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. MalFet1999
    Jan 15, 2014
    6
    I'm having some difficulty understanding the 10/10 scores for this game. Don't get me wrong, it's good. But it isn't a 10.

    As you've undoubtedly read the naval combat is addictive and loads of fun, and the characters (especially Edward) are engaging and drive emotional moments. Hunting animals and boarding ships for gear/weapon upgrades is a blast, and will have you using Eagle Vision    I'm having some difficulty understanding the 10/10 scores for this game. Don't get me wrong, it's good. But it isn't a 10.

    As you've undoubtedly read the naval combat is addictive and loads of fun, and the characters (especially Edward) are engaging and drive emotional moments. Hunting animals and boarding ships for gear/weapon upgrades is a blast, and will have you using Eagle Vision to track down monkeys instead of vile Templars, which I found particularly amusing. The element of mystery and tension featured in the portions of the game that take place outside the Animus were a big highlight for me, as are any quest lines involving the First Civ.

    However, the combat and free running elements of this franchise are tired, just like they have been for a couple of years now. If it weren't for a fun, engaging story I would have shelved this one after the first mission. The combat is button-mashingly boring, and the stealth/tailing sequences feel tacked on in order to keep this entry in line with the franchise as a whole.

    I understand rave reviews for a triple-A game with a few flaws, but you won't find that here. This could have been a unique game, about pirates of all things. Instead it's bogged down with franchise history, and chooses to follow meekly behind instead of setting its own course. This series needs a new direction.    … Expand
  2. TheOneWhoKnox
    Jan 13, 2014
    9
    This is the best Assassin's Creed game, with number 2 as a very close second. The combat was kind of similar to the Batman: Arkham series or like Ryse: Son of Rome or even Sleeping Dogs in a way, it flows smoothly and amazingly. Ubisoft wanted to be so authentic that they added infamous pirates like Blackbeard (Ed Thatch), Charles Vane, Stede Bonnet, Jack Rackham, Mary Read, and much,This is the best Assassin's Creed game, with number 2 as a very close second. The combat was kind of similar to the Batman: Arkham series or like Ryse: Son of Rome or even Sleeping Dogs in a way, it flows smoothly and amazingly. Ubisoft wanted to be so authentic that they added infamous pirates like Blackbeard (Ed Thatch), Charles Vane, Stede Bonnet, Jack Rackham, Mary Read, and much, much more. It has the most gameplay packed with the game than any of the other games I believe. Apart from a few glitches and pop-ins it is in my top 5 or even top 3 games of the generation.… Expand
  3. XhAPPYSLApX
    Jan 12, 2014
    9
    Here is my pro/con review of Assassin's Creed IV

    Pros: - Edward is in my opinion, almost better than Ezio as a protagonist - The graphics are really spectacular on any system you choose - This game is filled to the brim with side activities, I spent 15-20 hours in the first set of places to explore. And there are three sets of places to go to. They range in difficulty from Easy, to    Here is my pro/con review of Assassin's Creed IV

    Pros:

    - Edward is in my opinion, almost better than Ezio as a protagonist
    - The graphics are really spectacular on any system you choose
    - This game is filled to the brim with side activities, I spent 15-20 hours in the first set of places to explore. And there are three sets of places to go to. They range in difficulty from Easy, to Medium, and finally to Hard.
    - The ship battles are freaking epic
    - This game really reminds me of Far Cry 3, and that is a really good thing. Everything from the music (which is made by the same composer.) to the side activities are really FC3-esque.
    - The side characters are good
    - The controls, most of the time are excellent
    - The ground combat is REALLY improved over AC3, and is just really fun this time around
    - Finally I can free-aim with my pistol!
    - Going back to the side activities, I almost forgot to mention that almost all are really fun
    - Pirate shanties are fun
    - I did not play the multiplayer yet, but I am pretty sure that it is fun too.

