Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Review – Struck Gold

The Assassin’s Creed series was a favourite of mine throughout childhood, but it’s one of those things that just seemed to get worse with time. Modern entries can feel bloated yet shallow, boring but packed with action, and just generally tedious. However, 2013’s Black Flag has, for me, always be when the franchise operated at its best. It’s been almost 13 years since the original release, and Ubisoft are looking to restore the franchise to its former glory by remaking its most beloved entry – but is this treasure worth hunting?

As I’d hoped, within just a few hours of starting the game I was hooked the same way I was when I was a teenager on the original Black Flag. The best way to describe why I feel so enamoured would be to immerse you in the moment that made it all click, so let’s start there. We’re Edward Kenway, pirate extraordinaire of the Jackdaw ship, and our usual mischievous antics have us out at sea, fleeing from those we wronged. Now though, after completing the introductory section of the game, we’re surrounded by waterspouts. These giant, towering tornados of water are threatening to tear up the ship with a violent combination of the elements, and we’re already needing to prove our worth as its captain.

Thankfully though, the Jackdaw is a capable ship, and Edward is a capable pirate. Even with these columns beating at the ship and threatening to rip it apart, he believes that with enough luck and skill there’s a way through it. He’s a pirate, so he’s used to this life, but if we start to zoom out a bit, the situation he’s found himself stuck in here is strikingly similar to the one he finds himself in within the narrative.

From the start of the game we know that Edward isn’t really an Assassin. He’s a pirate with some good fortune and a drive for success. It’s one of the most likeable things about him, we all like a rogue every now and then. Unlike other heroes in the Assassin’s Creed series, Edward has an uncoventional origin story. Within the first few minutes, he finds an Assassin, kills him, and takes his clothes to steal his identity and profit from that. Soon after though, he gets caught up in an ocean of trouble. His careless approach towards life finds him surrounded by forces of destruction beyond his understanding. His lack of awareness for the ancient Orders that he’s positioned himself between has made him the target of Assassins, soldiers and pirates alike. They’re closing in on different sides, like waterspouts on the ocean, and it’s our job to weave our way through it all.

I love this element of the story, and it makes me care even more about the wider tale that Black Flag has to tell. Edward’s not a typical hero protagonist, and the game makes that very clear in the first few minutes. It’s just one of the ways that the game sells you on its narrative, which I’m pleased to say is still absolutely wonderful. It’s definitely fast-paced, taking us from one island and character to another without much room to breathe, but since when were pirates known for taking it slow?

Pirates are a huge part of the story, not just through Edward but with the game’s supporting cast. While our main character is seeking glory for himself, his pirate allies Blackbeard, James Kidd and Anne Bonny want freedom for the Pirates, and to create a true Pirate nation of their own. As Edward’s always down for more chances to pirate around, he helps them on their story too. The story that Black Flag tells is incredible, and Resynced captures that perfectly – including with some new side quest content that flesh out the Pirate gang’s story that I don’t want to spoil but will encourage you to try yourself.

Between all these incredible narrative elements, Edward has a lot on his plate. Which again brings us back to that moment, the Jackdaw weaving through the waterspouts. Edward lives for the thrill, but these strong winds are hardly good for the health of the ship, even if the adrenaline of the chase makes him feel strong. How long is this sustainable, and what lies on the horizon beyond the forces that stand in our way? Well, that bit you’ll have to find out yourself, but I can tell you it’s a story you’ll get swept away in.

Whilst getting through the narrative and listening to these characters is smooth sailing, there are some hitches to be found with the moment-to-moment gameplay side of things. The new approach to combat is exactly how I hoped it’d feel: Edward is fast, nimble, and almost a little too slippery, which I appreciate coming from a pirate. However, the visual presentation that comes with equipping your weapons and displaying your actions leaves a lot to be desired, and that’s a major issue I have with the UI.

This is a game set in the Golden Age of Piracy, it’s the 1700s, so why on Earth does the UI look so sleek and clinical? I was playing on the Deluxe Edition, and the game registered my entitlement to the premium contents in the first playable moment of the game, meaning that my first few dramatic moments that are intended to set the mood were disrupted by bright flashes of gold and clean, white square icons showing off my new gear. It might sound minor, but it’s such a crude visual presentation that reeks of a lack of care towards immersion, which is surprising given how well it’s done elsewhere. Edward is shipwrecked, swimming through the ocean for his own survival, I’m in control of his destiny and these Fortnite-ish golden boxes are flashing, sparkling and chiming to let me know I have a gold weapon. It’s hardly a major offence, but it’s tacky at best and deeply shallow at worst.

The absurd Fortnitification of the game goes even further when the player interacts with Abstergo, the in-game virtual reality that explains how we’re reliving these historical memories. I had to check if what I was seeing was real but, yes, this single-player narrative-led game has a Battle Pass. Three of them, in fact! I never really figured out how they worked while playing the game, and I also really didn’t want to. I’m used to games rewarding collectible hunting with in-game rewards through a character or side story, so the hand of God spontaneously gifting Edward with a new pet monkey because he found enough abstract, tech-y collectibles around the 18th century Carribean was another somewhat immersion breaking moment. I know that the Abstergo scenes in the original Black Flag broke the flow of the game for many at the time, but I’d prefer that any day over a traditional RPG adventure spontaneously resorting to mobile game tactics for the sake of engagement.

These are my gripes because, everywhere else, the game never misses. The parkour is fast and immersive in just how nimble Edward is now, the world is richer than it ever could’ve been with last decade’s technology, and exploring the ocean’s many mysteries is a lot more fun when there’s just more to do and more ways to do it.

As we make our way though the world, it’s also hard to ignore how beautiful it is. The work the development team did on this game is nothing short of magic, with absolutely no performance hiccups on PC despite it being so realistic the storms would genuinely make me nervous. These technical feats become even more impressive in the crowded port towns, where hundreds of people are living their lives with a bustling nature that’s nothing short of lifelike.

It’s always easy to complain about Ubisoft’s misteps, but it’s even easier to sing praises of this wonderful remaster, because it’s really just Black Flag but better. The company might be in a rocky place, but Resynced is so clearly designed with love that its surely clean sailing going forwards for the fans, at least for now. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is worth your time whether you were a fan of the original or completely new to the series, making a Carribean vacation with Edward a great way to spend your summer.

Bobby reviewed Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced on PC with a provided review code. This review is based on the version of the game available at the time of writing and our score will not be changed