap because you can just continuously spam them and take out entire compounds in one bush. The story is ok but i got pretty bored of it because it is so stretched out that i lost focus after 20 minutes of playing. Trying to get all the collectibles is a pain cause there are just so many scattered around the 30+ islands. All of the islands kinda look the same but with just minor changes such as the way people talk or the flags on the walls. This game is below average and the only fun part is the naval warfare part.… Expand
  16. Hugeonpluto
    Feb 8, 2021
    9
    The best Assassin's Creed game out there. It's also one of the best games out there.
  17. Arya977
    Jan 10, 2021
    9
    Gameplay..............Great
    Graphics................Amazing
    Story.......................Good
    Score.....................Amazing
  18. LukasBoii
    Dec 18, 2020
    10
    Best Assassins Creed imo. Loved it when I played it on my XBOX 360 some time ago.
  19. punkmilitia
    Nov 24, 2020
    8
    TL;DR spoiler-free Review.

    Great story, good gameplay, the AI feels poor, still.

    Overall: 85
  20. Sean-M
    Jul 23, 2020
    7
    Really enjoyed being a pirate and all those sailing and raiding stuff. But the game itself is not really good with a bland story. This was the last ASSASSIN'S CREED that I have played.
  21. david01126
    Jul 1, 2020
    9
    One of the greatest Assassin's Creed game. They took out the best feature from AC3, and made it 10 times better. Edward is a brilliant character. The only bad thing I can talk about is the modern story.
  22. Z3pplin
    Jun 20, 2020
    3
    This game is just trailing missions, do not buy this, people dont know a good game like Resident Evil 4.
  23. SupahGualtah
    Jun 4, 2020
    10
    i love this series and loved this game gotta be honest havent played them in a while in fact this was the last one i played through but when people were sayin this was boring and all that to me this one was the best of the bunch gameplay wise okay. they were actually getting better with each one. gotta get me the pc vers of this too and play on ultra
  24. Totemic
    May 29, 2020
    10
    Unbelievable how much fun this game can be, the main missions are some of the best I've ever played with lots of variety, with a great story of course, and then all the side content gives you plenty more to see. Stunning graphics that pull you into the world and leave you wanting more (gonna play freedom cry next!)
  25. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    9
    Played on XBOX 360.
    Gameplay: GREAT.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GREAT.
    Dialogue/Voice Acting: GREAT.
  26. brendo214
    May 21, 2019
    8
    Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is easily my favorite Assassin's Creed game. The combat, which super simple when you break it down, is tons of fun and super satisfying.
  27. Nandokan
    Jan 23, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Cuando lo anunciaron ya lo esperaba con ganas,una temática que me encanta y las batallas navales,parece que aprendieron del 3 y lo mejoraron todo, sin duda uno de mis favoritos,además Edward Kenway me parece sublime,tiene una evolución a lo largo del juego brutal,como un hombre que lo tenía todo lo abandona por un sueño y lo vuelve a perder todo de manera drástica,se hunde y resurge de sus cenizas mas fuerte que nunca,lo dicho...sublime.… Expand
  28. Kross466
    Dec 19, 2018
    9
    Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is one of the best Assassin's Creed games, because of many pros, like the story, the battleship system, the stealth system and the upgrading system.
    The story of the game is my favorite of all Assassin's Creed games, the intersection of the old days with the pirates and "nowadays" with the Abstergo trying to acquire all informations about the assassins    Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is one of the best Assassin's Creed games, because of many pros, like the story, the battleship system, the stealth system and the upgrading system.
    The story of the game is my favorite of all Assassin's Creed games, the intersection of the old days with the pirates and "nowadays" with the Abstergo trying to acquire all informations about the assassins stories, is just rad!
    The battleship system is exciting, your pirate ship attacking other ships imposing fear and submission to the black flag, it's just amazing!
    The stealth system is one of the best I have ever seen before, not like the stealth of The Elder Scrolls 5.
    The updating system make all sense and is equilibrated among the player and NPC's.    … Expand
  29. Andremax
    Sep 10, 2018
    9
    The game is simply different to predecessors in AC's franchise. AC IV is full of things to do, too many secondary missions, giant map to explore and traces of RPG, beyond playability got better. Story is not too captivating, it would said weak, but just for the fact being changed in relation past games, its a worthwhile game.
  30. YASIFAIZI
    Jan 19, 2018
    10
    Assassins Creed Black Flag is masterpiece
    its have big open world full of things to do, side activity to complete, animals to hunt and use it for armor or weapons,
    big fishes to kill on water, explore under the water, upgrade your ship, destroy templers outposts and many more things aside of that it have great story, awesome game-play, and beautiful graphics for any platforms. i highly    Assassins Creed Black Flag is masterpiece
    its have big open world full of things to do, side activity to complete, animals to hunt and use it for armor or weapons,
    big fishes to kill on water, explore under the water, upgrade your ship, destroy templers outposts and many more things
    aside of that it have great story, awesome game-play, and beautiful graphics for any platforms.
    i highly recommend this game for every one.    … Expand
  31. Snowertx64
    Jan 7, 2018
    8
    Assassins'Creed IV: It is a game Developed by Ubisoft, Being the sixth installment of the main saga

    History: That tells The story Edward Kenway a pirate of the era of the Reconquest of the Caribbean, although the story is well built and filled many gaps in the vacuum of the saga, I can not stop thinking that It could have been more and during the Most of the game, I did not feel what    Assassins'Creed IV: It is a game Developed by Ubisoft, Being the sixth installment of the main saga

    History: That tells The story Edward Kenway a pirate of the era of the Reconquest of the Caribbean, although the story is well built and filled many gaps in the vacuum of the saga, I can not stop thinking that It could have been more and during the Most of the game, I did not feel what they wanted to tell me But that's why it's much more heartbreaking The end, Edward realized that despite all his effort to return home he just realizes he has a daughter and that his woman died, along with all her companions, if the story conveyed her message as it should give her a 10 but does not pay attention until the last minute

    Gameplay: I'm not going to overreach, The gameplay on land is almost the same as previous deliveries but adds the maritime component that is a good plus since almost all the game happens at sea, but we know that it is ubisoft and there is always some bugs in my case were not very important but they were somewhat annoying

    Music: Even though I do not stay for the memory as a legendary melody, I'm not going to say that they were not interesting, they transmit a story normally about their protagonists and that's appreciated

    Art: The art is beautiful and The truth gives the sensation of being in our own Caribbean game field But it seemed to me that they should vary a little more the landscape between the small islands

    Final Note: History: 8.5

    Gameplay: 7

    Music: 8.5

    Art: 9

    Final Score: 8.25    … Expand
  32. ladygaga93
    Aug 17, 2017
    10
    My first game from AC. Black flag is very good game, gold area of piracy, beatiful Carabbean Sea, nice mature story without happy ending. Very good graphic on xbox 360, nice soundtrack and also swimming by boat on the sea, finding treasure, secrets map, side missions. I think it was the best game on xbox 360 since i play on this console.
  33. AstralAssassin3
    Dec 11, 2016
    7
    Well this is a bit weird. A fan favourite in the series, I personally found it to be the weakest assassin's creed game yet. Did I have fun though? Hell yes:

    Pros: -Beautiful graphics and soundtrack -Awesome kill animations -Naval combat/boarding ships is easily the best part of the game -Good amount of weapons -Cool setting -Good amount of historical characters -Gargantuan sized    Well this is a bit weird. A fan favourite in the series, I personally found it to be the weakest assassin's creed game yet. Did I have fun though? Hell yes:

    Pros:
    -Beautiful graphics and soundtrack
    -Awesome kill animations
    -Naval combat/boarding ships is easily the best part of the game
    -Good amount of weapons
    -Cool setting
    -Good amount of historical characters
    -Gargantuan sized map with heaps of content

    Cons:
    -The story has little to do with assassins
    -Edward is a pretty selfish and weak character, despite having some good moments
    -Too many tailing missions
    -Tailing missions..... in boats. For gods sake no.

    In the end:
    -Story: 6/10
    -Gameplay: 8/10
    Graphics/sound design: 8/10
    Overall: 7/10

    Note: The 7/10 rating is judging it as an assassin's creed game.

