9.9

Review "Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced"

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced proves that a remake can be a lot more than a simple graphical overhaul. Ubisoft has chosen to ééof the most beloved parts of the Assassin's Creed franchise completely rebuild in the latest Anvil engine, where virtually every component has been modernized without losing sight of the original identity. From the first moment you enter the vast Caribbean world, it is clear that Black Flag Resynced is not just a nostalgic return, but a fully-fledged modern AAA game that can easily compete with contemporary open world titles.

The greatest power of Black Flag remains in this remake the impressive game world. The Caribbean eyes are more beautiful than ever thanks to completely renewed lighting, realistic ray tracing, dynamic weather systems, improved vegetation and an ocean that is constantly moving. Every wave, storm and sunset contributes to the atmosphere that made the original game so popular. The cities of Havana, Kingston and Nassau are thriving thanks to a much larger number of NPCs, improved animations and a higher degree of detail. The sailing between the different islands feels more natural and immersive than ever before. Moreover, loading times have almost completely disappeared, making the transition between sea, ports and islands completely seamless.

The story of Edward Kenway remains één of the strongest stories within the Assassin's Creed series. Ubisoft has chosen to leave the original storyline largely intact, a choice that is excellent. Edward begins as an ambitious and egoïStyrian pirate who essentially wants wealth and adventure, but develops during the story into an adult Assassin who ever better understands what freedom really means. His character development feels credible and emotional, while well-known characters such as Blackbeard, Mary Read and Charles Vane impress again. Thanks to new intermediate films and additional dialogues, different characters get more depth without affecting the original story.

The gameplay has also taken a huge step forward. Where the fighting system in the original Black Flag was mainly about simple counters and relatively simple sword battles, combat in Resynced feels much more modern. Players now need to time better when they attack or parry, enemies react more intelligently and the animations run considerably more smoothly. Fights feel more dynamic and challenging without losing the accessibility that Black Flag has always been known for. The new combat consequently fits much better with the expectations of modern players.

Besides combat, the parkour system has improved considerably. Edward moves more smoothly over rooftops, climbs faster against buildings and jumps much more naturally between objects. Especially in densely built cities this makes freerunnen feel more fluent than ever before. Although the system is still recognizable to fans of the original, the renewed animations and better movement transitions make the gameplay look much more modern.

Stealth also benefits from various improvements. Players now have more freedom of movement thanks to a free squat system, improved coverage and smarter response enemies. Missions where you must follow someone unnoticed have been adapted to make them feel less frustrating than in the original. Enemies react more realistically to sounds and movements, giving sneaking more possibilities and at the same time feeling fairer.

Of course, Black Flag is still about life as a pirate and the Jackdaw remains the absolute star of the game. The sea battles are once again among the highlights of the experience and are more spectacular than ever. Thanks to the renewed physics waves actually affect the ship's control, while storms are more impressive eyes due to improved water and weather effects. Cannonballs cause more realistic damage and explosions feel more powerful. The upgrade and adjustment of the Jackdaw is also extensive, giving players even more freedom to assemble their ship to their own taste.

Graphically Black Flag Resynced undoubtedly belongs to the most beautiful Assassin's Creed games Ubisoft has ever released. Character models are completely rebuilt, face animations eyes are lifelike and lighting ensures that every environment has a unique atmosphere. Especially during sunrises, tropical storms and night sea travel, the game shows what the latest generation of hardware is capable of. The sound quality has also improved considerably. The iconic soundtrack returns in a renewed form, while extra sea shans, improved ambient sounds and Dolby Atmos support provide an even more compelling experience.

Ubisoft has also added several new activities that ensure that even players who have played the original fully discover enough new content. Additional side missions, hidden treasures, new locations and additional story moments make the remake not feel like a simple repetition of what players already know. At the same time, the core of Black Flag remains completely preserved, so the nostalgic atmosphere is never lost.

Yet Black Flag Resynced also has some minor shortcomings. The base of the game remains from 2013, so some mission structures still feel somewhat repetitive. In addition, players who hoped for a whole new story or a return of the popular multiplayer will be disappointed, as Ubisoft has chosen to focus fully on the single player experience. Despite these minor criticisms, this hardly diminishes the overall quality of the remake.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced shows what a remake looks like. Instead of just brushing up the graphics, Ubisoft has redesigned and adapted virtually every aspect of the game to the standards of this generation. The combination of a beautiful open world, a strong story, modern gameplay, spectacular sea battles and impressive audiovisual presentation makes Black Flag Resynced one of the most complete and convincing Assassin's Creed experiences of recent years. For fans of the original this is without a doubt the ultimate way to go back to the sea with Edward Kenway, while new players are presented with an adventure game that shows why Black Flag has been considered for years to be één of the absolute highlights of the franchise.