    Cons:

    - You know when I said that the controls are mostly good, when they are not working well you might rip your hair out
    - Even though I REALLY like this game, I fear for the future of this series. Since it is probably going to suffer from Call of Duty syndrome
    - It can get boring sometimes, but only on rare occasions

    After all of that, I actually might think that this should have at least been nominated for Game of The Year
    don't get me wrong, I am really happy that GTA V won, I freaking love that game too, but I just had more fun with this game overall. So if you love pirates, and love Assassin's Creed, then you will absolutely love this game.    … Expand
  4. XMagneto
    Jan 11, 2014
    10
    I put a lot of money in this game including paying for the $120 version, so I took a high risk and I don't regret it. I thought the game was really fun and made me want to explore the world and the ship mechanics were better than the last game, and this game had a lot of feel to it. even though I was disappointed in Edwards origin story I still enjoyed it and I will play it again and again.
  5. Dwalk27
    Jan 11, 2014
    9
    Easily the funnest game in the series. Feels like a fleshed out next gen Sid Meier's Pirate's, which to any right minded soul, would be the greatest game EVER!!!! Of course it suffers from minor bugs and glitches any game, but these do little to distract from the sheer awesome of sailing the HIGH seas.
  6. Starkiller94
    Jan 10, 2014
    5
    Here we are, another year, another Assassin's Creed installment. To be honest, this game is medicore at best. After the Assassin's Creed 3 flop, it seems the games are starting to take a step in the wrong direction. Mixing pirates and assassins in my opinion is really ridiculous... I mean, sailing the seas and taking out infinite waves of enemy ships starts to become very tiresome after aHere we are, another year, another Assassin's Creed installment. To be honest, this game is medicore at best. After the Assassin's Creed 3 flop, it seems the games are starting to take a step in the wrong direction. Mixing pirates and assassins in my opinion is really ridiculous... I mean, sailing the seas and taking out infinite waves of enemy ships starts to become very tiresome after a while. While Assassin's Creed 3's naval combat was fun, it's really nothing to boast about. It was cool because you got to sail to different islands and stuff, but the combat was really buggy and felt very unrealistic. Seriously, this is Assassin's Creed, not Pirates of the Assassin's Creed... Come on Ubisoft... I'll be saving my money as my friend let me borrow this to test it. Also, I don't know why people are giving it so much rep for the graphics. It looks exactly like AC3 at least on the Xbox 360 version. I don't know how someone could give this game a 10. No game in history deserves a perfect score in my opinion, because games are never perfect. But mindless Ubisoft drones were quick to gobble this up and crap out 9s and 10s.

