Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Review - In Jackdaw we Trust

In 2013, the world was introduced to the adventures of Edward Kenway, as Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag soon became one of the best-received titles in the franchise. There was a lot to love about that game, and the remake simply modernized what we adored about it. Despite a series of inconsistencies and stale combat holding this new iteration back, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced delivered, making me appreciate the age of piracy and the old open-world Ubisoft formula. 

Pirate First, Assassin Second 

Black Flag was a nice surprise when it came out as the 4th mainline entry, as we weren't thrust into another main character born from the never-ending conflict between the Assassins and the Templars. We just stumbled upon it. Edward Kenway was a simple pirate that saw an opportunity for a big payday. This is more of a pirate game first, Assassin's Creed second, which works well for the pacing and story of Black Flag. 

At the start of the game, Edward was all about riches and glory, wanting to make a name for himself so he could return to his wife all accomplished after being away for so long. Over the course of the game, he eventually captains a ship called the Jackdaw and slowly gathers friends and crew members at his side. Tensions grow as he helps build a community around his crew, fending off governments  resisting the presence of piracy in the seas, all while having this obsession to uncover what the Assassins and Templars are searching for convinces him it's a treasure that will set him for life. There’s character growth as his definition of treasure and fame evolves into something more endearing through the course of many years.

In 2026, it still stands as an entertaining narrative, and Edward Kenway remains a likeable and, I'd argue, one of the better protagonists in the franchise. I could comfortably place him beside Ezio Auditore, who I think is the best protagonist the series has produced. The great thing about the remake is that it's mostly a 1:1 retelling of the original story. Cutscenes played out just like the original, with the only major improvements being the environments and character models, as Black Flag Resynced is a game built from the ground up on Ubisoft's Anvil engine. 

The original always looked dark and gritty thanks to how they used the game’s shadows. In the remake, character models are more detailed and evoke clearer emotions. The shadows are no longer too exposed and the improved lighting does elevate certain shots. The game’s musical score is still fantastic but altered without removing its original tone and purpose, and the environments and set pieces look fantastic and its quality can even rival Assassin's Creed Shadows. 

Even the voice acting was redone with most of the original cast, and for the most part, they seemed to use the exact same script, as I revisited the original in preparation for this review. Matt Ryan (Constantine) returns as Edward Kenway and does a fantastic job in his second time around with the material. Most of the core cast does well, invoking a likeable (or hateable) personality through their voice work alone. From the infamous Blackbeard to Charles Vane's descent into madness, it's all done so well in both voice and animation that the conclusion of the third act still emotionally hits hard. 

The big change in the storytelling is that all of the modern-day segments have been removed. No talk of Abstergo. No sections pulling you out of the era of piracy. It's just focused on Edward's story, with nothing else detaching you from it, which is a blessing since I was never a fan of those segments. Animus segments are still tucked away in the game for those looking for them, but nothing is forced and now serves as added context with what-if scenarios for fans to explore. 

Still the Same Old Ubisoft Formula 

The funny thing about Black Flag is that it came out during Ubisoft's yearly Assassin's Creed release era, but it was well-received because it can be taken as simply a well-made pirate game. The beauty of the original was its nice balance between the Assassin's Creed segments (stealth, assassinations) and its fun naval combat loop (ship combat, boarding, etc.). It's then bridged together with exploration, whether in major cities or the vast ocean filled with pocket islands and their own secrets. 

If one activity starts to feel stale on land, I can do something else on the Jackdaw, liberate forts, plunder ships, or visit an island or two for some money to spend on upgrades. Then I can return to the mainland and do Assassin's Creed stuff. This remake perfectly retains that, simply modernizing it through stellar visuals with lush flora and detailed structures that let you stop and appreciate the view while synchronizing with a viewpoint. 

Black Flag Resynced has the typical Ubisoft open-world formula, one that eventually got stale due to it feeling similar, especially for players jumping in each new game every year. They didn't change the formula in the remake, so if you're still not a fan of that style of open-world gameplay, this won't change your mind, as this isn't a reimagining. It's still packed with activities: picking up assassin contracts, collecting floating musical notes atop buildings, and climbing tall structures to find more of the same nearby. 

