It’s been over ten years since the release of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag. The game was released in 2013 and followed the story of Edward Kenway, a pirate who worked for the Templars and Assassins. While Black Flag initially received good reviews upon release, it’s a widely unappreciated game. When people talk about excellent Assassin’s Creed games, Assassin’s Creed 4 is rarely discussed. While waiting for the newest installment to the franchise, Shadows, let’s talk about Black Flag.
Assassin’s Creed 4
In Black Flag, we follow Edward Kenway as he follows his dream of being a pirate. The game opens with Edward on a ship as it’s attacked, leaving him stranded on an island. There, he encountered an Assassin, whom he killed and assumed the identity of. From there, we continue to play Edward as he poses as an Assassin, completes missions, and continues to build his crew as a pirate. Edward is positioned as a man with big dreams and desires, most centered around him sailing the world and becoming a pirate.
Assassin’s Creed 4 comes on the heels of Assassin’s Creed III, which showcases the perspective of a member of the Templar. Haytham Kenway, the protagonist of Assassin’s Creed III, is the son of Edward. During his life, Edward went back and forth between working for the Templars and the Assassins. Even though he’d worked for the Templars, he didn’t buy into their ideology. Eventually, after living as a pirate and chasing wealth, Edward settled down and became an Assassin, eventually earning the rank of Master Assassin.
Edward Kenway’s legacy was spoken about for much of the franchise after Black Flag. The work that he’d done for the Assassins made up for the havoc he wrought as a pirate and while working for the Templars. Even though his son turned out to be a Templar, Edward Kenway had dedicated his life to the Brotherhood.
Black Flag’s Impact
In 2013, IGN gave Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag an 8.5. It was well received and was also released on many different consoles that games like this usually weren’t. It was released on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and Windows. Later, it was released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and multiple cloud gaming services. It’s one of the few Assassin’s Creed games that can be played on Nintendo consoles, which made it much more widely reached.
GameSpot gave the game a 9/10, citing the game and its visuals as remarkable. “What makes Black Flag so special is the way it captures the thrill of sailing the open sea,” it said, in part. “It’s the feeling that there’s always something out there to be discovered, rewards waiting to be discovered, rewards waiting to be captured no matter who’s standing in your way.” This review captures how immersive Black Flag is.
While Edward Kenway’s legacy is referenced multiple times in other games and the official Assassin’s Creed lore, the game isn’t mentioned when people talk about the greatest Assassin’s Creed games. While there are many Creed games, Assassin’s Creed 4 will always be unique. Edward is a character with loose morals that we watch grow throughout the game; the mechanics of fighting with ships and the general lawless feeling of being a pirate are entertaining.
Final Thoughts
As we move further away from the influence of Assassin’s Creed 4 into an era of the franchise that isn’t as focused on stealth or the original Creed lore, it’s good to look back on earlier games. Black Flag should never be forgotten in the conversation about how Creed games were prodigious and impactful for the franchise.
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