Ubisoft developers have shared some new information about Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the full remake of the original pirate-themed open-world game from 2013. This new version, launching on July 9, looked great in Ubisoft’s first preview event, but now we’ve learned more about how combat, side activities, the map, and other elements will work.
On April 30, Ubisoft devs took part in an AMA on the Assassin’s Creed subreddit. Fans asked many questions, some about the more nitty-gritty details of the upcoming Black Flag remake and how it differs (or doesn’t) from the original adventure. The good news is that, according to the devs, a lot of what people loved about Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag will still be available. Here are 10 things the devs shared from the new AMA. (Some of these entries have more than one piece of info.)
All side activities and Kenway’s fleet are back in Resynced
While the original Black Flag wasn’t as content-dense as some later entries, it still contained a lot of side stuff for players to do in-between missions. This included checkers, diving, whaling, and hunting. The developers say all of these side activities are back in the remake.
On top of that, Kenway’s Fleet, a system built around capturing ships and sending them out on missions, returns in Resynced, too. And this time around, it’s done entirely in-game via a few locations. Before, you had to use your phone and an app. Bleh. Thankfully, that’s all gone.
And all costumes and bar games are back, too
Ubisoft also confirmed that all outfits and costumes for Edward Kenway will return in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. Perhaps for some, that’s not the most important piece of content to bring back, but it’s always nice to have extra outfit options in an Assassin’s Creed game. Speaking of tiny bits of stuff coming back, Ubisoft also confirmed in a separate reply that all bar games will return as well.
No Hidden Blade combat or naval mini-map
Not everything from Black Flag is returning. The devs confirmed that you won’t be able to equip the franchise’s iconic Hidden Blade and use it as a melee weapon. Instead, it can only be used during melee fights as part of a “bloody” finisher. This didn’t go over well with the hardcore Assassin’s Creed fans who miss the ability to fight with a Hidden Blade, a feature that’s been MIA since around the time of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. Â
Also not returning: the mini-map that players could use during naval combat and exploration. It has been replaced with a compass. The devs explained it was to keep players’ eyes on the screen, and some fans have admitted that the old mini-map ended up being the thing they watched more than anything else while out on the ocean. So perhaps this change will make naval combat a bit more immersive. We shall see…
The memory corridor is back, but not the DNA sequence menus
Good news for all you people out there who love walking through abstract digital constructs while the game loads: Ubisoft once again confirmed in the AMA that memory corridors are back. But don’t expect all of the old HUD and menus to return. Ubisoft explained in the AMA that, no, the menus won’t look like DNA sequences as they did before in older titles. That’s not surprising, as Ubisoft has seemingly removed most of the modern-day elements from the remake, a change I’m not a fan of at all. It’s also weird to keep the memory corridors, but downplay other parts of the Animus.
The map is the same size, but…
Ubisoft confirmed that Black Flag Resynced’s map is 16km x 16km, the same size as the original game’s open world. This time around, Ubisoft has added more areas to certain cities and even slapped in a few new islands, too. Perhaps one of these islands is where a secret involving coconuts and bowling, teased during the AMA, can be found?
Classic wanted system is back
Black Flag‘s original wanted system is returning in the remake. Ubisoft confirmed the upcoming game uses the “classic” wanted system involving pirate hunter ships chasing the player as they become more infamous and dangerous. You can lower your level by boarding ships or paying bribes.
