It’s always a pleasure to wind the clock back, and the past few years have made that quite a pleasurable activity thanks to remakes of some popular titles that have been a part of my childhood. I wasn’t exactly a kid when I first played Assassin’s Creed Black Flag on my shiny new PS4, but I wasn’t exactly an adult yet either. It’s why the opportunity to play as an unscrupulous pirate carried as much appeal as it did back then.
But I’m older and wiser now, and it’s the noble Assassin that calls to me as I eagerly wait to treat myself to Black Flag Resynced as an early birthday treat. What is it about this one that has me so eager to revisit a game I’ve played to completion about four or five times? Well, I’m happy to regale you with all of the stuff I’m just itching to get to when I finally get to step back onto The Jackdaw’s deck. Let’s go!
1. See the New Visuals In Action
Let’s get the obvious stuff out of the way first, shall we? The Caribbean was already a very pretty place to be sailing your ship around, but the visual upgrades that I’ve seen so far could make it stand tall among some of the best-looking titles on offer today. I’m almost certain I’m going to whip out my spyglass to admire the view more often than not, and perhaps even let my ship float upon the open waters and just take it all in. Those viewpoints are just calling to me, and I can’t wait to get to climbing.
2. Meet My Favorite Pirates Once Again
Why fly a Black Flag when you can sport a black beard? I’m dreading losing Blackbeard as an ally, but the chance to meet the man again feels like I’m waiting to see an old friend. Mary Reid, Anne Bonny, and the rest of the game’s memorable cast are a huge draw, too. But I’m also quite eager to meet the Jackdaw’s new trio of officers, and test out how they make my time with the Jackdaw feel different. A blend of fresh faces and familiar ones in familiar territory is as good a reason as any to revisit a personal favorite, after all.
3. The New Story Content
Black Flag was already a great story, and getting to see a little more of it is a very welcome part of the experience on offer in Resynced. I can’t wait to see how the game presents a new perspective on Edward’s motivations, and perhaps give us more insight into his troubled relationship with Caroline. I don’t dare to hope that we’re getting to see a little more of Haytham’s early days, too, but I guess I’m going to have to wait and see if Resynced scratches that particular itch.
4. Explore
This isn’t a new feature, but there was something about just getting on The Jackdaw and sailing off in search of whatever adventures came my way. It’s how I discovered so many new things in the original game, and enough time has passed to make that once-familiar territory feel new again. It’s going to be a joy to experience that sense of wonder and awe again, and the game’s makeover is probably going to make it even better this time around.
5. Experience The New Weather System
The dynamic weather system worked wonders for the experience on offer in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and I can’t wait to see what Resynced does with it, both on land and at sea. The original title did pretty well to present the seas as a treacherous place where you had to stay on your toes and respond to changing conditions, although my time ashore didn’t have too many variations to account for. I’m eager to see how things have changed thanks to the new engine, and if the tropical weather comes with challenges that I must now account for.
6. Check Out The Jackdaw’s New Weapons
This is something I’ve been waiting for ever since I knew Edward’s versatile brig was getting a bit more firepower for us to exploit added to its arsenal. I’m especially curious about the Bow Chasers and Heated Shots, although I suspect those new officers are going to be the ones who bring those abilities to the table. Well, tracking them down and helping out is definitely high on my list of priorities considering the prize.
7. Listen To The New Shanties
Listening to my crew sing as I travelled from place to place is certainly among the many reasons why Black Flag ranks very high on my list of favorites from the franchise. The new menu is welcome and all, but I’m interested to see what new Shanties I can find for my crew to keep them entertained on those long voyages at sea. Any good Captain knows that keeping up the morale of your men is very important, and Edward is no different. The lads are going to be singing quite a lot this time around. And I get to have a pet on board, too, which is definitely nice!
8. Fight The Legendary Ships
Those four Legendary Ships might have every other vessel on the seas giving them a wide berth, but they’re going down as soon as I can get enough upgrades and the new weapons on the Jackdaw. They were a highlight of the original experience, and I’m almost certain nothing has changed other than the fact that I now have more options at my disposal when I decide to take them down. I’m still a little apprehensive about the ones that come as a duo, I must admit. That was a nasty fight.
9. Try Out The New Stealth Systems
The Observe mechanic, social stealth, the ability to crouch at any time, using the cover of darkness to infiltrate places more easily, and a few more additions are all welcome. It’s going to be fun to try out the new and improved stealth system, and I’m probably going to try combining it with the new Parkour mechanics to see just how far I can push Edward’s ability to wipe out groups of enemies unseen. It’s great that we’re getting access to the Rope Dart a lot earlier than in the original version, as that was a major part of my strategy for dealing with things on the down low.
10. Try Some Eavesdropping And Tailing
I can’t tell you how much I welcome this change. I found any missions that required me to follow people unseen quite annoying in Black Flag, and I’m glad Resynced is changing things and removing the possibility of some very embarrassing failures. I’m quite curious to see how my targets react if I’m spotted, and I’m hoping there’s a bit of funny dialogue there for me to chuckle at as I try to get back out of sight.
11. Experience The New Mission and Level Designs
I’m quite happy with what I’ve seen of the new approach to missions that gives you different ways to achieve an objective. It’s an interesting switch-up that could help ease the boredom of playing the same stuff again, which is important considering Black Flag was my go-to game to replay back in the day until Odyssey came along. I’m hoping that the developer has taken enough liberties with how things used to be to make the experience feel fresh this time around.
12. Get Caught In A Storm
An extension of the new weather system is the fact that storms are now going to make keeping the Jackdaw in control a tad more difficult, a facet that was in the original game but one that I expect is going to be tweaked to keep things more immersive. I can’t wait to get to that one mission that has us fighting off a few ships in the middle of one, which could be quite different this time around, thanks to the introduction of factions that have their own alliances and grudges.
13. Master The New Parkour System
Edward was already a nimble one to begin with, and the ability to use side and back ejects coupled with new ziplines being added to every region is probably going to make getting around look and feel different and more stylish in Resynced. I’m itching to get started with it, and to wrap my head around the expanded options you’re given when you’re free-running, and to see how they impact pursuits as well as stealth when I dive into the game.
14. Play Around With The New Combat System
I’ve saved the best for last (sort of), and the new combat definitely feels like it’s going to be challenging to get used to, but evidently rewarding to master. While I’ll miss the old combat system where Edward could tear through enemy ranks like a whirlwind of slashes and stabs, a more methodical approach is always welcome, and probably more aligned with the direction the franchise has taken since the original game was released. This one looks quite engaging, and it’s probably the first thing I’m going to see when I get to playing Resynced.
15. Find New Gear And Unlock The Shadows-Related Stuff
I’m going to hold off on spoiling it for you, but the Black Tides mission really connects quite well to Resynced, while also bringing in a very cool nod to another one of the recent additions to the franchise. There’s also cool gear to unlock across both games thanks to the My Animus end of things, and I can’t wait to see what Edward’s Japan-themed gear is going to look like, and what it might bring to his already expansive skill set. Hell, I’d still rock it even if it’s merely cosmetic.
And that’s about it for this one. Resynced could potentially be the one pirate-themed game to rule them all, and having an Assassin’s Creed story that we already know and love is definitely welcome too!