Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag remains one of the most popular and distinct entries within Ubisoft’s open-world stealth-action franchise. After numerous games followed the exploits of characters with strong connections to the creed, Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag took a turn with a protagonist who became a member almost by happenstance. Edward Kenway didn’t set out to live by the tenets, and his original goal was simply the pursuit of wealth and freedom on the open Caribbean seas during the Golden Age of Piracy. However, his motivations did at least align with the “everything is permitted” part of the ethos.
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag‘s emphasis on sailing, naval combat, and related mechanics set it apart from previous titles and those that have come since, even when latter entries had these elements in some form. Now, with rumors of a Black Flag remake increasingly churning in the water, it may be the case that one is indeed on the horizon. And if so, this could also prove beneficial down the line to fans who enjoy these aspects.
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More Evidence of an Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Remake Appears Online
Even more evidence pointing to an Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag remake surfaces online, courtesy of some publicly available data.
The Rumored Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Remake Could Lead to a Revival of More Sailing Elements In Future Entries
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag’s Ship and Naval Systems Remain Some of the Best Around
Along with the expected exploration and parkour in a vividly realized and popular historical period, one of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag‘s core loops is the engaging navigation and upkeep of Edward Kenway’s vessel, The Jackdaw. Black Flag‘s integration of these into its story and gameplay has seen it become hailed as one of the most satisfying and robust naval/pirate combat simulators to date, even beyond its place in the overall series.
As further proof, though it was released years prior, Black Flag handled these better than Skull and Bones, Ubisoft’s other (and much more maligned) open-world multiplayer pirate-themed title, and the former still holds up incredibly well over ten years later. This isn’t even to mention the mini-game where players can send their fleet to trade and plunder in a management-like simulator.
Fans may recall that naval aspects were first introduced in a DLC for Assassin’s Creed 3, wherein Connor captains The Aquila in a limited capacity through a handful of missions.
Why a Black Flag Remake Might Result in More Naval and Ship-Based Aspects for Future Assassin’s Creed Games
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag‘s dedicated ship exploration and combat impressively captured the feel of being a pirate on the high seas in a way many other games before or since haven’t managed to do. Its deep and rewarding designs in this area often make it a fan-favorite regardless of a few of its other shortcomings. According to various leaks and other unofficial information that has come to light, the next entry, Assassin’s Creed Hexe, is thought to be set in The Holy Roman Empire. Given this location and timeframe, it probably doesn’t leave much room for naval activities ala Black Flag.
But if Ubisoft is in fact putting the effort into overhauling and updating all of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag‘s naval and ship mechanics for an upcoming modern remake, it seems like a good next step would be to make use of them as a basis to some degree going forward. With any of the streamlining and improvements likely to be put into a remake, it would be a shame to let this go to waste without exploring its potential again. Wherever Assassin’s Creed may go next, Black Flag‘s potential redesigns could provide some great opportunities to give the large portion of players who embraced the original a chance to set sail on an all-new adventure.