Hollycat
12-13-2013, 06:20 PM
This Thread is for the People of Eyes on Final Fantasy to give their impressions of the game: Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag. Please feel free to post your review in any format you like. Even a simple number score and nothing else would be terrific.
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49167
Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag (PS4)
~
Step into the boots of 18th century Pirate Captain Edward Kenway in the fourth numbered Assassin's Creed entry. Search for the elusive Observatory as you fight to make the Carribean a place where anyone can live as they please.
Sail the seas in the mighty Jackdaw, a vessel you create and decorate, and meet famous pirates like Red Anne, James Kidd, and Edward Teach.
Will you become the greatest Pirate of all time, or will you spend eternity at the bottom of the ocean? Enter the Animus and make the Caribbean yours!
~
Story- Chapter 1 spoilers
Edward Kenway, a pirate who left his home and family to make his fortune, dons the garb of the Assassin's and sets off on a quest to find the Observatory, a mythical device that allows the user to see what anyone is doing, no matter how far away. He seeks it not to protect it from the Templars, but to make a profit.
Indeed, Kenway is no assassin at all, but rather a pirate who has slain an assassin and put his clothes to use furthering his own goals.
---
The story of AC4 is a step up from AC3, but still falls short of the glory that was Ezio's legacy. A bit predictable, and often times lost in the myriad of sidequests, Black Flag's story is nonetheless a fun and interesting adventure that has a satisfying and absolute conclusion.
The weakest point in the story is by far the interactions between Kenway and Rogers. They go from being allies to enemies and back again for literally no reason. Unfortunately, the conflicts between Rogers and Kenway is also the glue that holds the whole story together, and therefore leaves everything in between feeling loose and unrelated.
By far the strongest points of the story are the beginning and the end.
~
Characters
AC4 has a wide range of well developed and interesting characters, unfortunately none of them are anything but pirates and Templars.
Kenway- Our anti-hero is a privateer turned Pirate, Kenway is trying to earn money as quickly as possible so that he may return to his family as soon as he can. He has no qualms about killing anyone who attacks him, and will do anything for gold. However, he is loyal to his friends and fellow pirates, and deep down wants to do good.
Kenway is sarcastic, crude, and rash. He is also one of the most interesting characters Ubisoft has ever created, easily trumping Altair and Connor.
James Kidd- The most well developed Pirate in Black Flag besides Kenway, Kidd is Kenways closest friend and a great ally. I don't want to spoil anything, but Kidd was my favorite NPC in this game for several reasons.
Edward Teach- This famous scourge of the seas takes on several new and interesting characteristics apart from the usual retellings that make him a very interesting character.
Governor Torres- The Lead Villain in AC4, Torres wants to rule through knowledge rather than fear or love. He seeks the Observatory in order to be able to know everyones thoughts, so that no one can ever best him.
The Sage Roberts- "a short explosive life is far better than a long one filled with mundane things"
Overall, the characters in Assassins Creed 4 are the best the series has ever seen, even outclassing Assassin's Creed 2.
~
The Looks:
The PS4 version is the best version of this game available on consoles graphically, nearly matching the PC version. The textures are realistic and crisp, and the game comes across looking more a movie that a game at some points.
The foliage and water especially deserve props for being some of the best we've ever seen in any game.
The Level Design:
The cities each have a completely different feel, and each one has plenty to do.
The islands however are all samey looking, and you will quickly grow bored of stopping at every island to pick up all the collectables.
The Characters:
Each and every one of the characters in this game look fantastic and unique. It's very clear from just looking at these characters that they belong in the Carribean. The outfit textures look great, and everything moves like it should.
FPS: I never experienced any loss of Frame Rate while playing on the PS4.
~
Gameplay:
The same classic AC gameplay we've grown to adore, but better. You can play each mission however you want, and stealth and direct combat both feel and look incredible. However you decide to play, you will be satisfied.
The naval missions are incredible. I love sneaking around killing things, but there's a level of joy to shooting 20 cannons into the side of a Man of War that just can't be described.
The only problem I had is that there are too many stalking missions, which are the only missions where you can't choose your playstyle.
Response:
The controls are tight and everything feels fluid. What more can you ask for?
~
Audio:
Everything, from the standard adventuring background music, to the shanties, to the tavern singers just sounds fantastic. Easily the best soundtrack AC has ever had.
~
Replayability:
The story is interesting enough for a few playthroughs, but is not anything special. The real Replayability comes from doing all the missions and getting all the collectables. Fully upgrading the Jackdaw through naval missions is almost addictive.
To get everything in the SP mode, expect around 80 hours of gameplay.
~
Multiplayer:
Not Yet Tested
~
Vita Compatability:
Direct Connection:
Did a complete playthrough of the story mode.
There are framerate drops often, even if you are sitting close to the PS4. Do not expect to play through the whole game without crashing at this point.
Looks great, Controls are quick and responsive.
Terrific for doing an hour or two of AC, but don't expect more out of your Vita in a single go.
Online Connection:
Not Yet Tested
~
Final Impression:
A terrific game in it's own right, and a worthy entry into the Assassin's Creed franchise. A slighly weak story and too easy missions hold it back, but Black Flag is the most fun I've had with a Sandbox game since Just Cause 2.
TL;DR:
The Best Assassin's Creed Game in a long time.