    If I was judging it as a pirate game it is an easy 8/10. But as an assassin's creed game, it falls short.    … Expand
  34. GuilhermeO
    Oct 15, 2016
    9
    O melhor que o jogo tem a história incrível de Edward, um cara que apareceu na frente de templários do nada e chego causando, jogabilidade boa e com missões secundárias que chegam a ser mais complicadas do as da campanha( como derrotar os navios lendários), e claro com o realismo de sempre da saga do jogo com a presença de barba negra e vários outros piratas e corsários que tocaram oO melhor que o jogo tem a história incrível de Edward, um cara que apareceu na frente de templários do nada e chego causando, jogabilidade boa e com missões secundárias que chegam a ser mais complicadas do as da campanha( como derrotar os navios lendários), e claro com o realismo de sempre da saga do jogo com a presença de barba negra e vários outros piratas e corsários que tocaram o terror no Caribe. Só não dou 10 por que tem algumas coisas sem sentido na história como cabeças azuis voadoras.… Expand
  35. rsulliva
    Jul 7, 2016
    9
    The best game in the franchise. The game's unique settings of being a pirate and an assassin make it my favorite game for a long time. A player virtually plays two games: the common assassin role, and as a pirate with incredible amounts of incentive to keep playing and upgrading your ship. Their also cool additions such as hunting, harpooning, and underwater diving for treasure chests. OneThe best game in the franchise. The game's unique settings of being a pirate and an assassin make it my favorite game for a long time. A player virtually plays two games: the common assassin role, and as a pirate with incredible amounts of incentive to keep playing and upgrading your ship. Their also cool additions such as hunting, harpooning, and underwater diving for treasure chests. One doesn't necessary love the main character as he is incredibly self-interested, but other than the slight lacking of a true story line, this game is amazing.… Expand
  36. Jenkmeister
    Mar 4, 2016
    9
    I occasionally dip my toe in and out of the Assassins Creed franchise, a casual fan of the series at most. I was pleasantly surprised by this addition to the series, one of my least favourite parts of my previous endeavour into the Creed (Assassins Creed III), was the sea segments, I always felt the sea combat was lacking something, However Black Flag grabs this aspect by the horns,I occasionally dip my toe in and out of the Assassins Creed franchise, a casual fan of the series at most. I was pleasantly surprised by this addition to the series, one of my least favourite parts of my previous endeavour into the Creed (Assassins Creed III), was the sea segments, I always felt the sea combat was lacking something, However Black Flag grabs this aspect by the horns, updates and seamlessly combines it with the hand to hand combat element of the series, which is the main staple of previous games.

    You will become truly immersed in the golden age of piracy, with a vast open world, populated with genuinely interesting characters coupled stellar voice acting (Ralph Ineson "Finchy" of "The Office" fame, being one of the most notable).

    My only major gripe, would be of the modern day "missions", in which you play the role of a silent, manipulated Abstergo Entertainment employee. These segments are certainly lacking and don't really have much weight, just serve as an inevitable mundane segway between different sequences, This was something that was done somewhat well in previous games, but not here.    … Expand
  37. callumjsouth
    Nov 8, 2015
    8
    Black Flag takes the freedom of Assassin's Creed III and improves upon it in every way. Naval combat is now fully cemented into the roots of the gameplay and is a joy to behold. Plundering the West Indies makes for fantastic entertainment and combat is rich here too. The multiple settings in Black Flag are the most tropical yet. Havana and Nassau have a distinct beauty and charm and it'sBlack Flag takes the freedom of Assassin's Creed III and improves upon it in every way. Naval combat is now fully cemented into the roots of the gameplay and is a joy to behold. Plundering the West Indies makes for fantastic entertainment and combat is rich here too. The multiple settings in Black Flag are the most tropical yet. Havana and Nassau have a distinct beauty and charm and it's wonderfully refreshing to not be trapped within one city in an AC game, freedom is everything here. However as free as you are, you are not free from yet another tepid story that lacks any really backbone. The playable protagonist is likeable though and this leads to you having some sort of investment in the outcome of his tale. Again I was fascinated to be in the presence of real historical characters. Franklin last year, Blackbeard this year. Not since Brotherhood have I found few flaws with an AC game. Black Flag is a brilliant adventure in the West Indies rich in naval combat which is led by a likeable protagonist who is able to successfully tie up the Kenway story.… Expand
  38. Bo33y
    Sep 9, 2015
    8
    A solid game with many hours of game play, they took most of the best out of the many assassin games and put it into this one. Although possibly debatable if it is better then the second assassin Italian game, a matter of preference.

    A few gripes; The game is easy.. The wanted level should have stuck, until lowering it, not from de-syncing, possibly also causing a loss of cargo if    A solid game with many hours of game play, they took most of the best out of the many assassin games and put it into this one. Although possibly debatable if it is better then the second assassin Italian game, a matter of preference.

    A few gripes; The game is easy.. The wanted level should have stuck, until lowering it, not from de-syncing, possibly also causing a loss of cargo if from de-syncing. The naval combat in the previous game was often much harder and timed. I agree there are some exceptions, but a few upgrades later, invicibly it becomes an exercise in really simple repetition. Even those legendary ships are easily mortared using speed at a range for their easy sinking. In naval combat there shouldn't have been any quick repairs via boarding until after combat, making combat a lot easier. There is far to much pointless assimust, low value chest, and some other craft that will never get used. I agree sometimes some of these collectibles provide other challenge with their exceptional customization. However those many sandbars with that single assimust fragment, or some cheap chest are more often just annoying. When playing the fleet side mini mission naval routes game, I really don't want to wait for them all to come home and get emptied, before later selecting just how I want to arrange my fleet. I wanted to hold stock of ships, within storage, choosing how to later customize my fleet. Who designed the awful sim city in the Assbergo HQ, the traffic on those roads is colliding into each other. Please make a separate run button outside of the free run button, I really don't want to be climbing walls every time I sprint.

    Overall a really solid 8. This game is very enjoyable and fun it contains mostly everything wanted within a better game, containing a lot of customisation and problem solving, using great graphics, characters and gameplay. Although it soon can become quite easy and repetitive..    … Expand
  39. thelion71
    Aug 28, 2015
    8
    Scores first:
    Graphics 8.5/10
    Sound 9.5/10
    Story 10/10
    Game play 9/10

