The Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag review
Are ya ready kids! Aye aye Captain Kenway! Ow yeah. Well, as I went through this game there was no stopping my exploration needs. Every ten square meter island I saw and every shore with those badass flamingos flying around was an instant stop for my wave cruising ride called "The Jackdaw". This curiosity that I had for the map was fueled by the enormous work that went into the creation and detail of the sea and its little islands as well as the inland jungle. Previous games had big cities as their main location but now, as well as having a few of these; the creators have gifted you with a whole ocean for traversing. The movement and the character that the sea shows are beautiful as well as dangerous as this bastard throws you some nasty storms some times. Another added feature aside from the open world sea exploring were the diving sequences which are actually quite a few. I had some trouble with these as the mechanics aren't all that perfect and I kept going nose first into those damn sea urchins. But aside from the clumsiness (that is expected from any underwater levels) it manages to handle them with the awe of seeing the depth of the ocean, man! Goosebumps! Ship boarding and fort taking are some cool mechanics that the game also offers and they serve the fleshing out of the characters as well as random unscripted cinematic action sequences which make you feel like a badass. Speaking of cinematic sequences I loved the ones that Ubisoft created for us. Of course, they are scripted but nothing beats a pirate running across a swamp, with rain pouring on him and crocodiles snap at his legs. They give you some cool camera movements too! Before mentioning the awesome moment that completed my love for this game I will address some negatives about it. One being the free run mechanics which in some important mission points just decided that should just stop hang completely motionless from a rooftop and have a little chat with the local rooftop cat. These moments have been present since the dawn of the Assassin's Creed games and it would be very pleasing if they could be corrected in the future. My other problem with it is that some cutscenes and story moments felt rushed at times. I can understand this as the game is more focused in ambiance and exploration but some felt lacking some character. I think the negative argument from above would have been less noticeable had the other cutscenes not been so freaking awesome and gorgeously made. The takes are amazingly done (sometimes) and some dialogue in some the cutscenes really stood out for me, Blackbeard's speech for example. But there is one cutscene, one that makes this game rule over every other AC games. SPOILER ALERT. The final cutscene isn't something you see every day. And I say this because it could have ended with whatever short cutscene featuring Edward going away. But the way it managed to use all the weight of the things you experienced through this adventure and use that amazing shot of all the people that had an impact in your journey was magical. It didn't matter if the relationships with some of them didn't end well but they impacted the journey in a positive way, and that kind of nostalgia can only be achieved in a cutscene if it uses, like I mentioned, the weight of all those hours playing that game. That my friends, is masterful. Maybe it was the music or the nostalgia that swallowed me whole in that moment or seeing Edward smile as he sees his daughter, but that cutscene in general hit me pretty bad, in a good way because I wasn't expecting something that heavy! In conclusion this game, while suffering from some technical issues, is amazing. It stands out in some many ways not previously explored by some AC games and it totally achieves greatness. This game deserves one special spot on your shelve. I am giving it an astounding 9 out of 10!
Are ya ready kids! Aye aye Captain Kenway! Ow yeah. Well, as I went through this game there was no stopping my exploration needs. Every ten square meter island I saw and every shore with those badass flamingos flying around was an instant stop for my wave cruising ride called "The Jackdaw". This curiosity that I had for the map was fueled by the enormous work that went into the creation and detail of the sea and its little islands as well as the inland jungle. Previous games had big cities as their main location but now, as well as having a few of these; the creators have gifted you with a whole ocean for traversing. The movement and the character that the sea shows are beautiful as well as dangerous as this bastard throws you some nasty storms some times. Another added feature aside from the open world sea exploring were the diving sequences which are actually quite a few. I had some trouble with these as the mechanics aren't all that perfect and I kept going nose first into those damn sea urchins. But aside from the clumsiness (that is expected from any underwater levels) it manages to handle them with the awe of seeing the depth of the ocean, man! Goosebumps! Ship boarding and fort taking are some cool mechanics that the game also offers and they serve the fleshing out of the characters as well as random unscripted cinematic action sequences which make you feel like a badass. Speaking of cinematic sequences I loved the ones that Ubisoft created for us. Of course, they are scripted but nothing beats a pirate running across a swamp, with rain pouring on him and crocodiles snap at his legs. They give you some cool camera movements too! Before mentioning the awesome moment that completed my love for this game I will address some negatives about it. One being the free run mechanics which in some important mission points just decided that should just stop hang completely motionless from a rooftop and have a little chat with the local rooftop cat. These moments have been present since the dawn of the Assassin's Creed games and it would be very pleasing if they could be corrected in the future. My other problem with it is that some cutscenes and story moments felt rushed at times. I can understand this as the game is more focused in ambiance and exploration but some felt lacking some character. I think the negative argument from above would have been less noticeable had the other cutscenes not been so freaking awesome and gorgeously made. The takes are amazingly done (sometimes) and some dialogue in some the cutscenes really stood out for me, Blackbeard's speech for example. But there is one cutscene, one that makes this game rule over every other AC games. SPOILER ALERT. The final cutscene isn't something you see every day. And I say this because it could have ended with whatever short cutscene featuring Edward going away. But the way it managed to use all the weight of the things you experienced through this adventure and use that amazing shot of all the people that had an impact in your journey was magical. It didn't matter if the relationships with some of them didn't end well but they impacted the journey in a positive way, and that kind of nostalgia can only be achieved in a cutscene if it uses, like I mentioned, the weight of all those hours playing that game. That my friends, is masterful. Maybe it was the music or the nostalgia that swallowed me whole in that moment or seeing Edward smile as he sees his daughter, but that cutscene in general hit me pretty bad, in a good way because I wasn't expecting something that heavy! In conclusion this game, while suffering from some technical issues, is amazing. It stands out in some many ways not previously explored by some AC games and it totally achieves greatness. This game deserves one special spot on your shelve. I am giving it an astounding 9 out of 10!