    If you must play this game, just wait. It will be appearing in the game store bargin bin pretty soon.    … Expand
  7. Hoopie
    Jan 7, 2014
    8
    Let just give a quick review on the game. A lot of aspects are repeated from earlier games, such as mostly the same combat, but I feel that a lot of new features were added that almost freshen it up. Assassins Creed 4 is a good game, maybe even a great one, but there aren't enough changes done and new features added to make it really great. Also the story could have been better. It wasn'tLet just give a quick review on the game. A lot of aspects are repeated from earlier games, such as mostly the same combat, but I feel that a lot of new features were added that almost freshen it up. Assassins Creed 4 is a good game, maybe even a great one, but there aren't enough changes done and new features added to make it really great. Also the story could have been better. It wasn't terrible but their were many boring parts, then occasionally it would draw me back in. Overall I think I over hyped it, and expected to much, but new features make it very much deserving of my time.… Expand
  8. OMGtoasty
    Jan 7, 2014
    4
    Here is a brutally honest review by a big fan of the franchise. This game is a wreck. It doesn't feel like any of the other classic Assassin's creed games. You spend most of your time out on the ocean using the only successful mechanic from the third game, the naval warfare. This game resembles nothing but a really cool pirate game, but even that part of the game gets old after so long.Here is a brutally honest review by a big fan of the franchise. This game is a wreck. It doesn't feel like any of the other classic Assassin's creed games. You spend most of your time out on the ocean using the only successful mechanic from the third game, the naval warfare. This game resembles nothing but a really cool pirate game, but even that part of the game gets old after so long. The land combat doesn't improve on that. It is way to easy. After you have taken out one enemy you just have to span the attack button and you will kill everyone. All of the characters (excluding Thatch aka Black Beard) are predictable and uninteresting. Even the main character, Edward Kenway, pales in comparison o the franchises past characters (Ezio Auditore).The missions are all very repetitive and seem to drag on. The stalking missions are pathetic because of the eagle visions change.his is the second worst game in he franchise and sincerely hope that changes are made to ring back the old assassin's creed that I love to play. the only reason im not giving this a 0 is because I atleast has a beautiful world an decent voice acting, but they ned to work on the story.… Expand
  9. pixarghettolamp
    Jan 4, 2014
    7
    My first AC game and a good purchase. The only reason I am writing this review is because I was so disappointed with one thing in this game.... the first person stages. Everyone once in a while you have to do these Tedious tasks in an office which completely throws off the theme and takes forever! You are forced to ride elevators talk to managers and what not and hack computers (StupidMy first AC game and a good purchase. The only reason I am writing this review is because I was so disappointed with one thing in this game.... the first person stages. Everyone once in a while you have to do these Tedious tasks in an office which completely throws off the theme and takes forever! You are forced to ride elevators talk to managers and what not and hack computers (Stupid boring easy puzzle). Anyways I wish you could skip that I didn't even want to play the campaign because of the risk of being thrown into another stupid ass stage.… Expand
  10. timsim26
    Jan 2, 2014
    8
    i major step in the right direction for the assassins creed franchise. finally a game that emphasizes exploration and discovery. The game really makes you feel as if you are a pirate searching for loot and that greater sense of freedom. the locations around the game are interesting and despite being fairly similar are all unique and have a great sense of the Caribbean about them. the worldi major step in the right direction for the assassins creed franchise. finally a game that emphasizes exploration and discovery. The game really makes you feel as if you are a pirate searching for loot and that greater sense of freedom. the locations around the game are interesting and despite being fairly similar are all unique and have a great sense of the Caribbean about them. the world is filled with life as the locations offer many missions and side quests and other interesting things to see and do. The story is lacking in terms of sheer narrative however there is a few memorable moments and edward is a hugely different main character compared to connor, Ezio and Altair. The pirate dynamic also makes it by far the most interesting game in the series as the ship to ship combat and underwater exploration just add to an already solid list of things to do in an AC game. to go along with fantastic combat, hunting, huge cities to explore, sea shanties and other fun moments of exploration this game is well worth picking up and sinking 30 hours into… Expand
  11. Matty2012
    Jan 2, 2014
    6
    Very ambitious but not as good as last years AC3. I had a lot of fun with last years AC3, couldn't put it down for days, but ACIV Black Flag has failed to float my boat and keep me entertained. Some of it is pretty cool, the underwater missions for instance and a few cool set pieces that I won't spoil for you. I also like the whales, sharks and dolphins jumping and splashing about, theyVery ambitious but not as good as last years AC3. I had a lot of fun with last years AC3, couldn't put it down for days, but ACIV Black Flag has failed to float my boat and keep me entertained. Some of it is pretty cool, the underwater missions for instance and a few cool set pieces that I won't spoil for you. I also like the whales, sharks and dolphins jumping and splashing about, they add a nice touch. The problem i have with this game is the combat. The combat is so so boring and repetitive this time around and has less moves than AC3, and the combat has been watered/dumbed down so you get annoying pop up messages in the middle of the combat saying "Press A to break defense" or "Press B to counter" to cater for novice gamers. Performing the same sets of moves over and over and the text pop ups soon get boring. Most of the animals are done quite well, really well in fact, the sea life looks amazing. However, the same can't be said for all the land wildlife. I came across a couple of black panthers and they are seriously broken. They run into objects, get stuck, fly around when running about, they really are bad and take away from the experience of the game. You have this cool soundtrack and following the "ok" if slightly boring story, and then come across a flying black panther going bat crazy flying around crashing and getting stuck into things. Another annoyance with ACIV Black Flag is the amount of tailing and eavesdrop missions, there are far too many and have always been tedious. There are also some seriously pathetic stealth missions which are very poorly thought out and constructed. You're sneaking around apparently in stealth mode yet you are 2 feet away from an enemy in the bright scorching