    A worthy addition to the series though lacking in the depth that AC2 set. Totally saves itself with PIRATES and fun ship combat.
  40. Mazmorrero47
    Jun 23, 2015
    8
    t took a while to grow on me, but overall, it's a great game, and an out of the box experience for Assassin's Creed from a storytelling standpoint. The Mayan ruins are among my favorite levels in any videogame.
  41. Termin8ter
    Jun 14, 2015
    9
    Assassin's creed IV: Black Flag is a joy to play from start to finish. Being a pirate in the Caribbean has never been so much fun. The gameplay is very smooth and easy to learn just like the previous Assassin's creed games. Combat is way improved over the previous Assassin's creed games too. The graphics are also amazing to look at and full of detail. There are also some fun puzzles youAssassin's creed IV: Black Flag is a joy to play from start to finish. Being a pirate in the Caribbean has never been so much fun. The gameplay is very smooth and easy to learn just like the previous Assassin's creed games. Combat is way improved over the previous Assassin's creed games too. The graphics are also amazing to look at and full of detail. There are also some fun puzzles you can do to earn a ton of cash to buy more weapons and upgrade your ship. The soundtrack is simply amazing and very cleverly done. This is a must-buy.… Expand
  42. XRaidenX
    May 3, 2015
    10
    This game is cool at the start. Yes, really fun. But, after 4 hours of gameplay, you rather go to sleep them keep sailing to upgrade your ship. The sea battles are fun only at the start, them they get boring, and everything you do in the sea goes the same way, the only really good moments are the ones with the assassin is on the land. It's not a game that is going to entertain you from theThis game is cool at the start. Yes, really fun. But, after 4 hours of gameplay, you rather go to sleep them keep sailing to upgrade your ship. The sea battles are fun only at the start, them they get boring, and everything you do in the sea goes the same way, the only really good moments are the ones with the assassin is on the land. It's not a game that is going to entertain you from the start to the end.… Expand
  43. vonzuchter
    Apr 27, 2015
    8
    I liked it... its the first assasins creed title I play.. I played it cause it was free on xbox live gold on the 360. Smart move cause now I'm definitly byuing more games of this franchise. Great game.
  44. PsychoShane
    Apr 27, 2015
    8
    Assassin's Creed 4 may have the most interesting and expansive open world in any Assassin's Creed creed game, but the adventure element of number 2 is missing a little bit because of '100% checklist formula' that plagues it.
  45. Watty9923
    Apr 19, 2015
    10
    Absolutely loved this game. This is truly an Open World and there is plenty to do. The seafaring steals the show from the main story. The atmosphere when sailing is truly amazing. This is a Must buy
  46. PlayaPozition
    Apr 18, 2015
    8
    Ok so before i jumped off the roof i loaded this up on my blue Xbox 360 [with custom plexiglass case and LED's] So this game is way better than AC:3 is a lot of ways and also a lot bigger [but nowhere near as big as my penis, please don't hate] . Also my girlfriend said she liked to have even more sex while i played this game because she liked the idea of me being a pirate? I eat moreOk so before i jumped off the roof i loaded this up on my blue Xbox 360 [with custom plexiglass case and LED's] So this game is way better than AC:3 is a lot of ways and also a lot bigger [but nowhere near as big as my penis, please don't hate] . Also my girlfriend said she liked to have even more sex while i played this game because she liked the idea of me being a pirate? I eat more tacos while playing this. Also i saved that hoodrat from the castle. P.S. Pwn the sharks my girlfriend loves me. Gotta go =)… Expand
  47. GuywiththeGames
    Apr 5, 2015
    8
    YEAH! Pirates! Treasure! Adventure! Assassins! Everything is fun in this game. I love it. Its one of my favorite games. But, it cant get a higher score because of some boring stealth sections and glitches.
  48. YeaBoi
    Jan 28, 2015
    6
    Good game, but gets boring before you finish. It's a good Pirate Sim, definitely the best I've played. But MAN the sea battles get dull. The same 30m by 30m by 40m battle arena every single time. Every-single-time.

    Assassinations aren't special. Land on a guy from a building and run. Or shoot him from a distance. Big whop! Nothing new since the Original Assassins Creed in    Good game, but gets boring before you finish. It's a good Pirate Sim, definitely the best I've played. But MAN the sea battles get dull. The same 30m by 30m by 40m battle arena every single time. Every-single-time.

    Assassinations aren't special. Land on a guy from a building and run. Or shoot him from a distance. Big whop!

    Nothing new since the Original Assassins Creed in terms of land-game play and combat (easy to kill 25 guards, and no real consequence).

    Trade system is terrible, which largely detracts from the Pirate Sim experience.

    Basically be prepared to like this game for the first 10hrs, and then put it down due to boredom after that,    … Expand
  49. DragonEffect4
    Jan 19, 2015
    9
    By far the best AC game there is, right up next to AC2. The game is vast and exploration is addictive. Naval combat is perfected with challenging yet pretty rewarding battles. There is much to upgrade: a ship, yourself, and a homestead. The plot is slightly more lighthearted than the rest of the AC games but it still does pull at your emotions and has an ending that closes things up in aBy far the best AC game there is, right up next to AC2. The game is vast and exploration is addictive. Naval combat is perfected with challenging yet pretty rewarding battles. There is much to upgrade: a ship, yourself, and a homestead. The plot is slightly more lighthearted than the rest of the AC games but it still does pull at your emotions and has an ending that closes things up in a great way. The only problem with the xbox games is that the Aveline DLC isn't being release on them, other than that it the game is definitely worth a play, AC fan or not.… Expand
  50. spikeq
    Dec 12, 2014
    9
    After 2 rather disappointing games, Ubisoft finally gets it right. This is a very fun, plenty to do game with a lot of great characters, most of which are based on real people e.g. Blackbeard, Black Bart, Mary and Anne. Most of your time is spent on the sea as a pirate but NOT an assassin. The outside world story is not very interesting and the game can become repetitive, but the game moreAfter 2 rather disappointing games, Ubisoft finally gets it right. This is a very fun, plenty to do game with a lot of great characters, most of which are based on real people e.g. Blackbeard, Black Bart, Mary and Anne. Most of your time is spent on the sea as a pirate but NOT an assassin. The outside world story is not very interesting and the game can become repetitive, but the game more than makes up for it.… Expand
  51. Aidgrand
    Nov 28, 2014
    4
    This game did not feel like an assassin creed game,sure the gameplay is fine and the visuals are above mediocre but I just didn't enjoy it as I was expecting an assassin creed game,not a pirate simulator.I didn't enjoy naval combat in the third game and didn't here eventhough I do realize that it is better than the assassin creed 3 naval.If, it was a different title and not under theThis game did not feel like an assassin creed game,sure the gameplay is fine and the visuals are above mediocre but I just didn't enjoy it as I was expecting an assassin creed game,not a pirate simulator.I didn't enjoy naval combat in the third game and didn't here eventhough I do realize that it is better than the assassin creed 3 naval.If, it was a different title and not under the assassin creed name,I would consider a fairly good game… Expand
  52. Unladenswallow0
    Nov 18, 2014
    10
    LEAVE HER JOHNNY LEAVE HER! This game took my conceptions about what an assassin's creed game should be and literally shoved them up my ass. To be honest this is probably one of the best games ive ever played, the visuals are amazing, the open world something to be experienced, the naval combat is vastly improved on ACIII to the extent where they could make an entire game out of it (whichLEAVE HER JOHNNY LEAVE HER! This game took my conceptions about what an assassin's creed game should be and literally shoved them up my ass. To be honest this is probably one of the best games ive ever played, the visuals are amazing, the open world something to be experienced, the naval combat is vastly improved on ACIII to the extent where they could make an entire game out of it (which they have, and assassin's creed Rogue is awesome too).

    The environments were stunning, palm trees waving, crystal blue waters, storms and lightning, rogue waves and pirate hunters. Ive never actually played a game that made me want to quit my job and go off and sail the seas, catch a whale, run through trees after song sheets and jump into floating yellow orbs in the sky.

    If you havent played this game, then you are a sailor and dont need to. If you arent a sailor then play this game you bloody land-shark. Get out there, buy this game, become a god damn sea god and SET SAIL, Y'ALL **** NEED THE SEA!    … Expand
  53. ziggiekitty
    Nov 15, 2014
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game ok and not lived up to AC exspectation. 1st the story holy god i forgot what happened in most the story it was boring and missed a few oprotunites like when mary and other girl said they were pregnent anyoyed me alot it should of been just a lie ti get them out jail insted they were telling the truth. 2nd the world is mostly water and the land that is there is small or medium sized. But i did like the small secret islands are fun also the underwater missons are realy cool and i dyed ALOT because it looks realy good. 3rd graphics wich hasent chaned alot it looks like ac3. 4th equitment The wepons selection is very small i only chaned my gun 2 times and sowrd 4 but you will be ok by the middel of the game. The eqitment has inproved just a littel bit from sleep darts bezerk darts wich both can be Extreamly useful. 5th the sea battels are easy at times but just a littel the rest of the time it realy challenging and fun at the same time but the final conlusin is that the story is forgetibel and the world is just ok not Amazing like every one says it but the game is ok and thats final… Expand
  54. Dylanwarrener
    Nov 14, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a great game...But I cant seem to get the elite barrel plan? It says i've only found 20/22 chests even though when I go on my map and search all the different islands, everything has been done including chests. I've went to the place where the plan is but the chest is already opened? even though I apparently havent got it? Pisses me off as I cant complete the game now, the only other thing I can do is start again but i shouldnt have to do this! but is it going to happen again?? I dont know...but I'm not willing to play the whole game again just for them two chests...Needs sorting out!!!!!!!!!!… Expand
  55. BigTx1
    Nov 12, 2014
    10
    A very good game in all departments. I have got the game to 94% completion, only things outstanding are a few multiplayer bits.

    If you have not tried this franchise before this would make a great entry point as it is slightly disengaged from the previous stories, although there are some flashbacks. If you are reading/making the negative reviews with regards to it being repetitive /    A very good game in all departments. I have got the game to 94% completion, only things outstanding are a few multiplayer bits.

