Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag - 9 Years Later

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  • čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
  • The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/thatboyaqua06221
    Edited by Playstayshaun
    Shauns Twitter: / playstayshaun_
    Shauns CZcams Channel: / playstayshaun
    Infamous SirHellfire: / infamoussirhellfire
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    Other Essays: • Video Essays
    With the polarising releases of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the Assassin’s Creed fanbase have a new challenge to face. They must now juggle treating each other like rabid apes with holding onto their childhood. The solution? Playing the older games, it’s frankly the only reason most of us continue to purchase the newer games. A diminishing hope that maybe this time we will get a return to what made our memories so good, a return to quality, a return to what Assassin’s Creed is. Because surely, Assassin’s Creed isn’t about vikings or spartans, it’s about Assassin’s. But perhaps that very identity, one that becomes blurier with each new entry, as it adds a gaussian to the legacy of these games, isn’t as clear as we once thought.
    The Assassin’s Creed games have been anything but consistent, and as I’ve replayed the games I have found myself struggling to nail an identity to Assassin’s Creed, which is something I’ve never faced before. Growing up, the Assassin’s Creed games have always had an identity in movement, finesse, charm, and maturity. It’s these qualities that made me appreciate the first 4 entries and to an extent the 3rd game. Even if looking back I realised the games aren’t as good as I remember, the sentiment is the same, I have fond memories of collecting all those damn feathers, and sneaking down to the basement in the middle of the night to upgrade my villa, praying that the floorboards don’t creak loud enough to wake my parents. It’s this very mindset that made me reject Assassin’s Creed IV. It wasn’t an Assassin’s Creed game, it was a pirate game. This is a flawed mindset, and one that initially challenged me when I actually played Black Flag. There was so much here that I thought I wouldn’t like that, when I did eventually play it over a year after its release, I was blown away at how much of a fool I was.
    This game wasn’t a traditional Assassin’s Creed game… it was better. This game made me realise that I have to try something before I knock it, and while there are still some Assassin’s Creed games I don’t want to go back to, Valhalla I’m looking at you, it’s worth taking a chance because this might actually be my favourite Assassin’s Creed game, period. So let’s talk about the game, it’s identity, the series identity, and what this game means to the Assassin’s Creed Legacy. This time, we travel to the West Indies with a band of pirates who are jacks of the same trade and serve one master, gold. While Edward might be on the cover, do not mistake yourselves, the main character here is gold. Greed is the main antagonist and it’s Edwards consistent battle against his own greed and that of others that eventually leads him to the middle of an ideological war zone between two factions we know all too well. This fight prompts Edward to finally mature, even if it is at the cost of everyone and everything. But rather than stalking from the shadows as an Assassin frequently does, Edward prefers a louder approach, that involves a lot more liquor, and a hell of a lot more gunpowder. Through this swashbuckling spyglass lens we see something we've never seen before, the Assassin Templar conflict, from an outsiders view, and an outsider that couldn’t care less.
    - Chapters -
    Introduction: 0:00
    Ch. 1: Jumping Ship: 10:43
    Ch. 2: Tails of Culture: 22:01
    Ch. 3: Assassin Shackles: 40:54
    Ch. 4: Not an AC Game: 56:16
    Post-Script: 1:09:27
    Black Flag is NOT an Assassin's Creed Game. This is an Assassin's Creed Black Flag critique and an Assassin's Creed Black Flag analysis. This Assassin's Creed Black Flag retrospective will answer what is The best Assassin's Creed Game, as it is one of the last games in my Assassin's Creed retrospective. I know many of you have been waiting for a That Boy Aqua Black Flag video so here it is. I didn't want to go with a Assassin's Creed Black Flag Years Later video as I use this game more as a vehicle to discuss what makes an Assassin's Creed game an Assassin's Creed game. This is still a Assassin's Creed IV critique, AC IV review, AC IV critique, and a majority of the video is an Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag critique, an Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag review, and an Assassin's Creed analysis. Video by That Boy Aqua.
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Komentáře • 1,6K

  • @ThatBoyAqua
    @ThatBoyAqua  Před rokem +294

    The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/thatboyaqua06221
    EDIT: I didn't know you could reload with the bumpers, for some reason pressing every button when I played didn't do the trick, so disregard my opinions on that :)
    Also, Edwards Fleet was a companion app that shut down a few years back, but I still think it's lame lol thanks to Eyüp Öksüz for pointing that out
    Edited by Playstayshaun
    Shauns Twitter: twitter.com/PlaystayShaun_
    Shauns CZcams Channel: czcams.com/users/PlaystayShaun

    • @peculiar3529
      @peculiar3529 Před rokem +2

      The devs of the earlier games described what makes an assassins creed game with 3 pillars combat, parkour, and social stealth so that’s what I would say makes up a real AC game. Black flag has all of these things and it does focus on the brotherhood more than any other AC game other than AC 1 but it decides for most of the game to explore the brotherhood from the outside perspective of a pirate. These three pillars are exclusively assassin‘s Creed and were the former AC identity before origins made the AC brand exactly like every other Ubisoft game (mediocre dog ass).