sunlight of the Bahamas and they supposedly can't see you! And these enemies are supposed to be other assassins like you! They can't see you because they are all on sequence mode walking from point A to point B while you have to sit and wait for them to move before you can pass by. However if you walk at the wrong moment during their sequence, they will spot you. You can also make a lot of noise rustling around and running around in a bush directly millimeter's behind them and they don't have a clue you are there, yet if you give off a light whistle it will distract and alert them. It's all very silly and poorly done. Naval combat has added a lot of improvements over AC3, but has also taken some away. For instance, in AC3 you use the chain shot to take out an enemy sails and slow them down to a halt before finishing them off. You also heard a cool ripping cloth sound as the chain shots ripped through their sails. This has been removed from ACIV and the chain shot now seems pretty pointless and has the same effect as a normal cannon ball. And you can only fire chain shot from the front of the ship. Another problem with the naval battles is the side guns. Once you conquer a ship, you then have to board it and take it over. While boarding you can then control small side cannons to take out a few gunpowder barrels on deck or a few enemies. However, it often doesn't work. You can clearly shoot a mass of gunpowder barrels or an enemy and nothing will happen, the cannonball will do nothing and travel right through them, even at close range. Also being open world it can take quite a long time getting across the map in a slow arse sailing boat, even if it does suspiciously zip across the water like a speedboat. As an AC game it's just "ok" not the best and not the worst. Oh and be warned, the many sea shanties your crew sings will stick in your head for days and days lol.… Expand
  12. edward22
    Jan 1, 2014
    10
    2nd best game of the decade.I loved the game as no other game till now has the given the whole pirate life adventure except this one it can be the 2nd best in the series after revelations
  13. BorisZrilic
    Dec 28, 2013
    9
    Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag is a beautiful game with amazing story
    It improves almost every problem of Assassin's Creed III and improves it in AC4. The game just a beautiful game from Cuba,Nassau,Kingston combat has also been improved just by a little having a pirate theme makes the game even better. the pirate theme has Ubisoft putting famous characters in the game like    Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag is a beautiful game with amazing story
    It improves almost every problem of Assassin's Creed III and improves it in AC4. The game just a beautiful game from Cuba,Nassau,Kingston combat has also been improved just by a little having a pirate theme makes the game even better. the pirate theme has Ubisoft putting famous characters in the game like
    BlackBeard,Captain Kidd. the only problem i have with the game is the present day story some parts felt dull and boring but thats only one problem overall this game is amazing and has a strong story i give the game 9/10 i haven't even talked about the pirate ship combat!    … Expand
  14. K3nney
    Dec 28, 2013
    1
    I went through the effort of making an account so I could post how I feel about the new game, Im disappointed, ive played the AC games from the first up until now, and 3 was the drop off point, the games are getting worse, they changed the combat so instead of doing satisfying finishing moves, im just pushing the enemy around, the constant tail missions are boring and I hate them, this isI went through the effort of making an account so I could post how I feel about the new game, Im disappointed, ive played the AC games from the first up until now, and 3 was the drop off point, the games are getting worse, they changed the combat so instead of doing satisfying finishing moves, im just pushing the enemy around, the constant tail missions are boring and I hate them, this is not the future for the AC games, it shouldn't be, I loved Ezios story, and desmonds, now I just dont really want to complete the games, the only reason I did 3 was to see the ending of desmond, if your not into the story then this game might be for you, but if you loved the first few games, you will not be pleased by this… Expand
  15. abutton
    Dec 27, 2013
    9
    The epic comeback of the series. When Conner kenway thought he ruined the saga. Edward saves the day with the kick butt ac4. The online was as great as last time and very good.
  16. etb444
    Dec 26, 2013
    10
    This is everything you want out of an Assassin's Creed game. The visuals are stunning plus the gameplay is flawless. From exploring the high Caribbean seas to hunting the many islands for treasure. The depth of the game is almost unmatched and the freedom of being able to just go on your ship and plunder anything that flies by is one of the things you will love the most about this game.This is everything you want out of an Assassin's Creed game. The visuals are stunning plus the gameplay is flawless. From exploring the high Caribbean seas to hunting the many islands for treasure. The depth of the game is almost unmatched and the freedom of being able to just go on your ship and plunder anything that flies by is one of the things you will love the most about this game. Not to mention constantly taking down waves of Spanish soldiers one by one in Havana. Truly the best game in the series and one of the greatest of the year.… Expand
  17. Link
    Dec 25, 2013
    0
    I have all Assassin's Creed games, and I feel like everything went really wrong after 3. AC III is the worst, yes, but this one isn't much better. Don't get me wrong, I like pirates and I think this is a really nice pirate action game or something, but this doesn't feel a bit of ASSASSIN'S CREED game. Characters are not so interesting as they were in Ac2 brotherhood games. Assassin goingI have all Assassin's Creed games, and I feel like everything went really wrong after 3. AC III is the worst, yes, but this one isn't much better. Don't get me wrong, I like pirates and I think this is a really nice pirate action game or something, but this doesn't feel a bit of ASSASSIN'S CREED game. Characters are not so interesting as they were in Ac2 brotherhood games. Assassin going to the mission with a ship with cannons singing feels so stealthy...... right... Battles are easy, you can just go in and take out everyone no need of planning anything.. Just go in and take them down.. I would like this as a pirate-action-game but as a assassin's creed, this feels wrong, so wrong.… Expand
  18. Chrisell918
    Dec 22, 2013
    9
    Assassins Creed 4 is a great addition to the series, the revamp of the game play gives it a new feel but the story keeps the game's identity. Black flag is the best in the series since AC2
  19. Mikelkaram
    Dec 22, 2013
    9
    I have played all of the games in the assassin's creed series, and while I can't say its the best, it is certainly not as bad as ac 3. The gameplay and graphics are great on both the latest gens and the story line is twisted and contains a good transition from sequence to the other
  20. Jackpp1997
    Dec 21, 2013
    9
    Best game since the Last of Us.

