Pirates! They have captured the imagination of people since the 1700s. The ideas of sailing the seas, being your own boss and raiding other ships for loot have been associated with pirates since just after the Golden Age of Piracy ended.
Despite whether the romanticised aspects about piracy truly are accurate, when most people think of pirates, they have think of adventure. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag ticked all of those boxes with the added flare of the Assassin’s Creed lore that I’ve come to know and love.
Legends Are Made
Black Flag gave us a fan favourite character named Edward Kenway, the grandfather to Conner Kenway from Assassin’s Creed III. Edward was flawed and blinded by greed and it was a lot of fun watching him grow from this selfish pirate to an Assassin who fought for the freedom of mankind.
His journey reminded me of Ezio’s. Both characters started out as arrogant, selfish, young men with little to no care in the world. They eventually became men who sacrificed so much for others and wore the weight of the world on their shoulders.
Edward was a relatable character and I enjoyed every moment I spent with him.
A Pirate’s Life For Me
Black Flag took the bare bones naval combat from Assassin’s Creed III and jacked it up immensely. The sailing felt so satisfying and engaging in ship battles was a good pass time.
I also enjoyed the upgrading of The Jackdaw (Edward’s Ship), which enticed me to go around looking for loot to pillage and maps to uncover. This led me to islands dotted with ancient Mayan Ruins.
The sea hunting was intense but the addition of crafting made it worth it. There was so much to do in this game. It really felt like I got lost in this world, which is what I look for when playing open-world games.
Black Flag is a must play in the Assassin’s Creed series. While the modern day storyline was a bore, the meat of the game was full and juicy.
In our next instalment of our voyage through Assassin’s Creed, we will be looking at Black Flag‘s expansion: Assassin’s Creed: Freedom Cry.