    • @peculiar3529
      @peculiar3529 Před rokem

      I think when a lot of people say it’s a good game but not a good assassin’s creed game they’re trying to say that it lacks the originality of the original few games. I couldn’t name a single other franchise where you could use each of these “pillar mechanics” in succession.

    • @peculiar3529
      @peculiar3529 Před rokem +1

      I only like the older games in this series because the newer game’s key mechanics and format aren’t exclusive to AC and aren’t even done slightly as well as most games with a similar “format”

    • @andrewterrell4019
      @andrewterrell4019 Před rokem

      I love your videos Aqua. I definitely think the next game you should talk about is Days Gone. I think it is a severely under appreciated PS4 game, and also has the biggest disparity between player and reviewer opinions that I’ve ever seen.

    • @beastmotoz
      @beastmotoz Před rokem

      I'm also at the end of Black flag just got one last sequence left. And its more of a Pirate game than an Assassins Creed game. Sure there are Assassins and Templars. But the story is revolved around Edwards life. How he only work for his own personal gains without caring much for anyone else. And at the end he was left for nothing. Everyone who cared for Edward dies.

  • @getampt22
    @getampt22 Před rokem +2939

    Actually, Bonnett gets captured and hung, which is mentioned by the guards during the prison escape. They mention that he cries and begs for forgiveness. It's incredibly depressing.

    • @floppa5032
      @floppa5032 Před rokem +344

      Seeing him on the dinner table broke my heart but I just ignored it, and then I caught that dialogue on a replay. Genuinely made me wanna cry more than anything in this series.

    • @imranmeco3393
      @imranmeco3393 Před rokem +570

      Thing is, he's a fantastic historical figure!
      "The gentleman pirate" they called him. Dude was just lower aristocracy and decided ti go into the piracy life, giving his pirates a regular pay instead of share of the loot, reading to them, and overall being a really swell guy.
      He, being as he was, wasn't so successful, so he found Blackbeard crewless and shipless and gave him temporary control over his ship and crew cause he needed the expertise. Funnily enough, Blackbeard actually returned them once he got back on his feet.
      There's so much more going on that I can't recall with fidelity, definitely go look him up.

    • @joelicence2725
      @joelicence2725 Před rokem +119

      there's a taika waititi project called our flag means death which is a pirate-esque sitcom which puts stede bonnet and ed thatch as a couple. I've heard it's hilarious.

    • @jomshutpirashkov8976
      @jomshutpirashkov8976 Před rokem +8

      Yea you are right

    • @DANtheMANofSIPA
      @DANtheMANofSIPA Před rokem +44

      Internet historian has a great video on Bonnet.

  • @Starzoh
    @Starzoh Před rokem +667

    25:06 I thought he was about to play some of my favorite songs ever the sea shanties from this game. Maybe some Lowlands Away or Way Me Susianah then I hear "FORTNITE BATTLE PASS"

  • @AnthonyBlamthony
    @AnthonyBlamthony Před rokem +622

    Not so fun fact: Bonnet was actually hung for piracy in Charleston, South Carolina. The scene with him and Edward saying goodbye is last time Edward would ever hear from him. He was hung three weeks after Blackbeard was killed in North Carolina.
    It’s kind of tragic because he was actually a very nice person by all accounts.

    • @theguvnor1171
      @theguvnor1171 Před rokem +62

      RE: Not so fun fact: in the mission you can hear some guards talk about Stede being hanged, it's actually quite depressing

    • @skeletonbuyingpealts7134
      @skeletonbuyingpealts7134 Před rokem +6

      Except the whole child abandonment thing

    • @dwylie83
      @dwylie83 Před rokem +5

      He actually had a pardon and went pirating again. Before blackbeard was his shadow captain he was nice but after he became a killer

    • @nestormelendez9005
      @nestormelendez9005 Před rokem

      ​@@dwylie83 source

    • @dwylie83
      @dwylie83 Před rokem +1

      @Nestor Melendez history books? Bonnet got his, blackbeards and another guys but on the way back he needed money so started pirating again

  • @kyesamathe160
    @kyesamathe160 Před rokem +651

    The thing that genuinely kept me going on the waves was the shanties and the ship combat was done extremely well to me and there were just a lot of mechanics that were enjoyable

  • @wrightroenigk
    @wrightroenigk Před rokem +1773

    25:06 got me laughing hard

    • @L1M.L4M
      @L1M.L4M Před rokem +108

      Fortnite battle pass

    • @CursedSFMS
      @CursedSFMS Před rokem +3

      @@L1M.L4M i just shit out my ass

    • @Jumbatato
      @Jumbatato Před rokem +35

      Didn’t it get us all?