    Graphics are good, combat well designed giving you different options for you to do things, voice acting is great and characters like able and the world is more open than ever before and with the freedom you have to explore it makes Assassins creed 4 my 2nd favorite game this year.
  21. CygnusX1Bk2
    Dec 17, 2013
    4
    This is not Assassin's Creed. It's a pirate sea game. Not fun. Infuriating. Dude isn't even an Assassin or a Templar. The fleet system is terrible. No way to complete. So convoluted. Please Ubi, make Assassins Creed games be assassins creed games.
  22. Matthops
    Dec 7, 2013
    9
    I love the game I played though it 2 times on my third time now a lore of things to explore and do the one thing is that he is not a assassin but that is forgettable the graphics are amazing and the story is great people saying it is a dlc of as3 Thay are a**holes
  23. LausDaeus
    Dec 7, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Assassin's Creed 4 is a decent game, although it seems a bit lacking in polish when compared to its predecessors. The main plot is a bit lacking in excitement (both on the Animus and real world side) and somewhat fails to draw one in, the gameplay has gained some features, but on the whole doesn't seem like a major improvement. The only thing really worthy of credit are the graphics, effects and sound, as those are truly beautiful to behold.

    Plot: 4/10
    Without giving too much away, it can be said that the Desmond storyline is over and that our new main protagonist is pretty much without any identity whatsoever. While some of the former characters recur in a couple of scenes and one can tell that there is some connection to what has already happened, it really makes more of an impression as a side story and the initial mystery and showdown of the last games seem to have basically been forgotten about. Abstergo has interest in a device called "The Observatory" that allows one to see people wherever they want, provided they have their blood, which given the modern era of security and that they control most of the world anyway (as is hinted throughout the game) seems pretty obsolete and bland, especially when compared to something like the "Apple" from the last games. The Assassins are playing some role, but ultimately have no influence on what happens, so one again does not have the impression of much plot progression and the actual writers are just biding their time.
    In the actual game, one plays as a notorious pirate, whose whole goal for around 80% of the game is to make money to live a better life and when he hears of the observatory from the templars he plans to use it to rule the ocean and make more money. Apart from this being a rather dull goal, the character does not make a convincing effort to rule or gain anything and just wreaks havoc inbetween his drunk depressions. Finally towards the end of the game, after almost every friend he knows dies for reasons that he is actually not responsible for, the assassins more or less guilt him into joining them and the story ends with him killing the templars and returning home. So while this plot does place him into the AC universe, he really doesn't fit into it very well and is himself not particularly fun to play given his lacking ambition and accordingly little happening.

