Really, the Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Remake is underway, with some actual upheavals. The good old swashbuckler called Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, and the amazing experience of living the lives of Caribbean pirates is somehow creeping back into history, with news portals confirming the remake. Newer news hints at a full-scale overhaul of the story and gameplay that would take Edward Kenway’s saga completely in a different direction in the eyes of fans.
From 2013 onwards, Black Flag represented a top favorite in one of Ubisoft’s great series. I remember jumping into the shoes of the cool rogue, Edward Kenway, split between the freedom of a pirate and the duty of an Assassin. He sailed on huge oceans, fought awesome ships, and looted treasures all over the Caribbean.
It was a glorious intersection of real history with an open world. Many of us have been hoping for its return. Well, now Ubisoft is reviving it. And this time, however, it may feel different.
A French site, Jeux Vidéo Magazine, has reported that the remake removes all present-day narrative bits linking to the whole Assassin’s Creed universe. Instead, Ubisoft seeks further narratives about characters, primarily Edward Kenway. This gives them the opportunity to examine deeper into his relationships and motives, things the first game glossed over. The fans could learn so much more about the guy with the sword. I was always somewhat curious about his past; it makes me all the more eager now.
Players are somewhat upset by the removal of modern elements, especially old-timer fans. True, those episodes were short. Still, they left a clever meta-plot where you act as an Abstergo worker using Animus tech to relive Edward’s experiences. The link provided from the pirate era to today’s Assassin Templar conflict touched very lightly on actual issues, such as company power grabs versus blurry lines of entertainment/fun versus control.
Track with that, and you basically throw out an important landmark of the series. Although Ubisoft might prefer to narrow the scope to give off a more genuine feeling to the pirate world.
Besides story changes, gameplay is getting modern twists. The rumor goes, RPG elements introduced in Valhalla and Odyssey were added to revive this. Swappable gear and loot drops for Edward sound like stats affecting the damage of the weapon and armor. The map should stay quite intact.
There will also be added activities across the islands and the sea. More animal encounters, side missions, and ship upgrades.
But the RPG direction didn’t sit well with some fans. Black Flag was great simply because it was all about simple sword fighting, a few ship battles, and pure exploration. Pad in loot grinding with number crunching, and it’ll start losing that quick feel. Too little innovation, and it begins to feel outdated. Too much innovation, and it takes its heart.
I spent countless hours just sailing on the original one freely. I really hope they bring that spark.
Still, huge news! Black Flag sits at the highest on the remake wishlist. Ubisoft can bring back the magic. It was all I dreamt of to pirate the seas single-handedly.
The big question: will the remake bring back that elusive thrill or chase the trend a little too hard?
Either way, the sea is calling. Want to relive the life of young Edward or hoist the black flag once more? This remake could ignite your next adventure. Ready to sail, or keep those memories buried? You may also be interested in: GTA 6 Ambrosia Revealed: The Rust-Belt Jungle of Chaos