    If you have not tried this franchise before this would make a great entry point as it is slightly disengaged from the previous stories, although there are some flashbacks.

    If you are reading/making the negative reviews with regards to it being repetitive / the same as all the previous games, then don't bother playing Assassin's Creed games! Surely now after 6+ games you get the idea of the basic premise of the game, its controls and general feel.

    IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE THE PREVIOUS ONES DON'T BOTHER BUYING THIS ONE!!! SIMPLE!!!    … Expand
  56. misterduck
    Sep 14, 2014
    3
    The setting is great, but gameplay-wise it's more or less the same than Assassins Creed 3. Same sounds, same game mechanics, same sounds, same enemies, same missions, same collect-everything and get a new uniform for it.

    I don't even care about graphics, the Caribbean is put in scene very nicely and for "last-gen" this is pretty good looking! Character models are great and the whole    The setting is great, but gameplay-wise it's more or less the same than Assassins Creed 3. Same sounds, same game mechanics, same sounds, same enemies, same missions, same collect-everything and get a new uniform for it.

    I don't even care about graphics, the Caribbean is put in scene very nicely and for "last-gen" this is pretty good looking! Character models are great and the whole scenery, jungle or ocean feels very alive.

    What I care about that nothing has changed or is new. Some things are even worse than before, like the fights, they don't feel as "raw" as in AC3, it's just smashing buttons and get your kill. Naval battles are the same as in AC3, the only change in being able to board enemy ships. Which gets very repetitive after a short wile. Smart tactical elements like the chain canon balls have been left out.

    As a DLC Black Flag would have been great, as a stand-alone game it is very disappointing since everything in the game is well-known.    … Expand
  57. whats_this
    Aug 29, 2014
    1
    Wow. First off, let me say that this is not just the worst Assassin's Creed game, but one of the worst games I have ever played. Do NOT listen to all of the positive hype about this game. They are obviously coming from the people who made the game. I am so glad I bought this after it dropped below $20. Here's a few observations:

    1. Bad story-line, terrible characters. (REALLY BAD)    Wow. First off, let me say that this is not just the worst Assassin's Creed game, but one of the worst games I have ever played. Do NOT listen to all of the positive hype about this game. They are obviously coming from the people who made the game. I am so glad I bought this after it dropped below $20. Here's a few observations:

    1. Bad story-line, terrible characters. (REALLY BAD) It really makes AC III look amazing.
    2. I played several hours through, only to end with an anti-climactic scene and boom, credits roll. It will catch you off guard.
    3. SAME missions over and over. So boring.
    4. Nothing makes sense about this game at all.

    It is crap. Don't buy it. This was easy money for Ubisoft, and they had to do nothing. Shame on you for destroying what could have been a good game.

    Sadly, I don't think I will buy another AC game- off to Ebay I go.    … Expand
  58. CtheKid
    Aug 22, 2014
    9
    This is a great game. It isn't my favorite in the series, but looking passed my bias towards Assassin's Creed 3 and Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, it truly is an interesting and exciting twist on the franchise, where as Edward is more drawn to money and wealth than to finding ancient artifacts. His pirate nature blends nicely with the assassin ways, and wielding dual swords is more thanThis is a great game. It isn't my favorite in the series, but looking passed my bias towards Assassin's Creed 3 and Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, it truly is an interesting and exciting twist on the franchise, where as Edward is more drawn to money and wealth than to finding ancient artifacts. His pirate nature blends nicely with the assassin ways, and wielding dual swords is more than satisfying. This is a great installment in the Assassin's Creed series, and a massive amount of fun overall.… Expand
  59. TheRoyalMelon
    Aug 3, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I played the whole Assassin's Creed series right from the beginning and sadly i have to say that this one was the weakest (besides AC Revelations). Now, this was not a bad game! You had a lot of things to do, with a open world and graphics which were blowing your mind for the size of the world and amount of animations. I was sailing on the water without thinking about how long I will do that, because it was so much fun. You really had that sailor/pirate feeling!
    Now comes the big...
    BUT, I think that the protagonist (Edward Kenway) is not an Assassin! Until the end he did not enter the Brotherhood of Assassins. Besides that, he did not even have to learn all the stuff like climbing, assassination with the hidden blade or stuff like that. Right from the beginning he was able to do that kind of things!
    The story was, in my opinion, a little bit thin and could not keep up with the other parts of the series. (Except AC Revelations).
    The characters were ok. Not very interesting, not too boring or annoying. Excepting this little guy named Stede Bonnett or whatever his name was. He was just unnecessary...
    But, like I wrote above, this game was not bad! I don't know if I would buy it again for 70€ but Iam ok with the statement that I bought it.    … Expand
  60. Brainstorm123
    Jul 20, 2014
    10
    This game blew my mind when I played it. Not only is it the best AC in the series, it's also the best pirate game I've ever played. The naval mechanic shows this brilliantly, with a plentiful world, amazing graphics, great combat and, in my opinion the best part of the game, ship boarding. The rest of the game is no pushover either, with vibrant locations, great hunting mechanics, combatThis game blew my mind when I played it. Not only is it the best AC in the series, it's also the best pirate game I've ever played. The naval mechanic shows this brilliantly, with a plentiful world, amazing graphics, great combat and, in my opinion the best part of the game, ship boarding. The rest of the game is no pushover either, with vibrant locations, great hunting mechanics, combat that's still fantastic, and a great backstory. The parkour is still brilliant too. This game merged two genres, and spectacularly well at that.… Expand
  61. CrimsonEwok
    Jul 17, 2014
    7
    After being disappointed by AC3 I found AC4 to be an unexpectedly enjoyable game. The protagonist and the characters in this game are so much more interesting than 3. The controls while not as good as AC2 are a solid improvement over 3. While you will be spending a lot of time in the ocean the rooftops and towns you can explore are much more enjoyable than 3. If AC3 disappointed you likeAfter being disappointed by AC3 I found AC4 to be an unexpectedly enjoyable game. The protagonist and the characters in this game are so much more interesting than 3. The controls while not as good as AC2 are a solid improvement over 3. While you will be spending a lot of time in the ocean the rooftops and towns you can explore are much more enjoyable than 3. If AC3 disappointed you like it did me I think there is a chance this one will give you a glimmer of hope/interest for the series(which I'm sure we will see more of).… Expand
  62. jackdalli
    Jul 15, 2014
    10
    I bought this game on December 26, 2013. Played it for days on end almost non-stop. After I finished the game I walked out of my room and literally had no idea what year it was.
  63. DannVM
    Jun 27, 2014
    10
    this game really surprised me, I'm a fan of the saga, but for me none beat the brotherhoods and finally got one that overcome, the game is perfect, images, gameplay, hours, missions, character, everything was great and we expect to be the next as good as, and not be just another game in the series.
  64. Jayson97
    Jun 22, 2014
    7
    I have always loved the Assassin's Creed franchise but, while i DO like this title, this not one of the best. Perhaps it is due to the reason that the main character of this game is a swashbuckling pirate.
    Not that there is anything wrong with that, but what does he have to do with the Assassin Order?
    Apparently, absolutely nothing. Apart from finding some silly observatory and NOT    I have always loved the Assassin's Creed franchise but, while i DO like this title, this not one of the best. Perhaps it is due to the reason that the main character of this game is a swashbuckling pirate.
    Not that there is anything wrong with that, but what does he have to do with the Assassin Order?

    Apparently, absolutely nothing. Apart from finding some silly observatory and NOT joining the order. This game is good, don't think i do not like it, but it would have been better, were it a stand-alone pirate/adventure game. Now the whole Assassin's Creed thing (stealth, assassinations etc.) feels unnecessary and dull.

    Believe it or not, but you do get tired of following another target. And the sailing is great and good fun at first but when you have to sail to a remote island (surrounded by dangerous ships, so you have to upgrade yours again) again, after so many times.