But since I hadn't played an Assassin's Creed game since Shadows, I actually enjoyed everything about it. I wanted to 100% Havana, leaving every activity completed. I wanted to build my hideout, send other crew members on missions of their own, and build structures to unlock new upgrades and items. I'm still working toward the armor locked away in our hideout, which needs a series of keys hidden throughout the world. If you're not already burnt out on the Ubisoft formula, you'll be reminded exactly why so many love this series. 

The remake also adds new content to a decently sized open world that doesn't feel as overbloated as Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla. New side quests and endgame quests and other new naval officers with their own personal story were added.

Not Everything Aged Well

Combat is simplified in the remake, and it's probably my least favorite part of Resynced, since it's really just pressing the attack button until the enemy is taken out. If the attack is paired with a blue glint, you parry; if red, you dodge. That's really all there is to it. It's not satisfying or deep, and I found myself spamming the attack button without much thought, then pressing the execute button when prompted to get it over with. It’s so simple that weapons with unique perks provide little value as I don’t feel the urge to explore each one available.
Assassin's Creed has always struggled to deliver a satisfying combat experience consistently, but since this remake is about bringing a classic into modern times, sadly, not all of its worst qualities were left behind. 

Even stealth can be comical, as with almost every Assassin's Creed game, luring multiple guards toward a pile of haystacks to assassinate and stash them away one by one remains possible. It's easy to manipulate the AI, but some sections demand real finesse and proper use of Edward's tools to complete objectives without alerting everyone nearby, so it’s not a complete loss. I take stealth seriously because I don't want to get caught. If I do, I'll have to fight, which feels like a major punishment for being spotted.

The free climbing works similarly to recent Assassin's Creed titles, but it feels less polished and not as fluid as I'd hoped. I'd occasionally struggle to climb a fallen tree because I hadn't approached it at the right angle to trigger the climb. I'd unintentionally leap off a building or cliff because climbing near bodies of water apparently triggers a leap of faith jump. I'd climb one branch when I meant to climb the other nearby. These are small frustrations, but they break the flow, especially during a chase. 

But there’s a lot of improvements under the hood. The UI is completely overhauled, and the climbing (despite its inconsistency) has been modernized to match recent titles. Underwater stealth is no longer just resting below the surface as you can now dive deep into most bodies of water, a great change that felt like a feature the original engine couldn't support at the time as it was limited to just diving activities. It’s a hefty amount of great additions and improvements that easily gave me the impression that the remake was well thought out and wasn’t a project that’s all about giving a game a visual uplift.

It’s Jackdaw's World 

What feels perfect is naval combat. Black Flag's pride and joy, and the reason Skull & Bones exists at all. Everything about naval combat is pure bliss: casually sailing the seas with your crew singing to you, battling multiple ships, firing different weapons depending on which side you're facing, then boarding once they're disabled and reducing their morale until they surrender their spoils. The game looks best when you're at the helm of the Jackdaw, as heavy weather can randomly appear in your path. Strong gusts of wind forcing you off course, giant waves you have to take on head-first, and tornadoes that are no joke when they show up. Everything Jackdaw-related remains the game's biggest highlight. 

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is a success in my eyes when it comes to modernizing one of the franchise's best entries for today's expectations. Frame rates are rock solid at 60fps on PS5 base models, with barely any visual pop-in or slow rendering to pull you out of the experience. Loading times are fast. After the credits rolled, I felt eager to keep sailing toward everything I hadn't finished yet. 

This remake eased my worries about Ubisoft remaking older Assassin's Creed titles, but it also puts a spotlight on the series' weaknesses, like combat. Black Flag's naval gameplay carries it, but the older titles don't have as strong a partner to complement the rest of the game. So if Ubisoft does venture into another remake, I hope they don't treat it as a guaranteed win, as Black Flag is just one of those gems that deserve this type of treatment.

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Verdict: 4 / 5 (Fantastic)

PROS

• Fantastic re-telling of Edward Kenway’s story, and still holds as the series best

• Visual improvements across the board with little to no performance issues seen on a base PS5

• Naval combat remains as the game’s best highlight

• Modern-day segments are gone

CONS

• Combat feels stale due to its simplicity 

• Inconsistencies in certain terrain when attempting to climb smoothly

What I’ve Played 

• Finished the main story

• Experienced most of the new content like new side quests and naval officer stories

• Upgraded the hideout to near-completion, and the Jackdaw is now capable of handling anything

• Spent over 30 hours with the game so far, with more to do

This review is based on a PS5 review copy provided to the reviewer

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About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.