    Gameplay: 5/10
    The gameplay of AC has expanded in some ways, as the sailing has now become an integral component and has been somewhat revamped and there are some new minigames such as fishing and a fleet. Some assassination techniques, like the double assassination have also been made easier and the controls are more player-friendly (although I myself found some of them more difficult to get used to).
    So in that aspect the game is all well, but there are also some major pitfalls. For instance a huge number of missions involve tailing somebody, then tailing somebody else, then listening to them and then *maybe* killing somebody. This is all fine to do once in a while, but doing this every second mission or so becomes very tedious and ultimately boring.
    Further criticism can be made to the side quests, where one has to complete shape fitting puzzles that require the intelligence of a 3-year-old in order to get an armor, or mindlessly collect 200 animus fragments that do nothing other than get you an achievement. This, in combination with a map/level design of very small cities (with little to do in them) and numerous islands of which many look the exact same does feel very repetitive and takes some of the fun out of the game.
    The array of tools and weapons in the game has also been reduced, allowing for a dozen dual swords/pistols of one type with slightly different skins and stats and no daggers whatsoever. One final aspect that bothered me, was that the enemy AI has taken to a whole new level of disappointingly easy to the extent, that running up to somebody and jumping on them was a substantially easier method of "assassination" than employing stealth and planning. Admittedly, some of these criticisms are a matter of preference, but with others, it's pretty obvious the game developers were just plain lazy, which does not merit a good score.

    Graphics/Effects: 9/10
    So after all this complaining, it can at least be said that the graphics of the actual game are wonderful to the extent that some PC players may experience quite a bit of lag when compared to the predecessors. Is it worth it? Yes, as the game world is very picturesque and a good level of detail has been applied to make it feel real. The combat animations are also smooth and the characters designs have been put together nicely. One can at the very least say that the artists and graphics engineers know what they're doing.