    Apart from that, this game is a lot of fun to play. Especially when you consider all the mini games and extras you can do.    … Expand
  65. LuizZinhoO
    May 27, 2014
    9
    It's a different Assassin's Creed. It's more about piracy it self than the Assassin order. But that doesn't mean that AC4 is bad. Quite the opposite. Good graphics, good engine and good story, and nearly perfect naval combats.
  66. Adriaan1
    May 21, 2014
    10
    This game is on par with Assassin's Creed 2, absolutely fantastic! Surprises you around every corner. There are many things to keep you busy, well worth the money!
  67. Unbiased_Critic
    May 20, 2014
    10
    Freedom at last. Black Flag stands toe to toe with the best in the franchise. Past games were really harsh on the player if you ever stepped out of bounds. This entry makes you an incredible swordsmen from the start and equips you to kill stealthily early on. Sailing is an absolutely beautiful experience made possible by a stunning ocean and an open and vast overworld. You can play an hourFreedom at last. Black Flag stands toe to toe with the best in the franchise. Past games were really harsh on the player if you ever stepped out of bounds. This entry makes you an incredible swordsmen from the start and equips you to kill stealthily early on. Sailing is an absolutely beautiful experience made possible by a stunning ocean and an open and vast overworld. You can play an hour at a time and have the impression that you've covered lots of ground and accomplished much of significance. Ubisoft has hit all the right notes, with very little in the way of blemishes. If it's a pirate's life for you, this game is worth your time and money.… Expand
  68. tidjo19
    May 17, 2014
    8
    Great game
    if you liked the other games of the serie, you will for sur like it
    improved mechanics and attention to details is what makes it a hit.
    My only negative point is, yes, all that moth**f*** naval thing. fun for one single mission but in this case it's just too much.
  69. budweiserxxx69
    May 6, 2014
    10
    Great game for my lady , she isn't in all game, I'd say mostly visually stimulating and this is one if you played older assign's creed before and know what's up a bit, they make you're busy til the end.

    Graphics 9.5
    Gameplay 9
    Replay 8.5
  70. soulfunk
    Apr 30, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My progression so far is around 30% for the campaign, if you loves arts ,graphics are matter to you ,then this game probably suits you as the graphics are pretty stunning and the environments are impressive and remarkable and i'm quite often take screenshots for wallpapers.
    My 1st AC game was AC:Brotherhood,Revelation as the following game, i think the combat is much more satisfying than the AC III and this new AC IV ,i meant the feel is not there ..felt something missing...
    The combat system in AC series are fairly easy, i don't really want to complaint about it, but i hope the following sequels will getting more challenging in combat system.
    The sea hunt side missions are a lot fun & challenging than others hunter missions on land.
    The Assassins contract mission ,its tends to be repetitive and soon you will felt tedious.
    Naval missions are one of the good features,as they are improved on control and fast pace combat.
    AC series has always being my favourite , but i would like developer will make the stealth and combat more challenging, more bad ass feeling, more blood, more realistic martial arts.
    AC series has the charm to keep me playing despite it is not perfect in some aspect ,and i am happy to see more improvement in future sequels.    … Expand
  71. CoolDadTx
    Apr 22, 2014
    7
    Finally Ubisoft found their way back to what made AC fun - assassinations. BF still doesn't do as good a job as AC1 or AC2 but it is better than the last 2 entries. BF is a mixture of assassinations and sailing. BF wisely gets rid of (most) of the mass combat aspects that recent entries had and returns to the "hidden is better" formula. Each mission has 1 or 2 optional objectives thatFinally Ubisoft found their way back to what made AC fun - assassinations. BF still doesn't do as good a job as AC1 or AC2 but it is better than the last 2 entries. BF is a mixture of assassinations and sailing. BF wisely gets rid of (most) of the mass combat aspects that recent entries had and returns to the "hidden is better" formula. Each mission has 1 or 2 optional objectives that (mostly) fit the mission. Unlike some of the previous entries you don't have to be perfect to get 100% on this game.

    Unfortunately BF contains RTS stuff that has littered the series of late. It is scaled back but still there and mandatory even if you don't want it. The most glaring is Kenway's Fleet which is a borefest that extends for days (because of the moronic hours long missions). The "companion app" only works with a few devices so is mostly useless. Once I got the item I needed from KF I stopped playing it because it is useless, dull and slow.

    The story itself would be OK except for 1 very big plot hole, where did Kenway learn the assassin skills? Every game in the series has a mentor of some sort. BF just gives you the powers of an assassin and never even bothers to explain how. Suddenly you can kill like Ezio with no training whatsoever, go figure. The modern day parts are still lame and boring. Why Ubisoft continues to include it is beyond me. Does anybody actually care (or even follow) the crappy modern day end of times story line? I doubt it. Fortunately the sequences aren't too long so you can skip past them pretty quick. Kudos to the designers though for at least an interesting backstory for BF.

    Since you're a pirate sailing seems reasonable but it still isn't really enjoyable (better than AC3). Ships are hard to control, you see more rogue waves in the span of a single battle than has been recorded in all of modern history and every water funnel seems to aim straight for you. The underwater wrecks should have been a highlight but the implementation is horribly bad. You have to get air every so often and you are continually attacked by sharks (which give little warning) and other creatures (which give no warning). Rather than being fun they are an act of frustration marred with reality over entertainment. I dreaded each time I had to dive.

    Glitches are not as bad as AC3 but still present. At one point I started boarding a ship but my ship kept moving forward and began dragging the other ship. I was trying to kill a captain but I couldn't get to them because the boat was on its side and the captain was underwater. Combat is iffy as has been the norm since they tried to turn it into an FPS. Climbing continues to be iffy as well. Please explain why I would be high above the ground and suddenly decide to leap off into mid air where I'm going to die? Some rudimentary logic would be useful for climbing. There are times where you cannot climb even though you should be able to (you have to move down and then back up) and other times where you won't drop even though you should.

    Overall BF is better than recent entries and brings back some of the fun of the series but Ubisoft's attempts to cram RTS and boring side activities into the game in combination with the need to finish the modern thread that nobody cares about limits its potential.    … Expand
  72. Fried
    Apr 13, 2014
    0
    Complete and utter **** The story sucks, multiplayer is no different from ''Cawadoody'' or whatever the **** the only good thing to do is piss around. Worse than that, for this game it pivots entirely on naval free roam and pretending like you're some kind of Blackbeard wannabe. But that gets boring really fast, too; after you beat the legendary ships (which provide ZERO tacticalComplete and utter **** The story sucks, multiplayer is no different from ''Cawadoody'' or whatever the **** the only good thing to do is piss around. Worse than that, for this game it pivots entirely on naval free roam and pretending like you're some kind of Blackbeard wannabe. But that gets boring really fast, too; after you beat the legendary ships (which provide ZERO tactical challenge), you learn a ram attack that pretty much turns you into Jesus. When the Man o' War ships start going down faster than your mother on a Saturday night and you easily gain massive profits on a regular basis, upgrading your ship to 100%, that's when you need to think about snapping your disk. No, seriously.

    Plotline? Utter nonsense. Some linear **** regarding pirates partaking in their usual antics, before getting hanged and then what's left of the Assassins **** and whining about how Edward is so much better than all of them put together. Incidentally, they still haven't adjusted this game to reality, so whilst every NPC in-game is a total **** the man character is still supernaturally overpowered by comparison.

    Even small features such as combat- which really gave a bonus to all the other games in the franchise, except Revelations, of course- are completely massacred in this pile of poo. Why the **** did they even bring back the multiple- counter- option feature if every enemy it works on can be counter-killed? The only other one you'd ever need to use is the ''disarm'' feature if you need to take some guy's rifle off him so you can shoot when you're out of ammo, but otherwise pointless. We've also apparently gone back to relying heavily on kicking someone in the balls like a coward, since in this game ''Officer'' class enemies can't be defeated in melee combat without doing so.

