Rumors have been swirling about a possible Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag remake for a few months now, though there has been no official confirmation of the project from Ubisoft. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is generally considered one of the best, if not the best, entry in the franchise, so it makes sense that Ubisoft would try to get more mileage out of it. But this popularity also means that the stakes are high: Ubisoft really needs to get this remake right, if it does indeed exist.
Black Flag follows Edward Kenway, an English pirate traveling between various Caribbean islands in the early 18th century. Moment-to-moment gameplay is fundamentally the same as the Assassin's Creed games that came before it, especially those following Assassin's Creed 2, albeit greatly expanded. The game's world is sprawling, composed of a series of richly detailed and diverse tropical islands separated by vast stretches of ocean that can be explored via a robust ship traversal system. Black Flag also features naval warfare and underwater exploration—mechanics that would find their way back into later AC games, though without the same dedication and scope. If recent rumors about Assassin's Creed: Black Flag remake are to be believed, this tightly balanced gameplay loop could become adulterated.
The Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Remake Will Reportedly Be More Like the Modern AC Games
Leak: The Black Flag Remake Will Have No Modern-Day Elements, RPG Elements
According to French gaming outlet Jeux Vidéo Magazine, and translated by user Zamnboii on Reddit, the Black Flag remake will be more than just a visual overhaul of the 2013 original. In fact, it will make significant changes to its story, gameplay, and overall structure, the most significant of which include:
- Loot and gear stats
- The outright removal of modern-day sections, replaced by extra Edward content
- Post-Origins combat
- Gameplay that "will shift closer" to the RPG style of the modern AC games
Jeux Vidéo Magazine also reports that the remake will be developed in the Anvil Pipeline engine, the same engine used for the visually spectacular Assassin's Creed Shadows.
Assuming that this leak is accurate, it paints a messy picture for the Black Flag remake. While the contemporary Assassin's Creed formula has its fans, it's not universally beloved, even within the current fanbase. More importantly, reverse-engineering Black Flag to bring it more in line with the likes of Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Shadows is hardly called for: Black Flag might not be perfect, but players love it for what it is. None of the most common criticisms of the original Black Flag would be addressed by adding features like EXP and gear stats.
Then there's the matter of removing the game's modern-day segments. While Assassin's Creed's modern-day storyline has a lot of problems, and Black Flag's rendition of this trend is among the weaker ones, it's still a core part of the original experience. Ideally, an ambitious remake should attempt to recapture the magic of the original release, smoothing over rough edges when possible, but not outright removing content. Would Black Flag have been better without its first-person out-of-Animus moments? Perhaps, but these moments are essential for a faithful recreation, and part of Assassin's Creed canon besides. Removing them, rather than attempting to improve them in some way, feels strangely noncommittal and awkward.
As always, the above information should be taken with a pinch of salt. Even the most consistent and reliable outlets (and that includes independent creators/influencers) get bad or outdated information from time to time; it's possible that Jeux Vidéo Magazine's report is inaccurate. And even if it is accurate, maybe the changes will lead to a better Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag experience, though Ubisoft may be hard-pressed to find fans who express that sentiment.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- October 29, 2013
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
WHERE TO PLAY
The year is 1715. Pirates rule the Caribbean and have established their own lawless Republic where corruption, greediness and cruelty are commonplace.
Among these outlaws is a brash young captain named Edward Kenway. His fight for glory has earned him the respect of legends like Blackbeard, but also drawn him into the ancient war between Assassins and Templars, a war that may destroy everything the pirates have built.
Welcome to the Golden Age of Piracy.
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Assassin's Creed
- Genre(s)
- Action, Open-World
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