8.5/10
Twitch Stream Date:
12/22 starting at 2pm central time
http://www.twitch.tv/hypoallergenicc
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
49167
Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag (PS4)
~
Step into the boots of 18th century Pirate Captain Edward Kenway in the fourth numbered Assassin's Creed entry. Search for the elusive Observatory as you fight to make the Carribean a place where anyone can live as they please.
Sail the seas in the mighty Jackdaw, a vessel you create and decorate, and meet famous pirates like Red Anne, James Kidd, and Edward Teach.
Will you become the greatest Pirate of all time, or will you spend eternity at the bottom of the ocean? Enter the Animus and make the Caribbean yours!
~
Story- Chapter 1 spoilers
Edward Kenway, a pirate who left his home and family to make his fortune, dons the garb of the Assassin's and sets off on a quest to find the Observatory, a mythical device that allows the user to see what anyone is doing, no matter how far away. He seeks it not to protect it from the Templars, but to make a profit.
Indeed, Kenway is no assassin at all, but rather a pirate who has slain an assassin and put his clothes to use furthering his own goals.
---
The story of AC4 is a step up from AC3, but still falls short of the glory that was Ezio's legacy. A bit predictable, and often times lost in the myriad of sidequests, Black Flag's story is nonetheless a fun and interesting adventure that has a satisfying and absolute conclusion.
The weakest point in the story is by far the interactions between Kenway and Rogers. They go from being allies to enemies and back again for literally no reason. Unfortunately, the conflicts between Rogers and Kenway is also the glue that holds the whole story together, and therefore leaves everything in between feeling loose and unrelated.
By far the strongest points of the story are the beginning and the end.
~
Characters
AC4 has a wide range of well developed and interesting characters, unfortunately none of them are anything but pirates and Templars.
Kenway- Our anti-hero is a privateer turned Pirate, Kenway is trying to earn money as quickly as possible so that he may return to his family as soon as he can. He has no qualms about killing anyone who attacks him, and will do anything for gold. However, he is loyal to his friends and fellow pirates, and deep down wants to do good.
Kenway is sarcastic, crude, and rash. He is also one of the most interesting characters Ubisoft has ever created, easily trumping Altair and Connor.
James Kidd- The most well developed Pirate in Black Flag besides Kenway, Kidd is Kenways closest friend and a great ally. I don't want to spoil anything, but Kidd was my favorite NPC in this game for several reasons.
Edward Teach- This famous scourge of the seas takes on several new and interesting characteristics apart from the usual retellings that make him a very interesting character.
Governor Torres- The Lead Villain in AC4, Torres wants to rule through knowledge rather than fear or love. He seeks the Observatory in order to be able to know everyones thoughts, so that no one can ever best him.
The Sage Roberts- "a short explosive life is far better than a long one filled with mundane things"
Overall, the characters in Assassins Creed 4 are the best the series has ever seen, even outclassing Assassin's Creed 2.
~
The Looks:
The PS4 version is the best version of this game available on consoles graphically, nearly matching the PC version. The textures are realistic and crisp, and the game comes across looking more a movie that a game at some points.
The foliage and water especially deserve props for being some of the best we've ever seen in any game.
The Level Design:
The cities each have a completely different feel, and each one has plenty to do.
The islands however are all samey looking, and you will quickly grow bored of stopping at every island to pick up all the collectables.
The Characters:
Each and every one of the characters in this game look fantastic and unique. It's very clear from just looking at these characters that they belong in the Carribean. The outfit textures look great, and everything moves like it should.
FPS: I never experienced any loss of Frame Rate while playing on the PS4.
~
Gameplay:
The same classic AC gameplay we've grown to adore, but better. You can play each mission however you want, and stealth and direct combat both feel and look incredible. However you decide to play, you will be satisfied.
The naval missions are incredible. I love sneaking around killing things, but there's a level of joy to shooting 20 cannons into the side of a Man of War that just can't be described.
The only problem I had is that there are too many stalking missions, which are the only missions where you can't choose your playstyle.
Response:
The controls are tight and everything feels fluid. What more can you ask for?
~
Audio:
Everything, from the standard adventuring background music, to the shanties, to the tavern singers just sounds fantastic. Easily the best soundtrack AC has ever had.
~
Replayability:
The story is interesting enough for a few playthroughs, but is not anything special. The real Replayability comes from doing all the missions and getting all the collectables. Fully upgrading the Jackdaw through naval missions is almost addictive.
To get everything in the SP mode, expect around 80 hours of gameplay.
~
Multiplayer:
Not Yet Tested
~
Vita Compatability:
Direct Connection:
Did a complete playthrough of the story mode.
There are framerate drops often, even if you are sitting close to the PS4. Do not expect to play through the whole game without crashing at this point.
Looks great, Controls are quick and responsive.
Terrific for doing an hour or two of AC, but don't expect more out of your Vita in a single go.
Online Connection:
Not Yet Tested
~
Final Impression:
A terrific game in it's own right, and a worthy entry into the Assassin's Creed franchise. A slighly weak story and too easy missions hold it back, but Black Flag is the most fun I've had with a Sandbox game since Just Cause 2.
TL;DR:
The Best Assassin's Creed Game in a long time.
8.5/10
Twitch Stream Date:
12/22 starting at 2pm central time
http://www.twitch.tv/hypoallergenicc