    • @placeholdername3907
      @placeholdername3907 Před rokem

      @@L1M.L4M i just shit out my ass

    • @epikdamage
      @epikdamage Před rokem +67

      its honestly so well i done i cant tell if its fake or if its an actual thing is the game

  • @yuranabdul7081
    @yuranabdul7081 Před rokem +146

    25:05
    This is gold

    • @Shade_Kat
      @Shade_Kat Před rokem +8

      Someone needs to clip that and post it separated so we can listen to it on repeat!

  • @armanireyes753
    @armanireyes753 Před rokem +143

    Your black flag experience completely mirrors mine. I got the game for Christmas the year of its release, I played it for a few days and didn’t give it a chance. A few years later I played the game through after hearing good things about it, & wow did I regret not giving it a chance. This game was golden, a well needed breath of fresh air.

    • @Bobbaloomis
      @Bobbaloomis Před 4 měsíci +1

      I love Unity so much. I’ve put like 10 hours in and it’s only 15%. Love when games used to have real substance

  • @odairjuinior5256
    @odairjuinior5256 Před rokem +181

    Fortnite battle pass

  • @whodatninja439
    @whodatninja439 Před rokem +351

    Parting Glass, Edward reminiscing his dead friends (even the ones who betrayed him) and giving the flower to his estranged daughter whose mother died... This ending man. Breaks me every time 🥲

    • @scott8448
      @scott8448 Před rokem +9

      Even if you skipped through the story and just played the pirate side the parting glass at the end brought everything together shattering most people and getting them to play again and enjoy the time with your companions.

  • @BlackStorks
    @BlackStorks Před rokem +681

    Black flag is the story about becoming an Assassin. Whereas in other AC games like 1,2 and 3 you get the reins as an Assassin relatively early and throughout the game you become a better Assassin.
    Moreover, unlike with Valhalla and Odeyssey they used themes of Freedom as a similar struggle for both Assassins and Pirates

    • @jbcatz5
      @jbcatz5 Před rokem +86

      It’s the first game where a true outsider, someone with no prior connection through family or other, is discovering the Assassins and finding a connection to the Creed. Altaïr grew up with it. Giovanni intended to bring Ezio into the Brotherhood and many of his allies in II were also in the Brotherhood guiding him. It wasn’t until Revelations where Ezio truly explored himself in relation to the Creed and his interpretation. Conner’s father was a Templar, a seasoned veteran of one and already an intended target of the Colonial Brotherhood, and the conflict nothing new to the Kenway family. Edward didn’t have family in the Brotherhood, his parents were humble sheep farmers and he stumbled into the conflict quite by chance. Yes, the novelisation adds in that people who ran him out of his home town were Templar led, but a farmer young man with known alcohol issues in a relationship with a wealthy man’s daughter would ruffle feathers anyway.

    • @arifsalahudin6673
      @arifsalahudin6673 Před rokem +10

      AC 2 is also Ezio Journey becoming Assassin. While the sequel is more oh him reviving it. AC4 is about the same story wise.
      Also AC games mostly repeated few times of player played as the protagonist from birth to adulthood.

  • @negan2714
    @negan2714 Před rokem +73

    Black Flag is hands down my favorite game in the series. Only story I actually felt when playing through the games. Edward is such a good character.

  • @Shaeffen_
    @Shaeffen_ Před rokem +30

    25:06 Best part

  • @3ftninja132
    @3ftninja132 Před rokem +168

    A line from this game that sums up Ubisoft and how it rotted.
    _"In a world without gold we could have been heroes"_

  • @evansinclair1999
    @evansinclair1999 Před rokem +859

    I’ve always thought this was a great AC game I never was like “wtf is this pirates and big boats? what the hell happened” this story actually hit me really hard especially when everything came falling apart at the end but Edward still came out ok it was a great redemption story and was the last time I actually completed an assassins creed story all the way through I never questioned when it came out if it was a “true” AC game

    • @theguvnor1171
      @theguvnor1171 Před rokem +19

      "Boat? I dont see a boat"

    • @robbydutta6521
      @robbydutta6521 Před rokem +3

      Bet you then thought the same for Odyssey and Valhalla right?