    In conclusion, this is the worst game I have ever played in my entire life and if you disagree you're wrong, sorry. Now I'm off to pwn some noobs in Modern Warfare 3.    … Expand
  73. RAININCHEESE25
    Apr 8, 2014
    10
    this game is easily the best assassins creed game yet, the combat was swift naval combat was awesome the graphics were amazing and the open world is huge there are a few bugs and the multiplayer was dry and sometimes boring but other than that it is an overall great game
  74. Refolox
    Mar 24, 2014
    8
    Black Flag is full of stuff to do. Plunder ships, take forts, hunt animals, dive wrecks, find buried treasure, and assassinate those bad bad Templars. The single-player is fun, but can get repetitive. Don't even bother with the multiplayer. They missed so much co-op potential, going for a boring bizarre hunt and kill mode instead of an actual story.
    Singleplayer: 8/10
    Multiplayer: 3/10
  75. Pabs1905
    Mar 21, 2014
    9
    FUN fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun funFUN fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun… Expand
  76. Spedattack
    Mar 20, 2014
    9
    With the last three Assassin's Creed games disappointing me to no end (especially AC3). I was pleasantly surprised to find this game as good as it was. This is what Assassin's Creed needs to be and what it should of been for the past three games. For the first time since AC2 the story was actually good, and unlike AC3 the voice-acting was great. There is so much to see and do in this gameWith the last three Assassin's Creed games disappointing me to no end (especially AC3). I was pleasantly surprised to find this game as good as it was. This is what Assassin's Creed needs to be and what it should of been for the past three games. For the first time since AC2 the story was actually good, and unlike AC3 the voice-acting was great. There is so much to see and do in this game that you actually feel like a buccaneer during the "Golden Age of Piracy". It was great to see historical figures who were accurately portrayed this time unlike AC3. This game is so much fun that I recommend it to anyone who would enjoy good adventure games.… Expand
  77. kirkkaboom
    Mar 15, 2014
    0
    Repetitive as hell, terrible controls, boring story. I have honestly not played such a terrible game since the first Assassin's Creed. Will not be trying any games from this franchise again, 2 disasters is enough.
  78. Magic
    Mar 12, 2014
    9
    The best entry so far in the AC series. A must-buy if you're really into pirates. The mapo is huge, a lot of things to see and do, but the 'tail and eavesdrop' missions kind of bring the game down. It's still a great game though, despite those flaws.
  79. Deusex
    Mar 2, 2014
    2
    I gave AC one last chance..
    But unfountantly they took the Rockstar bridge with gta 5 and made the same s*** as before except ruined every element.
    I want to play as an assassin, not some pirate. Edward is an affront to the creed, and a badly written character. The side missions are horrible, everything is Repititive and the story is now weak. Everything is ruined.. I've played all 6    I gave AC one last chance..
    But unfountantly they took the Rockstar bridge with gta 5 and made the same s*** as before except ruined every element.

    I want to play as an assassin, not some pirate. Edward is an affront to the creed, and a badly written character. The side missions are horrible, everything is Repititive and the story is now weak. Everything is ruined.. I've played all 6 games (the main ones not psp bulls***) and ill play no more.    … Expand
  80. hexminer
    Mar 1, 2014
    10
    well i played the game for about a week or 2 weeks and its been good now,no glitches and doesn't act weird sometimes..so i guess its the best assassin's creed game especially the ships and the hunting gives it a special feeling when you're playing it,totally recommended
  81. Ape
    Feb 26, 2014
    9
    Great game that really tries to bring back the stealth aspects of the game without over doing it. The pirates and using your ship is great. Side missions are everywhere, they take advantage of the open world concept while still allowing fast-travel so as not to bog you down or slow the pacing you'd like for yourself. I did wish it were a bit longer but overall really fun to play. It hasGreat game that really tries to bring back the stealth aspects of the game without over doing it. The pirates and using your ship is great. Side missions are everywhere, they take advantage of the open world concept while still allowing fast-travel so as not to bog you down or slow the pacing you'd like for yourself. I did wish it were a bit longer but overall really fun to play. It has the same mechanics as 3 but this time it's in an environment that can really take them to the next level. I really wasn't even going to buy this game until the lat minute because I though it would be 3 all over but it wasn't and that was great.Hope they make the next one's more like this one.… Expand
  82. AWSOME-O
    Feb 26, 2014
    4
    Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say this is the WORST game in the series, but I would easily say it is the most boring next to the last 3. I was never really a gigantic fan of the series, but it is like Call of Duty to me. I just ignore it every year, after year, after year of the same generic crap.

    I would say this is probably the funniest game so far, not from the dialog or anything    Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say this is the WORST game in the series, but I would easily say it is the most boring next to the last 3. I was never really a gigantic fan of the series, but it is like Call of Duty to me. I just ignore it every year, after year, after year of the same generic crap.

    I would say this is probably the funniest game so far, not from the dialog or anything even close to that, much more from the hilarious things that the AI does. From traders yelling with no audio at all to the civilians that just mumble down the street.

    The combat is very forgettable, and not exciting at all ever. I never once felt a moment of panic while doing it, if anything I felt it was probably the weakest point of the game.

    The ship combat is way, WAY overhyped. It is practically identical to that of Assasin's Creed 3 (Which was also very boring).

    The dialog is easily forgettable and isn't even accurate to the time period, the characters are the same, and the environment's would probably be the best part of the game to me. I won't deny that in SOME parts, the environments look pretty impressive and beautiful at times. Though not always.

    Ship customization is actually pretty cool to be honest, though it hardly brings the game above a mediocre score.

    All in all, if for whatever reason you are a huge Assassin's Creed fan, by all means you should get this game. But otherwise I can't see what audience it could claim, it is confusing, and extremely boring. This is probably the most dull game I have trudged through since Call of Duty Ghosts, but at least that was a short pain. This lasts hours and hours, just like every one of these.

    If I could choose between beating this game 5 times (Which I did with Gta 5, which I personally think is one of, if not the best games ever made) or being punched in the face by Mike Tyson, I'd take some Advil and choose Tyson.    … Expand
  83. Sneaktastic
    Feb 19, 2014
    8
    Gameplay same old same old Assassin's Creed- Boat combat is on of the best mechanics in gaming of the last couple years- The ability to free roam around in boats, collect buried treasure, fight legendary ships, take on fleets of ships- Story is fantastic- Pirate genre is a PLUS.
    Get this game if:
    1. You love the pirate genre 2. Loved the ship combat in AC3 3. You love history Do not    Gameplay same old same old Assassin's Creed- Boat combat is on of the best mechanics in gaming of the last couple years- The ability to free roam around in boats, collect buried treasure, fight legendary ships, take on fleets of ships- Story is fantastic- Pirate genre is a PLUS.
    Get this game if:
    1. You love the pirate genre
    2. Loved the ship combat in AC3
    3. You love history

    Do not get this game if:
    1. You do not like AC combat    … Expand
  84. Legion455
    Feb 17, 2014
    8
    After the disappointing ACIII this game in the series revives some aspects of the AC series but it also fails in some others

    Pros:Much better Character unlike Conor, Edward Kenway is much more likable and just more badass,The open ocean and your ship are a breath of fresh air to the Cashcow series it also controls good, and is arguably the best part of the game,Cheats yes cheats unlike    After the disappointing ACIII this game in the series revives some aspects of the AC series but it also fails in some others

    Pros:Much better Character unlike Conor, Edward Kenway is much more likable and just more badass,The open ocean and your ship are a breath of fresh air to the Cashcow series it also controls good, and is arguably the best part of the game,Cheats yes cheats unlike the other games with 100% mission complete and no rewards collecting things and doing good is rewarded with humorous cheats,the modern sections are much better this time around, and finally the graphics, for a game on a 8 year old console ACIV really looks good.