    Anyways, after all this the verdict is 6/10. This doesn't mean it is a great game or a bad game, but rather one to enjoy more for the effects than the story or novelties of game play.    … Expand
  24. Cimentoid123
    Dec 6, 2013
    3
    Ubisoft presents: PIRATES OF CARRIBEAN: Assassin's Creed. I liked the AC series, but Black Flag SLAUGHTED it. I like the idea of being stealthy and stab stuff in the back and I HATE the idea of sailing half of the game! I mean srs, the action happens in Carraibe! I don't even want to go in a game shop because of this garbage!
  25. Sigmund98
    Dec 5, 2013
    10
    Ac 4 is probably the best ac game in the series. A truly epic open world, bursting with things to do. While the story might be a little bit deferent from the previous installments, it's still enjoyable. The graphics are amazing, kinda like an enhanced version of Far Cry 3. The stealth segments have been greatly improved from ac 3. A must own for any pirate fan
  26. SirGengar
    Dec 4, 2013
    10
    By far one of my favorite titles this year. The game looks gorgeous, is incredible to explore, the characters are great, and the naval bits are fantastic. I would recommend this game to absolutely anyone. I've been playing nonstop since I purchased it. I was up until 2 AM this morning playing!
  27. TheSaminator
    Nov 29, 2013
    10
    An overall truly great game. AC3 I thought was the worst in the series with a horrible main character but they definitely corrected that in AC4 with a more realistic likable character. The gameplay is definitely different than other AC games, with the main focus on the high seas. However, it is beautifully done and has a huge diverse open world that you can spend hour upon hour exploring.An overall truly great game. AC3 I thought was the worst in the series with a horrible main character but they definitely corrected that in AC4 with a more realistic likable character. The gameplay is definitely different than other AC games, with the main focus on the high seas. However, it is beautifully done and has a huge diverse open world that you can spend hour upon hour exploring. The only downside to this game at all is the story line is somewhat weaker than the rest of the series but it does continue from AC3 and makes up for it with all the extra gameplay you can do. Overall a 10/10 for me with one of the most enjoyable AC games so far for me.… Expand
  28. FlyinBlind72
    Nov 27, 2013
    8
    Much to my surprise, I'm very much enjoying this game. I personally feel that the last good game in this series was AC2 and have been disappointed by the following chapters prior to AC4. Lots of complaints about the story not being as strong but I'm ok with that...it's toned down a bit and that's good b/c the story sometimes feels overly weighty when all you really want to do is playMuch to my surprise, I'm very much enjoying this game. I personally feel that the last good game in this series was AC2 and have been disappointed by the following chapters prior to AC4. Lots of complaints about the story not being as strong but I'm ok with that...it's toned down a bit and that's good b/c the story sometimes feels overly weighty when all you really want to do is play loose and fast. I will say that the naval battles and such do tend to get a bit monotonous after a bit but the world is quite bit and there are lots of things to explore. haven't tried the MP yet but plan to as soon as single player is complete.… Expand
  29. TSHyperion
    Nov 27, 2013
    9
    I was disappointed by AC 3 and I haven't played AC2 or Brotherhood in a long time but for me, I think this is possiby the best entry in the franchise. The controls are fluid as ever, the graphics are fantastic and the gameplay is incredibly varied. Side missions in some Assassin's Creed games could be a real drag but in Black Flag it is very easy to change up the type of mission you areI was disappointed by AC 3 and I haven't played AC2 or Brotherhood in a long time but for me, I think this is possiby the best entry in the franchise. The controls are fluid as ever, the graphics are fantastic and the gameplay is incredibly varied. Side missions in some Assassin's Creed games could be a real drag but in Black Flag it is very easy to change up the type of mission you are doing.

    Some of the more tedious collectibles are actually worth getting such as the shanties as they pay off in game with more songs when you're sailing. The ship battles are great fun with the only draw back being that once you've raided/boarded enough ships, it does become tedious. Aside from that, they've simplified and improved the ship mechanics from AC3 and it really pays off. There are also the addition of 'Legendary Ships' if you really want a challenge that are hard enough to feel like an accomplishment but not so hard that it's frustrating if you have patience.

    The main story is quite varied. Depending on how you feel, there might be too many eavesdrop and follow quests but I never found myself bored. The optional mission constraints aren't unreasonable either.

    As far as characters go, Edward Kenway is probably my favourite assassin in the series so far. They put a slight twist on the normal way that the protagonist becomes an assassin but it actually makes Edward's assimilation in to the order much more naturalistic than some previous entries. He has the charm of Ezio but also has a fiery side to him. I've seen criticism for Edward saying that he lacks character development but I feel that by the end of the game you see a large difference not necessarily in his beliefs but in his maturity. In this sense he doesn't really develop but he certainly grows. The supporting cast is decent as well, with some nice voice acting from the other pirates (except for Kidd who irked me).

    The plot isn't fantastic but with the introduction of a new character and a new ancient technology, it could be interesting to see where they take it in future installments. The modern day aspect is different and sometimes it was a drag but some of the information you can find is quite interesting as well as an indication to some sort of future organisation if you can find all of a certain group of collectibles.

    The only negatives I have really is that I didn't enjoy the shipwreck side quests much fun. The underwater mechanics aren't ideal and the shark attacks make it quite tedious. I also felt that the last few missions seemed a little bit rushed. Could maybe have done with another couple of sequences.

    All in all, with plenty to do (assassin contracts, naval contracts, templar hunt, mayan stelae, treasure maps, ship upgrading, legendary ships, hunting, crafting, Kenway's fleet, etc), I think this is one of the best games I've played this year and one of the best in the series to date.    … Expand
  30. 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
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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.
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  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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