    • @thejoker420xp
      @thejoker420xp Před rokem +28

      ​@@robbydutta6521 probly not, those games sucked as assassins creed games🤷‍♂️

    • @definitelytoddhoward8603
      @definitelytoddhoward8603 Před rokem +3

      Assassin’s Creed 4: Pirates and Big Boats

    • @jonnysac77
      @jonnysac77 Před rokem +14

      @@theguvnor1171 it felt like it had a good balance between pirate and AC stuff at the time, sure it was a departure but didn't feel like it was trying to escape the AC name like the RPG games do, it just wanted put a fun twist on old AC gameplay

  • @dulogmaz
    @dulogmaz Před 8 měsíci +27

    The music, the voice acting, the character portrayal, the ship cruising, the story... Replaying it is so satisfying and nostalgic...

  • @Paradox-om6lm
    @Paradox-om6lm Před rokem +46

    Can't believe its been 9 years already. I remember waiting for this game to come out watching gameplay reveals.

    • @robertharris6092
      @robertharris6092 Před rokem +2

      I remeber preordering it on steam. Being insanly excited. Then finnaly the day pf its release came. And i couldnt play it. Then the next day. And the next.

  • @eyupoksuz6901
    @eyupoksuz6901 Před rokem +312

    Hey aqua! Kenway's fleet was a companion app so you could grind while doing something else or sleeping. But after a few years the app got shut down and the fleet battles got added to the main game.

    • @ThatBoyAqua
      @ThatBoyAqua  Před rokem +73

      That makes alot more sense, thanks for letting me know I'll add it to the pinned comment!

    • @eyupoksuz6901
      @eyupoksuz6901 Před rokem +5

      @@ThatBoyAqua No worries! Keep up the good work...

    • @KJB2023
      @KJB2023 Před rokem +6

      I wish they didn’t get rid of it

    • @rafaeltaets2396
      @rafaeltaets2396 Před rokem +32

      The fleet was always in the game, the app was so you didnt need to play it in the game all the time

    • @eyupoksuz6901
      @eyupoksuz6901 Před rokem +4

      @@rafaeltaets2396 Didn't know that

  • @virtuallynervous
    @virtuallynervous Před rokem +701

    The fact this man only has 100k subs is baffling to me. The obvious time and effort he puts into these videos is well worthy of at least 1 Million. Keep it up man! I'm know one day you're channel will boom with success!

    • @ThatBoyAqua
      @ThatBoyAqua  Před rokem +87

      Thank you! I feel blessed enough with the audience I have now, and your support inspires me to try and get better with each video! 💙

    • @jenjoe4359
      @jenjoe4359 Před rokem +10

      Wait, he only has 100k? I thought he had a million

    • @tailettaco3709
      @tailettaco3709 Před rokem +6

      Welcome to CZcams

    • @anumic_
      @anumic_ Před rokem +7

      When I actually clicked on his channel I thought he had 1 mil subs

    • @andrewbell5163
      @andrewbell5163 Před rokem +3

      i didnt even realize he only had 100k till you said that, im so happy i get to be part of the 100k!

  • @abraxis59
    @abraxis59 Před 11 měsíci +5

    This is my first video I have seen from you. It was amazing. You review was comprehensive but not repetitive and you stuck to your foundational premise (which was great) the whole way through. One of the best videos reviews I have ever seen. Liked and subscribed!

  • @DeathTheManiac
    @DeathTheManiac Před rokem +66

    AC4 has in my opinion everything done great. The story and its progression, the environment, the gameplay, the soundtrack. Everything comes together to create a, in my opinion, a great pirate game. Not necessarily a great AC game, but a great game nonetheless. Seeing Edward grow and mature as a person feels meaningful as you've been through everything together, culminating in the ending, the song and seeing all of Edward's dead friends sitting at the table and him sailing back to England. It is a truly powerful moment and the best ending, in my opinion.

    • @ibelieveingaming3562
      @ibelieveingaming3562 Před 8 měsíci +2

      Black Flag stands head and shoulders above the rest of the series. Its not a good assassins creed game, it is THE BEST assassins creed game!

    • @legitplayin6977
      @legitplayin6977 Před 4 měsíci

      Agree on everything but the gameplay. Stealth and combat on foot is shit, ship combat is great though

  • @noname-hf9ty
    @noname-hf9ty Před rokem +112

    You can press L1 or LB to reload regardless of how many bullets you have left btw

    • @ThatBoyAqua
      @ThatBoyAqua  Před rokem +57

      lol I can't believe the only button I didn't try was the right one, thanks for letting me know I'll update the pinned comment!

    • @thementallywell7897
      @thementallywell7897 Před rokem +4

      Can't you also cancel animations when you need to counter?
      I can't remember if you could, but it seems right.

    • @ThatBoyAqua
      @ThatBoyAqua  Před rokem +11

      I think you are supposed to, but sometimes it just flat out doesn’t let you, so I’m not sure

    • @andrewbell5163
      @andrewbell5163 Před rokem +1

      lol i was sure you could

    • @Iuqinha
      @Iuqinha Před rokem

      thank youuu

  • @assassin_770
    @assassin_770 Před rokem +241

    Looking to help enlighten your experience with some friendly advice, fellow Assassin!
    1. 14:19 Minor correction: you CAN reload your pistols without unloading the final bullet. LB/L1.
    2. 20:32 I found that when it selects the side cannons, if you just move the right analog stick towards the front of the ship, the camera will adjust itself properly.