    Cons:The story is a bit lacking,there's alot and i mean alot of tail missions,combat is still a bit clunky, and finally the ship and ocean itself, you almost never want to go on land sine the ship is too damn fun and land is well...not a giant pirate ship used to plunder Man-O-Wars    … Expand
  85. Bradyboy12
    Feb 10, 2014
    9
    A great, ambitious, and innovative entry in a great series. You play as edward Kenway a selfish privateer captain who actually isn't an assassin and switches around and works for booth sides. The story is better then ac3, but not ac2 that starts of slow but has exciting story arcs and climaxes. The story feels like a compilation of classic pirate tales! However, the real fun in the game isA great, ambitious, and innovative entry in a great series. You play as edward Kenway a selfish privateer captain who actually isn't an assassin and switches around and works for booth sides. The story is better then ac3, but not ac2 that starts of slow but has exciting story arcs and climaxes. The story feels like a compilation of classic pirate tales! However, the real fun in the game is the huge sandbox. Instead of doing the story you can explore a massive Caribbean ocean sandbox with hidden islands, villages coves, underwater wreckages, and huge cities the size of a GTA city. You can upgrade Kenway and your ship as you gain reales the currency. With plenty of side missions, random events and collectables as well as a solid story. This game will keep you busy for awhile.… Expand
  86. ZachC
    Feb 5, 2014
    10
    Assassin’s Creed Black Flag is the fourth installment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, made by Ubisoft. In this game we delve into a genetic memory of a Pirate named Edward Kenway. Genetic memory is a concept from the creators of the assassin’s creed franchise that allows you to sit in a machine, called the Animus, and view/relive parts of your ancestor’s life, or like in this gameAssassin’s Creed Black Flag is the fourth installment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, made by Ubisoft. In this game we delve into a genetic memory of a Pirate named Edward Kenway. Genetic memory is a concept from the creators of the assassin’s creed franchise that allows you to sit in a machine, called the Animus, and view/relive parts of your ancestor’s life, or like in this game someone else’s ancestor’s life. In this game you play as a pirate who acts pretty much like how you’d expect him to, wanting to get rich, have his own island, and drink as much rum as he could get his hands on. In this game, unlike the others, your character doesn’t really want anything to do with the assassins he just wants the pirate’s life. Slowly he is pulled into the world of the assassins and helps them with what they are trying to accomplish but only for a price.
    I liked the game it was a lot of fun and had a lot of different new elements that the previous games didn’t have. For example the open world is expansive, you have two swords on your sides at all times, you can have up to 4 pistols strapped to you at one time allowing for rapid shots, and if you want to you can play almost completely nonlethal. The world is huge and as you sail the open seas you can pretty much go where ever you want. You’re a pirate so you act like one, attacking and plundering any ship you want and taking the resources from it. One of the things I liked the most was the ship battling system; if you were able to take down a ship you could claim it as your own and add it to your own fleet. By doing this you can gain even more money and resources by sending this said fleet of ships on missions for you.
    The story line in this game was pretty good, it was basically about a man that was tired of being poor and wanted to change that and provide for his wife. The only way he saw to accomplish this was to become a pirate and when he had enough he would send for his wife and be done with the life. He however gets sucked into the pirate’s life and takes longer and longer and eventually he gets introduced to the Assassins and sucked into their battle with the Templars. Now I don’t think I should go any farther into the story least you haven’t played it yet and I ruin it for you.
    Their weren’t really many bad things that I felt the game had but I feel in order to give a fair review I should point out the very few things that I didn’t like about the game. While the story was entertaining there were just so many other things that I kept getting distracted with, other side missions and things that I would forget what was going on in the main story. Now this is probably my own fault, I should have just tried harder to stay on topic until I had finished the main story, but this may be a problem for you too if you’re like me and get distracted easily. The other thing that bothered me if I’m nitpicking was the one or two glitches that I had while playing. I had one enemy fall through the floor and couldn’t get to him to quiet him, the other part that messed up on me was when I was battling another ship and it wouldn’t allow me to board it and take it as my own. The last thing I didn’t much like, and this is completely a preference, I would have enjoyed having more things to do outside the Animus. There are many people on both sides on this opinion of liking being outside the animus and not, so this is just personal preference but I would have liked more to do.
    In the end I really liked it and thought the story was pretty good, I am still going back and doing the many side missions they provide for you, that I never finished, so I still have hours of fun left to play. The game was well made and very fun to play, and as far as I’m concerned didn’t really have any big problems with it. I really enjoyed playing it and feel that anyone else that has ever enjoyed any of the other Assassin’s Creed games, or likes action adventure games, will enjoy this one too.    … Expand
  87. TheSquirrel
    Feb 3, 2014
    7
    Assassin's Creed 4 is a thoroughly enjoyable pirate adventure game that has no business being tied to the Assassin's Creed franchise. This is a stand alone game that happens to use the same engines and styles as Assassin's Creed, with a weak story line taking place somewhere you're not interested in.

    The positives: Great sailing and naval combat experience, beautiful sea environment,    Assassin's Creed 4 is a thoroughly enjoyable pirate adventure game that has no business being tied to the Assassin's Creed franchise. This is a stand alone game that happens to use the same engines and styles as Assassin's Creed, with a weak story line taking place somewhere you're not interested in.

    The positives: Great sailing and naval combat experience, beautiful sea environment, excellent soundtrack, great side missions, and an awesome open world experience.

    The negatives: Very poor storyline, more follow a conversation missions, some frustrating environment interaction glitches, resource collecting requires some serious pirating farming.

    A very good game I like to break out when I feel the need to sail, but held back primarily by a lack of unifying story to drive the player.    … Expand
  88. Daelus
    Feb 3, 2014
    8
    Broken down by components this game would likely be a 7, however in its entirety it was a very good game.

    Story - always the weakest point of a AC game; story and execution here probably a 6 tops....why they continue to put the lame present-day story in is beyond me....that BS is always a ZERO! Action - the game allowed significant scope in how to approach the objectives; stealth,    Broken down by components this game would likely be a 7, however in its entirety it was a very good game.

    Story - always the weakest point of a AC game; story and execution here probably a 6 tops....why they continue to put the lame present-day story in is beyond me....that BS is always a ZERO!
    Action - the game allowed significant scope in how to approach the objectives; stealth, force or a combination - 8
    World size - It looks bigger than it is; AC3 was actually larger. The only true area to roam is the ocean (which is a lot of fun), with all but a few of the islands very linear (no entering the woods, etc) follow the path stuff. - 7
    Open world - mini games (8), sea roaming & battles/ boarding/ fort battles (9.5 - the shanties are what stick with me from the game), mini-convoy activity (6), looting warehouses (6), underwater exploration (3), chase the courier (0), collectibles (6 - the rewards are not worth the time, but they aren't onerous)
    .    … Expand
  89. Storm1672
    Feb 2, 2014
    9
    Excellent sequel to an already great series. The improvements upon everything are obvious to anyone who has followed the series. The graphx on the older gen are truly great for this hardware. The VOs are quite nice, the music is among the best in any videogame and the gameplay is refined.

    The only drawbacks are the quite boring "follow and eavesdrop" missions and the script which is    Excellent sequel to an already great series. The improvements upon everything are obvious to anyone who has followed the series. The graphx on the older gen are truly great for this hardware. The VOs are quite nice, the music is among the best in any videogame and the gameplay is refined.

    The only drawbacks are the quite boring "follow and eavesdrop" missions and the script which is overall too shallow for a main game of the series. Though I enjoyed the pirate's tale, it wasn't as emotional as Ezio's or even Connor. Thankfully, Edward is a better character than Connor so that settles it somehow. , There are some twists in the rest mission design that I did not see coming. It has some of the best missions, full of tension of the series.

    Overall, this is the most refined AC yet, it has a ton of fresh ideas, the world is finally somewhat different than the other ACs and is full of collectibles.

    Shame on the 100% only if you connect to the internet. That's a step backwards.    … Expand
  90. Yandaton
    Feb 1, 2014
    8
    The most successfully innovative AC game since AC2. The franchise was starting to get a bit stale but the massive improvement on the sailing from AC3 has brought all the fun back! Sailing on the high sea singing shanties before engaging a fleet of 10 ships is pure glee. Graphically more impressive; while running on the same engine as AC3, the lush greens and pale blues of the CaribbeanThe most successfully innovative AC game since AC2. The franchise was starting to get a bit stale but the massive improvement on the sailing from AC3 has brought all the fun back! Sailing on the high sea singing shanties before engaging a fleet of 10 ships is pure glee. Graphically more impressive; while running on the same engine as AC3, the lush greens and pale blues of the Caribbean stand out so much more. Running and climbing is faster and animations for them are smoother, the animal hunting has more of a purpose as a side activity and is much more rewarding to do and needless to say Edward and his pirate cove are much more enjoyable characters than in the previous games.

