Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a gorgeous, fantastic sequel that gives you the freedom to make your own fun.

Easily the most ambitious Assassin's Creed game in years, Black Flag is an outstanding adventure by any standard.

A gorgeous, relentlessly entertaining open-world piracy simulator packed with interesting 18th century rogues.

Assassin's Creed 4 is constantly waiting for its dare-to-be-great moment

An ambitious start for Assassin's Creed on next-gen. The vibrant Caribbean world and bloody piracy shine brightest, while the only sour notes come from contrived series story beats and repetitive missions--both need rethinking for AC5.

Fun when you're chasing down your interests, but the enthusiasm deflates when working through the campaign missions

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is a great remake of a game that probably didn't need to be remade. Of all the games in the AC franchise, Black Flag holds up better than many, but that doesn't change the fact that I had a wonderful time going back. The cast, setting and atmosphere are still some of the best ever realised in the series, and the new content feels right at home.

It's the best Assassin's Creed yet! Which is 90% because Black Flag, a a third-person action adventure about pirates in the Caribbean, isn't really an Assassin's Creed game in the traditional sense, and 10% because the lead character is from Swansea.

A fun, gorgeous-looking high seas adventure that improves on the Assassin's Creed formula while letting us live a fantasy life as a pirate.

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag doesn't always sail a straight course, but this is still an excellent entry in an occasionally choppy property. Clumsy traversal mechanics and some dire mission types prevent the release from reaching legendary status, but the slick naval combat, luxurious landscapes, and surprisingly compelling online suite make this a package worth plundering. If the series continues in this entry's direction, then there'll be no reason for Ubisoft to drop the anchor on its alternate history escapades just yet.