    • @danlandia2311
      @danlandia2311 Před rokem +7

      Was about to say the same)

    • @Doncroft1
      @Doncroft1 Před rokem +24

      I noticed that too. I distinctly remember manually reloading my pistols.

    • @Browzy69
      @Browzy69 Před rokem +14

      and to top it off, if anyone really just takes one moment to look into controller mapping at least, or to customize controls - they'd easily realise that manual reload is a thing.

    • @jessequillen4695
      @jessequillen4695 Před rokem +4

      When he said no free reload I thought it might have been a ps only thing because I play xbox and can reload.

    • @thatfonvdude7054
      @thatfonvdude7054 Před rokem +6

      @@jessequillen4695 i'm pretty sure its to do with the version of the game. i have the disc version on ps4 and on 1.0 there's no manual reload until you update.

  • @davidlisenby1208
    @davidlisenby1208 Před rokem +9

    I deeply appreciate the time and effort you put into this. As an assassin’s creed fan this was entertainment I needed.

  • @miyukiyu
    @miyukiyu Před rokem +16

    25:06 Had me laughing lmfao 😂

  • @JainaSoloB312
    @JainaSoloB312 Před rokem +82

    I will watch this video soon, but I don't think it'll convince me after Whitelight pointed out the fundamental AC themes of Freedom vs Control and how perfectly the Golden Age of Piracy captures that.
    I look forward to hearing your arguments though!💜

    • @ibelieveingaming3562
      @ibelieveingaming3562 Před rokem

      Ahahaha

    • @sars910
      @sars910 Před rokem +27

      I'll be honest, I kinda hate the self-righteous attitude of "Good pirate game, bad AC game" that some people have.
      People who constantly parrot that statement just can't get Ezio's dick out of their mouth.
      I love Ezio and the Ezio Trilogy but AC isn't limited to just Ezio. It has the potential to be so much more.
      Edward Kenway is one of the best AC protagonists and his story resonated with me like very few others have.
      Also, the Freedom vs Control angle is beautifully explored in the game. Torres is a Templar but he's not a bad person. He hates and actively discourages slavery and it's very refreshing to see Ubisoft give the "Control" side of the Freedom vs Control some actually good arguments instead of the strawman that it usually was in previous games. The Observatory also draws parallels to our modern surveillance state and once again brings forth the Freedom vs Control debate.
      AC4 is overall one of the best AC games ever made and my personal favourite.

    • @ihatemotionblur_3255
      @ihatemotionblur_3255 Před rokem +1

      @@sars910 agree

    • @paulavonkip499
      @paulavonkip499 Před rokem +1

      @@sars910 hahahahha I so agree with you

    • @rayqwonjackson3474
      @rayqwonjackson3474 Před rokem +5

      @@sars910 I think we all are tired of every assasin getting compared to ezio. Even ezio did things that assasins don't do

  • @nyyfandan
    @nyyfandan Před rokem +289

    I tend to think that the games stopped being "true AC games" after Syndicate. But that isn't based on my opinions of which is the best, or my personal enjoyment of any of the games, or which ones I grew up with. It's because there's literally interviews and quotes from people making the games saying that after Syndicate sales failed to impress, they purposely took a few years off to make the games more like the Witcher 3 and other popular RPG-type games of the time. They literally admitted that they compromised their own vision in order to make this unique series more like everything else. That's where they lost me, personally.

    • @sjneow
      @sjneow Před rokem +47

      @@tosmooth694 Origin is still a bit too RPG. The problem is lack of a dense city for parkour which is the one mechanic that let AC stood out from the other games. Yes, Black Flag has ship combat but it still has a city that players can enjoy the parkour.

    • @DARKENINGTIMES
      @DARKENINGTIMES Před rokem +31

      yea, so many people hated on unity and syndicate, but they were still very enjoyable games. im not gonna lie, odyssey, origins, and valhalla are not necessarily "bad" games, but they feel like imposters. like games trying to be something its not. if they were called their own thing instead of assassins creed, the reviews would look completely different.

    • @maxcooper6763
      @maxcooper6763 Před rokem +7

      @@DARKENINGTIMES I'd agree, except for origins. I love all ac games (apart from Valhalla, couldn't get into it) but odyssey is the first one to me (and perhaps only) that isn't AC

    • @purplenurple8816
      @purplenurple8816 Před rokem +4

      I would say after origins

    • @DARKENINGTIMES
      @DARKENINGTIMES Před rokem +14

      @@purplenurple8816 no origins was the start of that change that made it seem too different

  • @batofkrypton9765
    @batofkrypton9765 Před rokem +16

    Bro your videos are actually so good wow, so in depth and analysis driven with key topics being bought up. If you keep going your channel will hit a million.

