Assassin's Creed 4 - Black Flag: Full speed ahead

"Black Flag" is "Assassin's Creed" finally the open-world game that it should always be. So big and beautiful has never fought an assassin!

Ship ahoy! In "Assassin's Creed 4 - Black Flag" They play the pirate Edward Kenway.

Ubisoft game designer Patrice Désilets once said to mark the release of "Assassin's Creed 2": "Finding your way as a developer of historical events, makes things much easier. One must not think of everything yourself, "This is remarkably honest -., And is not only on the historical setting of the series, but also on their 

Gameplay transferred. For years, Ubisoft copied his own game concept with only minimal changes. And the point: Much new makes "Assassin's Creed 4" not. The good news: "Black Flag" almost makes it all better!

At the cutting edge

Abstergo Industries Animus owner has discovered the economic potential of its virtual reality machine: He uses recently as a pure entertainment medium - not unlike a video game. You take the role of an employee who is virtually the beta testers. Ironic: Because Abstergo assess the pirate scenario as particularly entertaining (and profitable), this time you jump into the body of the buccaneer Edward Kenway. Assumes the identity of a dead Assassin - Duncan Walpole - and uses its achievements and contacts in order to build a new life as a pirate. His goal, of course, immense wealth. For that you travel with your ship Jackdaw the seven seas - which were of course compressed in the game to an appropriate size for the game.

In abundance

The traveling the world by ship and the associated battles are essential in "Assassin's Creed 4" - which is no surprise. With the "Assassin's Creed 3" element was introduced namely the players so well that Ubisoft Part 4 has quasi knit it. Fortunately, these sections are extremely successful. The Jackdaw beautifully animated slides over the waves, the service is impeccable: Ubisoft manages the feat that the ship is indeed weighty feel, but does not control sedate. To sail merrily straight on and explore the extensive island world in which there is certainly much to discover. For "Black Flag" is a feast for Sammelwütige. On the islands you browse for a bottle along with treasures and feel chests, sea shanties, Animus fragments, manuscripts and more. Later, you go even by diving bell on the seabed and search under constant threat Hai-wrecks. Then, "Assassin's Creed 4" on the mammoth task with a playing time of over 80 hours - according to developers statement. As in "Far Cry 3" They hunt animals and crafts from the skin a new holster for more ammunition or a cowl for a health upgrade.

The regular ship battles are nicely staged, the service is impeccable.

Water Damage

Regularly meet with the quiet times, sometimes stormy or foggy waters of Spanish or British ships, with which you can create yourself. And you have to make sooner or later your boat seaworthy. A large part of the resources - such as wood and metal - find namely on board enemy ships. The intense battles always run the same pattern: attack, weaken, board, plunder! Boring but the whole is not, because the battles are demanding more and more - and see just great from. So you do not drown yourself too often, you increase your ship regularly. You can do this on board or at the quartermasters on the islands. Does your crew growth, collect drowning, hiring privateers in taverns or save them from conflict with the colonial powers.

Nothing has changed

The country operations - which make up about half of the game - run exactly like that of the predecessor: In the very detailed villages and towns full of life, birds chirping in chapels sound gospel songs, laugh and privateers gamble cards. The game world feels authentic and beautiful especially. If you stand on top of the Nassau Citadel and look into the distance, you stay off the spit. Only some character models are animated and some strange detaillos. It's easy to get over the face of the chic trappings.

The bat-Counter battles are still not at the "Batman - Arkham" zoom range.

Stitch and Jump

The well-known already from the predecessors gameplay comes ashore to support: On your search for gold and when inserting diving in a global conspiracy to eavesdrop on enemies, perform numerous assassinations and advised at every corner in battles with Spanish and British. Here comes the - from the "Batman - Arkham" series inspired - Combat System. This works quite well in combat, with multiple counterparties it works but still confused and inaccurate. The reloading of pistols and shotguns is faster than the previous, but still felt lasts forever - this would Ubisoft can still whistle on authenticity. If you have no desire to skirmish, escape is an alternative: you throw a smoke bomb and looking over the rooftops run away, so the attackers lose your track. As usual, you climb buildings spurted by pressing the shoulder button. Edward erkraxelt obstacles automatically and then plunges by itself at enemies who go silently fail. However, the game is still not a perfect simulation course, too often interrupts the Hop River.

Beautiful: Sometimes you are in the jungle and in underground temples go.

Is again quiet again, make sure to remain incognito. This works thanks to optimized creep mechanics irregular. New on the stealth front is the blowpipe, with the stun enemies for a short time. Old but proven is the eagle eye, you put in many missions: mark so adversary in order not to lose it.

Indiana Kenway

So all familiar? Not all! Now and then Ubisoft dares times new: How to bounce along with Captain Kidd on the overgrown island Tulum by an underground temple and solve finally a head butt puzzles in order to reach a well hidden Templar artifact - "Tomb Raider" Greetings from ! Overall, the missions are exciting, as many surprises as in "GTA 5" but you do not experience. There are many more side missions than in the rock-star adventure. In addition to the Assassin's orders, where you eliminate a certain target as inconspicuously as possible, destroy the ship coastal forts, free hostages or intercept important courier. Have to do more PS3 (and upcoming PS4) owners. Ubisoft which donated three additional missions from the - Aveline de Grandpré known "Assassin's Creed 3 Liberation".

Conclusion: Assassin's Creed 4 - Black Flag

A huge open world, thrilling naval battles, an opulent major and minor story for "Assassin's Creed" fans who do not have the pirate theme weary, Part 4 is a must - especially since Ubisoft improves slightly messed up creep mechanism of the third part palpable. Only the overly simple sword fights in the long run still monotonous. Sammelwütige players who like "Far Cry 3" made happy. In the digital Caribbean, there is much to discover. Fascinating also the sense of space that arises when traveling by boat - is unequaled in gaming! The bottom line is: Even if "Black Flag" Innovation does not win a prize, it is the largest to date and best game in the series.