Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag

The latest instalment of the Assassin's Creed series lands us in the Caribbean Sea playing as Edward Kenway, the father of Haytham Kenway who we played as briefly in Assassin's creed III. There's a slight twist to the story of this Assassin's Creed however, that being, for the majority of the game you're not even an Assassin, you're in fact a merciless pirate with a bunch of cutthroats for a crew.

The 'Jackdaw' - Captain Kenway's Ship

Assassin's Creed IV is visually the most impressive Assassin's Creed to date, which is of course expected with progression and the title being released on next-fen consoles etc. Yet this AC seems to go above and beyond, the lighting, colours, textures are so beautiful! The sea of the Caribbean is the most lovely shade of blue and shimmers in all its glory under the scorching sun. The beaches look as if they're paved with gold and the jungles are the most vibrant and exotic colours I've seen to date in any game. If you've ever wondered or dreamed of laying on a beach in the Caribbean or dreamt of exploring desert islands, the beauty of them in your imagination will seem like a dull, boring canvas compared to this games visuals!

Kenway Gazing Into Kingston Town

Overlooking The 'Jackdaw' A Top A Church Spire In Kingston

The gameplay of the new AC feels very smooth and fluid like. The characters move so realistically, the facial expressions are perfect and fitting for pretty much every scene! Board a ship and you'll see the anger and fear in the eyes of your men and the enemy, loose a friend and you'll see the emotion in Kenway's face. The attention to detail is very impressive.

Combat is as good as ever in the AC series, intelligent AI's try to surround you and you pretty much survive through counter attacks which have some brutal animations yet are very satisfying to watch. The naval combat has been improved by leaps and bounds since AC III which was obviously a necessity due to AC IV being set during the golden age of piracy and your character fighting alongside the fearsome Blackbeard for a majority of the game. The depth of customisation regarding your ship is also quite impressive too whereas character customisation is pretty much the same old same old. You can also hunt for whales, sharks and other sea creatures now which is a new feature involving harpooning and a small rowboat. The pirate experience of the 18th Century truly does feel authentic in the new AC.

At The Wheel Of The 'Jackdaw'

Capturing A White Whale After Harpooning It

Overall i'd say the newest instalment of the AC franchise is one of the best yet. It boasts amazing graphics, an intriguing, fresh and unique story to perk up the series and great gameplay mechanics with tons of new feature that really do feel like a breath of fresh air regarding the repetition of other AC games. I'd give this Assassin's Creed a 9/10 and a huge round of applause to Ubisoft for such stunning work! You can see a lot of time and effort has gone into this AC and it has certainly paid off.

Kenway Deep In The Jungle Of One Of The Caribbean's Many Islands You Can Explore 

Overlooking The 'Jackdaw' In The Midst Of A Tropical Storm