  • @gamester6304
    @gamester6304 Před rokem +3

    Absolutely love the videos man! My go to channel for game reviews!

  • @Deamons64
    @Deamons64 Před rokem +93

    Black flag was, in my opinion, the best AC game. The atmosphere was second to none. The story, while meandering at times, was interesting. And the gameplay, oh man. It STILL feels good to take a ship over almost ten years later. It's fantastic.

    • @sars910
      @sars910 Před rokem +9

      I agree completely. Black Flag is my favourite AC game of all time. And the only game I've ever 100 percented Twice.

    • @teneesh3376
      @teneesh3376 Před rokem +3

      Though it is a downgrade in terms of hand to hand combat. I mean functionally, it's the same as 3. But something do make it worse. Like the dual cutlass animations look really bad, the cinematography for the dual counters is so much worse, and the combat on ships barely work. The game struggles trying to figure out the geometry that Edward has a hard time trying to counter, hit targets and going into combat mode and traversal mode.
      I like the game, but not enough people talk about the hand to hand combat downgrades

    • @Deamons64
      @Deamons64 Před rokem +7

      @@teneesh3376 did we play the same game? Some of the animations were a bit junky, but it's not that bad. The fist animations are ported, which, yeah is lazy but it doesn't subtract from the fluidity of thr combat in the slightest. The jank of melee on ships is also a valid complaint however. It's definitely not perfect, but it's positives out weigh the jank.

    • @teneesh3376
      @teneesh3376 Před rokem +7

      @@Deamons64 though you do have to wonder. Why did they make the dual counter camera worse when 3's camera was great? And by that I mean 4's camera was placed in a way were it made the animations less impactful than 3's. 3's dual counter camera made animations feel more impactful

    • @Engille967
      @Engille967 Před rokem +5

      This couldn't be my favorite after everything AC3 and Rogue have done better so many times.

  • @sars910
    @sars910 Před rokem +8

    49:11 Oof.
    I don't mean to be a downer but if you read the in-game journal entries for all the characters, it tells you that Stede Bonnet was hanged for being a pirate.

  • @martinhorvat7982
    @martinhorvat7982 Před rokem

    Perfect video! Love it. These analysis brings back memories. Thanks :)

  • @Darkmagician411
    @Darkmagician411 Před rokem +2

    1:30 I have listened to so many videos talking about how good black flag is but I have never heard such a amazing quote and then the music right after I immediately subscribed

  • @MultiHomersimpson123
    @MultiHomersimpson123 Před rokem +5

    Thanks for mentioning the podcast. I hadn't heard about it before this video and I enjoy it!

    • @ThatBoyAqua
      @ThatBoyAqua  Před rokem +3

      Thank you, any feedback regarding it is much appreciated!

  • @connor4435
    @connor4435 Před rokem +11

    You can actually force a reload of your pistols without firing all of them, you press the left bumper button, but the game never tells you this and I only learned it on my most recent playthrough by accident

  • @waffles4314
    @waffles4314 Před rokem +8

    25:06

  • @rutherhood5961
    @rutherhood5961 Před 7 měsíci +3

    I’ve tried and tried to get into black flag coming at it with that same nostalgic mindset, I left it for a while and came back with an open mind, I’m now loving it

  • @j3g1st
    @j3g1st Před rokem +14

    Sadly Bonnet actually got hanged, you can overhear Spanish soldiers talking about it when Edward is escaping the prison

    • @ThatBoyAqua
      @ThatBoyAqua  Před rokem +12

      ARE YOU SERIOUS!? That's actually the saddest shit in the game 😭

    • @j3g1st
      @j3g1st Před rokem +6

      @@ThatBoyAqua I know I was really upset cuz I thought he lived, if only there was better way to find out then just a random conversation most people will miss 😭

  • @ReapersLove69
    @ReapersLove69 Před rokem +3

    Black flag is very much an assassin's creed game, the newer ones may not be but is when the games still had heart

  • @Jolli_-is7oo
    @Jolli_-is7oo Před rokem

    bro great video, cant imagine how many words the essay was you wrote for the script, like atleast 20 thousand words because its an hour long readl, great work.

  • @mrb1naryy
    @mrb1naryy Před rokem +6

    Tip: You can also avoid a rogue wave by sailing facing away from it instead of towards it. In battle you can fire maybe 2 volleys before the game forces the brace command. Not sure if this is helpful, but this is my personal experience and have almost always used this tactic in open sea without islands in the way.

