00:00Even after 13 years, the debate over Assassin's Creed Black Flag's sea shanties remains fierce,
00:06but to me, the gentle call of lowlands away and its promise of a new beginning
00:11always felt the best fit for Edward's journey and the quiet beauty of the Caribbean.
00:16So when that song rang out the very first time, as I steered the jackdaw out onto the open ocean
00:22in Assassin's Creed Black Flag re-synced, the cresting wave of nostalgia I felt served as a
00:28potent signal. First, of how popular Black Flag remains, but second, of just how faithful the
00:35recreation in ReSynced is. My demo began with Edward Kenway's mad dash through the jungle in pursuit of
00:42unfortunate assassin Duncan Walpole. Ubisoft wastes no time in showing off ReSynced's fresh coat of paint.
00:49While Black Flag looked the part in 2013, it can't hold a candle to the density and vibrancy
00:56plastered across this remake's world, buoyed by the Atmos system that most recently breathed life
01:01into Assassin's Creed Shadows' Japan. The climax of that chase, a frenetic and deadly scuffle in a
01:08shallow pool dappled in shade thrown down from the canopy above, is an enormous statement of intent.
01:14ReSynced looks beautiful from its opening moments, whether out at sea or crawling through the undergrowth.
01:21In Havana, Edward's first major destination and the only large settlement featured in the demo,
01:27that feeling of vitality doesn't let up. It's here that ReSynced's more classic Assassin's
01:33Creed DNA, the design borrowed from the era that culminated in 2015's Syndicate, shows through most
01:39clearly. But Cuba is brighter, more colourful and more bustling with life than ever before. Despite the
01:47improvements in detail and parkour that lend ReSynced its more modern feel, being in Havana feels like
01:53stepping back into the series history. When I start a fight, it's driven by a single enemy at a time,
01:59a tetchy back and forth of parries and counters. When I clamber over rooftops, there's a distant
02:06muscle memory of how each free running move should merge with the next. As I pass a posse of dancers,
02:12I consider throwing them a handful of coin, purely for the novelty of that classic social stealth.
02:19But for all that familiarity, where the changes do come, they're welcome improvements. When I'm
02:25handed a tailing mission, I'm detected almost immediately, but instead of instantly desynchronising,
02:32I end up in a fight with the offended guards, and I have to scurry away until the conversation
02:37restarts. When I eventually discover the location of my confiscated goods, the new free crouch feature
02:44and detection UI borrowed from modern Assassin's Creed games gives me the chance to make my way to
02:50the rooftop of the nearby Castillo, entirely unseen by the garrison. Even with just two small changes,
02:57stealth immediately feels like a more viable option than simply carving my way through a horde of guards.
03:03It's the same location, same level design, same quests as the original game, but while this
03:10collection of minor changes makes it clear there's a difference between Black Flag and Resynced,
03:15they're so seamlessly integrated that it's never entirely clear where the original game ends and the
03:21remake begins. Edward's eagle vision is massively improved by borrowing from Shadows. The ability to
03:28jump and crouch freely means new avenues and strategies are opened up in locations that
03:34might easily have felt exhaustingly familiar. In a straight fight, modern UI lets combat flow more
03:40naturally, and tools like the rope dart are unlocked earlier to give players more chance to play with
03:46their prey before dispatching it. And all these changes are felt before Edward even takes his first
03:52true steps on the deck of the jackdaw. When I do finally get my hands on the ship's wheel,
03:59Resynced's improvements over Black Flag is complete. Sailing directly out of Havana without a loading
04:05screen in sight, I was jetting across the bay towards the fort at Dry Tortuga within moments.
04:12It's an enormous transformation, not just because it allows Edward to seamlessly depart major settlements,
04:18but because it allows him to seamlessly enter them too. Being able to leap straight from the gunwales of
04:25the jackdaw to begin an attack on a fort, or an assault on a Spanish plantation, catapults Resynced
04:32into the open world territory of modern Assassin's Creed. Add the ability to free dive anywhere below the
04:38water, handcrafted islands each with a unique reason to explore, and mini narratives woven neatly
04:44throughout the world, Resynced genuinely feels like a modern series entry, but without the sheer
04:50scale that weighs down games like Valhalla and Shadows. When a fight breaks out on the open ocean,
04:57Resynced gets even better. While control of your ship remains much the same as Black Flag,
05:03it's another case of a few small improvements offering much more than the sum of their parts.
05:08The mortar is brought forward in the story, and alternate firing methods offer a tactical edge
05:15that means fights never feel like a simple exchange of broadsides. The addition of three new officer NPCs
05:22should compound that feeling even further. In my demo I only met one of those, and while her
05:29introductory quest felt a little stiff, the perfect brace ability she offered, the chance to further limit
05:35damage by preparing for impact at just the right moment, added another level of skill expression to
05:41fights. With three of those officers eventually on deck, and additional narrative to frame their
05:46addition to the story, I can see the late game ship combat eclipsing even the gold standard set by Black
05:53Flag. That naval combat is one of Resynced's highlights should come as little surprise, but it's the
05:59philosophy that marks those improvements over Black Flag that helps transform the rest of the game.
06:05This remake is an enormously additive experience. What is missing from the original, the Abstergo
06:12cutscenes, hidden blade combat, is either dramatically improved upon or replaced with so many other ideas
06:18that the absence is barely noticeable. Exploration is more freeform, naval combat is more tactical,
06:26stealth is more flexible and rewarding. Tools that were once largely limited to the end game playground
06:32are handed out earlier just for the fun of it. Modern Assassin's Creed is absolutely still here,
06:40but it's the adjustment of the classic feel of Black Flag, rather than overhauling entirely, that makes
06:47Resynced so interesting. This is Black Flag at its best, the flagship of the Assassin's Creed series
06:55Treasure Fleet flying over the waves at full sail. But what about you? Are you excited for Black Flag
07:02Resynced? Let us know in the comments, and stick with GamesRadar for the latest gaming news.
Comments