    Only issues are the fighting animations which clip more than ever before and the fighting itself remains far too easy. When boarding larger ships I noticed the frame rate would tank to abysmal levels but for a 360 game what do you expect? And the addition of ship combat undermines everything else in the game with the basic assassin work being a chore, such as tailing and conversation listening which quickly began to infuriate me. Overall a definite recommend.    … Expand
  91. officer7161
    Jan 30, 2014
    2
    boycott this franchise please! All assasin's creed has done is just recycle, recycle, recyle. If you compare the characters and maps etc from the previous titles in the franchise, they just take the same stuff and repackage it. I used to be a huge fan of MP of the series, but just got bored after they just repackage the same stuff repeatedly.
    Now I tried out MP in blackflag I can spot    boycott this franchise please! All assasin's creed has done is just recycle, recycle, recyle. If you compare the characters and maps etc from the previous titles in the franchise, they just take the same stuff and repackage it. I used to be a huge fan of MP of the series, but just got bored after they just repackage the same stuff repeatedly.
    Now I tried out MP in blackflag I can spot characters recycled from brotherhood, revelations etc...
    It's just terrible! guys, boycott the franchise so they will actually put some energy into creating new titles instead of recycling old ones!
    don't buy this game if you played previous title/titles!    … Expand
  92. stvissocoolgive
    Jan 27, 2014
    7
    this game to me is probably the best one in its series yet, with all the shanties, the loot, secrets and even the pirates itself are amazing. the down side to the game is how short the story is but all the secrets and treasures you can find make it more interesting and longer. for me this game gos up into the top of my list for the assassin creed series
  93. MrTwicez
    Jan 23, 2014
    9
    I got this game for my birthday, and I was so exited I got this game, I literally craped in my thong. The graphics are personally better than the game the G T A 7 or what ever you call it. Its sad I didn't finish this game because I got a big erection and it hurt so bad, I had to go to the vet.
  94. OllyPlays
    Jan 23, 2014
    8
    Amazing game
    + Great Graphics
    + Fun, addicting game play
    + Amazingly giant map
    - Boring Start
    + New main character
    + Epic Ship Battles
    + Great Soundtrack
    + Fun Multi player
  95. edwardloppez
    Jan 22, 2014
    10
    AC IV is the best ac so far. it has amazing beautiful massive open world. it has very good story which talk about CAPTAIN EDWARD KENWAY a young man who dreamed to be rich and a respectable person after he suffered a lot from poorness and you will travel with him in his journey to find yourself between the Templar and Assassins war. I loved naval combat they made it a little more difficultAC IV is the best ac so far. it has amazing beautiful massive open world. it has very good story which talk about CAPTAIN EDWARD KENWAY a young man who dreamed to be rich and a respectable person after he suffered a lot from poorness and you will travel with him in his journey to find yourself between the Templar and Assassins war. I loved naval combat they made it a little more difficult as in ac3 the man of war was not big threat as well as the storms but in ac4 you need a lot of upgrades to board the man of war. the boarding system was amazing you feel like a real pirate there a lot of activities like diving and hunting shark and a lot of dangerous sea creature. they improved land as well they made the stealth very good they improved the eagle vision so you can see enemies behind the walls you actually feel it is quiet fun unlike ac3 as I felt it was so boring. Edward is very interesting character he is fearless ruthless but he has good amount of humor unlike Connor .finally I could say that as Red dead redemption gave us the complete feeling of the COWBOY , ac4 will give you the complete feeling of being a PIRATE… Expand
  96. ChespinJ
    Jan 21, 2014
    10
    One of the best games around. Beats out minecraft any day. I am suprised that it is not higher. Like a 100. How can something stupid like a drama movie get higher?
  97. WorstReviews
    Jan 18, 2014
    10
    2013 for videogames was definitley meant to be a year of outstanding and new style of brilliant of video games. Sadly, and personally this was not the case. I felt 2013 was one of the blandest years for videogames, besides, of course, GTAV and the Playstation exclusive The Last of Us. Yet one game did shine through the darkness, and it's a completely worn out and overused format Assassin's2013 for videogames was definitley meant to be a year of outstanding and new style of brilliant of video games. Sadly, and personally this was not the case. I felt 2013 was one of the blandest years for videogames, besides, of course, GTAV and the Playstation exclusive The Last of Us. Yet one game did shine through the darkness, and it's a completely worn out and overused format Assassin's Creed sequel. But this game is so much more. It is the funnest game i've ever played, and for once Ubisoft doesn't waste our time with this confusing real world missions. There are real world missions within the game, but for the first time, I didn't hear myself sigh over-dramatically when I had to play them. They're interesting, and fun. I really Ubisoft learns from the success of this game and makes more like it. 10/10 Amazing.… Expand
  98. wheelzngrillez
    Jan 16, 2014
    9
    If you are one of those Assassins Creed fans that did not appreciate Assassins Creed 3 then you are going to be happy with what Assassins Creed 4 has offered. For example many people were not satisfied with the Connor the previous protagonist of AC3 because they thought him to be dull and boring, however Edward Kenway is a much more colorful character as a result from his greed and pirateIf you are one of those Assassins Creed fans that did not appreciate Assassins Creed 3 then you are going to be happy with what Assassins Creed 4 has offered. For example many people were not satisfied with the Connor the previous protagonist of AC3 because they thought him to be dull and boring, however Edward Kenway is a much more colorful character as a result from his greed and pirate nature, and his low interest in the Assassins is what makes him unique from all the previous characters. The game described Edward as a pirate trained by Assassins, which is actually inaccurate because you never really know how he has his master skills in combat, he just has it, so if you wanted a little more background on him you may find that bad. Edward is just a pirate searching for fortune that found himself in the middle of a secret war between Assassins and Templars. Assassins Creed 4 introduces open world gameplay in an entire new way with open sea travel. You will captain your ship along the Caribbean sea and also experience multiple islands and cities on foot. The freedom you have in this game is just amazing, you can board other ships and steal their loot the way pirates do, you can also harpoon sharks and whales, travel underwater for loot, attack forts and take them for yourself, you can leave your ship while your in the middle of the water and just swim around if you want. Remember that it is an Assassins Creed game so their will be plenty of ground exploring as well. So if you want to be a pirate with an Assassins Creed fighting style and outfit, then you are going to have a blast, however if you have no interest in being a pirate or traveling the seas you don't have to stress about buying this game immediately. But do check it out if you would like to follow the story.… Expand
  99. Terpander
    Jan 16, 2014
    9
    This game for me is the game of the year. It was deep, rewarding, fun, and encouraged exploration. The characters are great and the progression is well paced. The only issue I have is the storyline not being particularly consistent. The main character is great well designed, however some of the other characters don't seem as though they were fleshed out very well. This is something thatThis game for me is the game of the year. It was deep, rewarding, fun, and encouraged exploration. The characters are great and the progression is well paced. The only issue I have is the storyline not being particularly consistent. The main character is great well designed, however some of the other characters don't seem as though they were fleshed out very well. This is something that Ubisoft has had a problem with in all the other games. In terms of overall game-play and depth of experience, I loved this game, but in terms of storyline, AC 2 was much better. That being said, its dynamic naval combat, settings, fun gameplay and good enough storyline makes it a game that it is worth spending money on.… Expand
  100. KrazyCrayon
    Jan 15, 2014
    1
    This is the worst AC ever made. The story is crap, the multiplayer is sorta crap and the difficulty scales from easy as hell one mission, the next it is hard and impossible the next. The difficulty takes the fun out of the game as a whole. The story in itself is boring and hard to follow period. Honestly gonna just trade it in tomorrow
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Awards & Rankings

15
#15 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2013
9
#9 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2013
12
#12 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Mar 11, 2014
    92
    The sun, the waves, the smell of salt in the air. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag offers an amazing pirate adventure experience. [Nov 2013]
  2. Level7.nu
    Jan 3, 2014
    80
    Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is a game that feels locked between two worlds. Not only between to generations of consoles but between a run of the mill AC-game and an astonishing pirate game. It’s not only a well needed spark to the series as much it’s a redefining of it. Everything that is use is great and everything old feels like it should be thrown overboard. Try it regardless of your thoughts about earlier Assassin’s Creed games.
    Read full review
  3. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Dec 7, 2013
    80
    Black Flag tightens enough screws and adds enough cool new stuff to make it the best in ages. [Issue#105, p.79]
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