Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced review – The best pirate game just got even better

A series soon to be 20 years old, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Ubisoft is finally giving one of the earlier Assassin’s Creed games the makeover treatment. And while it may seem strange that it’s starting with Black Flag, the fourth mainline entry, it actually makes some sense. As much as I’d like a remake of the original Assassin’s Creed, which I do hope happens some day, it would require a hell of a lot of work to bring it up to modern standards. Black Flag, on the other hand, has a much easier base to build upon.

For those unfamiliar with the original game, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced puts you in control of Edward Kenway, a privateer-turned-pirate hoping to make it rich and then return home to his beloved wife to live a life of luxury. Encountering an Assassin during his exploits, however, he soon uncovers a nefarious Templar plot to control all of humanity, and unwillingly becomes embroiled in the never-ending Assassin-Templar conflict. Needless to say, it’s a struggle that makes him question his values.

One thing that has been changed here, though, is the modern day aspect. No longer will you be occasionally exploring the offices of Abstergo Entertainment to hack computers and obtain valuable information. Instead, like in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the modern day story is delivered via the Animus EGO hub, with a small number of missions opening up as you progress through the main story. Think of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced more like a sequel than a straight up remake, then, in a similar vein to what Square Enix has been doing with its new Final Fantasy VII titles.

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the popular series, but I’m sure no one will disagree if I state that it has some issues. Thankfully, many of those have been eradicated in Black Flag Resynced. Everything from combat to exploration has been gone over with a fine-tooth comb here, aiming to improve the gameplay experience and level of immersion. The power of modern consoles means that there are minimal loading screens, for example, allowing you to more seamlessly explore the vast and rather picturesque world that’s on offer. And then there are other touches like being able to make Edward crouch to lower his visibility, and even raise his hood.

One of the biggest changes here, though, regards the original game’s abundance of eavesdropping and trailing missions. You’ll still find some of them in Black Flag Resynced, but they’re now dynamic; get caught, for example, and you’ll simply have to fight your way out of the sticky situation you’ve found yourself in. This has required Ubisoft to create entirely new cutscenes and more, which is a big undertaking. But it’s one that pays off as it not only makes the world of Black Flag Resynced more immersive, but its gameplay more reactive and rewarding.

As much fun as it is being on land in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, using your parkour skills to run across rooftops and stealth abilities to assassinate enemies while remaining undetected, being able to plant your hands on the wheel of your ship, the Jackdaw, and take to the sea remains the highlight. While the naval combat here hasn’t been changed all that much, it’s very much a case of “don’t fix what isn’t broken”. Still, some tweaks have been made to things such as weapon balancing. It’s the actual act of sailing that benefits the most in this remake, with improved water physics making storms truly terrifying.

While a game shouldn’t be judged on its visuals, the explorative nature of Black Flag Resynced means that presentation does play a large role here. And it’s safe to say that this is the best-looking Assassin’s Creed game yet, which is quite the statement considering how easy Assassin’s Creed Shadows was on the eyes, especially on PS5 Pro. Whether you’re battling with a storm while also engaging enemy ships in combat, or or hunting down collectibles on a small island in the middle of nowhere, you’re always taking in some incredible sights. Thanks to a Balanced mode being available, you don’t have to make the hard choice between visuals and performance if you have a compatible TV as well.

The only aspect of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced that remains a little disappointing is combat. It’s fine for the most part, and there are some nice touches, such as being able to use your tools (including the rope dart) to draw enemies close and open them up for an easy takedown, but things get quite messy when you find yourself in busy encounters, such as when boarding an enemy ship. It’s easy to get caught out by an enemy performing an attack from off-screen, and the lock-on ability feels quite finicky.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced isn’t perfect, then, but it comes damn close. This is a stunning recreation of one of the best titles in the Assassin’s Creed series, addressing most of the original game’s core issues while expanding and enhancing upon what still makes it an attractive prospect to this day. Basically, this is not only one of the best Assassin’s Creed games ever made, but it’s the best pirate game, letting you explore a dynamic world, develop your ship and engage in trade. Whether you’re an Assassin’s Creed fan or just want to terrorise the seas with your trusty crew, consider this a must-have.