  • @nathanmitchell5787
    @nathanmitchell5787 Před rokem +13

    This was my first assassins creed game last year and it definitely told me what I like about this series. I underutilized the hunting and a lot of the ship parts. But loved the “classic assasin stuff”. Can’t wait to play unity and get some assassin fantasy lol

  • @kclink1579
    @kclink1579 Před rokem +8

    And yet it's the best Assassin's Creed game.

    • @alinpetrescu2309
      @alinpetrescu2309 Před rokem +2

      It is so weird that the most sold games in this franchise aren't even AC games...

    • @steffon3650
      @steffon3650 Před rokem +2

      @@alinpetrescu2309 lol right? It's almost like the hoods and capes are no as popular as we thought.

  • @godlessarco2274
    @godlessarco2274 Před rokem +2

    46:46
    Every time I hear that line, every time I read it
    It always makes me smile; it is truly such a great quote

  • @detroitdave3505
    @detroitdave3505 Před rokem +4

    Little note for reloading at ~14:00 you can press either L1 or R1 (I don’t remember which) to do a tactical reload instead of emptying all of your pistols

  • @brakecleaner
    @brakecleaner Před rokem +4

    That TPB reference at 36:37 made my day

  • @Flex-np9rm
    @Flex-np9rm Před rokem +5

    Replaying Black Flag made me realize something. Like Edward we shouldn’t think of the past and what we lost but remember it while looking at the future

  • @Flex-np9rm
    @Flex-np9rm Před rokem +4

    That video said 100% of what I think of ac4.
    Thank you for making it

  • @AD3SPG
    @AD3SPG Před rokem +3

    I started with 1 liberation, syndicate, unity then to black flag( haven't finished ) and origins I enjoyed most of them I got a bit frustrated with some parkour during battles in mansions in unity but for the most part enjoyed and your content is awesome I am always open minded to hearing someone else's prospective

  • @peculiar3529
    @peculiar3529 Před rokem +69

    The devs of the earlier games described what makes an assassins creed game with 3 pillars combat, parkour, and social stealth so that’s what I would say makes up a real AC game. Black flag has all of these things and it does focus on the brotherhood more than any other AC game other than AC 1 but it decides for most of the game to explore the brotherhood from the outside perspective of a pirate. These three pillars are exclusively assassin‘s Creed and were the former AC identity before origins made the AC brand exactly like every other Ubisoft game (mediocre dog ass). I think when a lot of people say it’s a good game but not a good assassin’s creed game they’re trying to say that it lacks the originality of the original few games. I couldn’t name a single other franchise where you could use each of these “pillar mechanics” in succession. I only like the older games in this series because the newer game’s key mechanics and format aren’t exclusive to AC and aren’t even done slightly as well as most games with a similar “format”. you can still add more mechanics in addition to these pillars (ship combat, economics, brotherhood mechanic, town upkeep) to improve the variety of gameplay while still keeping the core pillar mechanics and the AC identity.

  • @BronzeApparathus
    @BronzeApparathus Před rokem +13

    I actually skipped 4 as you did but thanks to the fact I was left immensely disappointed with 3.
    When I eventually got the game for 10 bucks, I was floored on how good the game was on me rumble PS3

    • @Piketom1
      @Piketom1 Před rokem +3

      Black Flag was my entry into the series. I didn't even really know or understand what assassin's creed was at the time but had read about a fun pirate game. I tried playing the original trilogy afterwords and just could not get into them. There is something to be said for making the games different to attract new players.

  • @indedgames4359
    @indedgames4359 Před rokem

    I love how you continue

  • @lebryantjordanson
    @lebryantjordanson Před rokem +22

    AC4 was truly something special. they added a new touch to the narrative of the series but simultaneously held onto the game mechanics that the fanbase knew and loved.

  • @kono_dioda87
    @kono_dioda87 Před rokem +5

    49:11 Bonnet doesn’t survive, while you escape the prison you can hear two guards saying how he was executed.

  • @aedof
    @aedof Před rokem +6

    I appreciate the detail in background music you choose. Rather than strictly using the subject game's music, you insert stuff like the Destiny Islands music to match the tropical setting. I love it.

  • @itsmebennyb4286
    @itsmebennyb4286 Před rokem +3

    35:33 as a fellow Canadian, I appreciate your use of "Rickyism."

  • @fordman7479
    @fordman7479 Před rokem

    Black flag got me right in the feels and I almost cried at the end. really reminded me of the good old days of hanging with friends and how them days are long gone.

