I played the original Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag when it launched, spending dozens of hours on the high seas — in fact, it’s just one of two PlayStation 3 games that I still own (RIP physical games). That said, I couldn’t remember much about it before booting it back up 12 years later.
I was ready to experience something fresh, and that’s exactly what Black Flag Resynced delivered. Rather than simply revisiting a classic, it felt like rediscovering it all over again.
Screenshots in this article were captured by the writer on the PlayStation 5 Pro.
And the game starts with a bang — the action begins instantly, with an all-out pirate ship battle and cannonballs flying in every direction. I was in.
I spent close to 40 hours on the high seas before rolling credits, and I still have plenty left to uncover.
Hoist the Sails
Ship exploration and naval combat remains the highlight of Black Flag.
Even after more than a decade, taking control of the Jackdaw and sailing through storms, heavy rain and calm tropical waters still feels fantastic. There is something special about spotting an enemy ship on the horizon and deciding whether you want to fight or flee.
Broadside cannons, chain shots that cripple enemy sails and powerful mortar attacks give each encounter plenty of variety.
Once you’ve devastated an enemy vessel, you can board it and take the fight to the deck. Swords clash, enemies fall, and you’re given the choice to claim the ship for your fleet, use it for repairs, reduce your wanted level or simply send it beneath the waves.
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Whatever you choose, there’s always something worthwhile waiting afterwards.
After all this time, naval combat is still the reason many players remember Black Flag so fondly. Few games have made sailing feel this enjoyable.
Life Beyond the Jackdaw
Away from the high seas, sword combat is smooth but limited.
There are three sword types available, although they all share the same general fighting style. The main differences come through their finishing moves, and the other is a pistol sword (which I couldn’t really get around).
For returning players, some changes will stand out. Sword assassinations are missing, and dropped weapons — like axes and muskets — can no longer be picked up during combat. These were small details, but they added more variety to encounters in the original game.
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Hopefully these features can return in future updates, but for now land-combat, while still fun, feels limited.
Stealth, however, has seen one of the biggest improvements. You can crouch! Its something that sounds minor, but makes a noticeable difference.
Moving through bushes, hiding behind cover and quietly approaching enemies feels much closer to what you’d expect from an Assassin’s Creed game.
Some of my favourite moments came during rooftop follow missions through Havana. Sneaking through the city at night and watching the streets below captured the feeling of being an Assassin better than I expected.
Outside of the main story, there is still plenty to keep you busy. You can search for treasure, climb high for viewpoints, rescue prisoners, chase down sea shanties, explore Mayan ruins and uncover hidden areas scattered throughout the world.
The Mayan puzzles aren’t particularly challenging, but they add another reason to explore. That said, they’re almost identical to the original game — not much new here.
And yes — you can pet the cat, pat the cow and feed the chickens. It’s the small details like this that made me spend way more time wandering around than I expected.
Edward Kenway
Edward Kenway also remains one of the strongest protagonists in the series.
When the game begins, Edward is a pirate chasing wealth and reputation. Watching him slowly change throughout the adventure gives the story way more depth than you might expect, and his journey remains one of the highlights of Black Flag.
Unlike older Assassin’s Creed games, you’re never pulled away into immersion-breaking, modern-day sections. The focus is firmly on Edward’s story.
While I do miss some of the mystery surrounding the original real-world storyline, the streamlined approach works well.
A New Coat of Paint
The biggest improvement in Black Flag Resynced is immediately obvious — the game looks much better.
The Caribbean has been given a fresh coat of paint, with improved lighting, upgraded environments, better water effects and more detail across the world.
The remake doesn’t completely change the look of Black Flag, and that’s a good thing. It still feels like the same adventure, just one that has been cleaned up for modern hardware.
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Photo Mode also returns. It isn’t as detailed as the one found in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but it gives players enough tools to capture some great moments.
The ability to change the time of day would have been a nice addition, but adjustments to depth, brightness, exposure and contrast still give you plenty of control.
Between the improved visuals and seamless exploration, Resynced makes spending time in the Caribbean more enjoyable than ever.
Performance
On PlayStation 5 Pro, loading times rarely exceeded two or three seconds, making the traditional interactive loading screens feel unnecessary.
There are also no loading screens when travelling between towns and islands, which helps maintain the flow of exploration (unless you’re fast travelling).
Aside from some minor frame drops during takedown animations, performance was mostly smooth throughout my playthrough.
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I did run into a couple of strange bugs, including a floating Edward Kenway and ships that appeared to be breakdancing across the ocean. Thankfully, nothing affected my progress.
Settings and Accessibility
Black Flag Resynced includes a solid range of accessibility options.
Motor presets reduce the number of actions needed for certain activities, while camera, motion, colour, visual and hearing settings allow players to adjust the experience.
Difficulty settings are also highly customisable. Players can tweak combat, stealth, naval encounters and even activities such as harpooning sharks or holding your breath underwater.
Should you buy Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced?
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is the best-looking and most accessible way to experience one of the series’ most popular adventures — but returning fans may notice some things missing.
The original game launched back in 2013, and the things that made Black Flag special are still here. The naval combat remains excellent, Edward Kenway’s story still holds up, and the Caribbean remains one of the most enjoyable worlds Ubisoft has created.
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But while Resynced improves the presentation and performance, it doesn’t completely reinvent the experience.
At its core, this is still a focused pirate adventure built around exploration, storytelling and the thrill of life on the open seas. There’s no endless gear grind or constant stream of RPG systems — just a great story, a memorable world and one of the best pirate fantasies in gaming.
Whether you’re experiencing Edward Kenway’s journey for the first time or returning all these years later, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is a great excuse to set sail again.
Quest Daily scores Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced:
8/10
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on July 9th.
Early access to Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced was supplied by Ubisoft ANZ.