  • @EngineMashups
    @EngineMashups Před rokem +16

    This is the only AC game I've played through multiple times AND been interested in completing all the other little missions too! One of the things that makes this my favourite AC game is actually the MUSIC, which appeals to my celtic heart but also is just so well performed and recorded and used and man I love this game (also I really like the modern day stuff sue me)
    Weirdly one of the things I loved about this game a lot was the accents - they're regional and correct and interesting, which makes a nice change from the same company that did the accents for AC syndicate (the worst 'english' accents I've ever heard) - incidentally this is also why I saw the Roberts/IT Guy twist coming from miles off, because he sounded like a person doing an American accent, not a real American person
    Edit: also welsh protagonist. It's what we needed

  • @davidbernard1770
    @davidbernard1770 Před rokem +7

    The soundtrack for this game was 💯

  • @andrewchandler9303
    @andrewchandler9303 Před rokem

    this review is refreshing after finishing the game, enjoying and going to luke stephens video, nice video man

  • @ivangarciahernandez8798
    @ivangarciahernandez8798 Před rokem +7

    25:05
    Fortnite battlepass

  • @Deutalios818
    @Deutalios818 Před rokem +3

    25:06
    Just gonna put the time code for the best part of the video here in case anyone wants to come back to it

  • @speedhog58
    @speedhog58 Před rokem +18

    I was thinking about Freedom Cry’s absence from this video and it gave me an idea.
    What if you tackled Freedom Cry and Rogue as a single video? They are both shorter narrative experiences and are built upon the same Black Flag framework.
    They are also very interesting parallels from a thematic standpoint, like how Ade’s increased brutality and ‘freedom at all costs’ mentality that briefly creeps over him in the third act vaguely reflecting the reasons that Shay left the brotherhood in Rogue.

    • @DarkNorthEmperor
      @DarkNorthEmperor Před rokem +1

      I am not favourable to the story of Rogue, but I still love it due to the really smooth gameplay.

    • @Jak239JC
      @Jak239JC Před rokem +1

      @@DarkNorthEmperor Yeah I expected a crackdown twist related to the since the history was close and the assassins "gangs" look like the early version of the railroad. It did never did that just switch the groups behavior but still call them the same names. Gameplay very fun a somewhat more polished black flag gameplay is hard to mess up.

    • @DarkNorthEmperor
      @DarkNorthEmperor Před rokem +1

      @@Jak239JC overall, it was a fun game. It's good timepass, as I can put it.

  • @Lazy_person-
    @Lazy_person- Před rokem +4

    25:06
    No explanation needed

  • @haralambosmeimetis2188
    @haralambosmeimetis2188 Před rokem +8

    This was a great argument about the identity of Assassins Creed. Black Flag was the first AC I ever played and i fell in love with the series ever since. Even though i have played most AC games by now, i have still found nothing that tops Black Flag! (Btw the naval combat, exploration, and atmosphere of sailing around the Caribbean while listening to sea shanties is GOLD. It will never get old).

  • @ThodorisManiatis1220
    @ThodorisManiatis1220 Před rokem +7

    Me: *sees the title*
    Also me: SACRILEGE!!!

  • @MrSuperbowser1
    @MrSuperbowser1 Před rokem +3

    Banger video aqua! Love me these retrospective and hot takes you give. But where in the world you get that version of the Fortnite battle pass song because it made me spit out my drink lol

    • @ThatBoyAqua
      @ThatBoyAqua  Před rokem +4

      Thank you it’s very appreciated, and would believe that I made it? Lol

    • @MrSuperbowser1
      @MrSuperbowser1 Před rokem +2

      @@ThatBoyAqua LOL that makes the meme 10 times more funny then it already was. I was watching the video like “hoo boy when he talks about shanty’s i just may sing whichever one he plays” and all i hear is “FORTNITE BATTLE PASSS”. Lol 10/10 content always

  • @Yeppers_22
    @Yeppers_22 Před rokem

    Amazing video

  • @natesuth7742
    @natesuth7742 Před rokem

    Great video

  • @tobler17
    @tobler17 Před rokem +20

    Black Flag is an excellent pirate game but it is also an excellent Assassins Creed game. Yes Edward isnt a traditional protagonist of the series and he starts off more removed from the Assassins Order in the beginning of the game but Black Flag more than any previous AC has to do with the very core of what it means to be an Assassin. Edward's entire arc is about finding out what the Assassins 'creed' means to him and to the order, "Nothing is true, everything is permitted." The entire story is about the ideology of the Assassins. He's the first protagonist who wasnt born into the order or forced into it via familial connections to it. He chooses it over the course of the game, overcoming his greed to live for something more than just himself. To me its one of the best Assassin stories in the entire series, easily standing up with Ezio's and Bayek's story.
    Now to be fair, I weigh story and characters as the most important thing of what makes an AC game an AC game, gameplay is important but its not the defining feature for me. Im ok with that stuff changing (as long as its good changes that work for that individual game). So arguments based around the gameplay isnt AC enough, just isnt gonna land with me (even pro arguments for it being an AC game because gameplay reasons). Those are worthy critiques and I have plenty of Black Flags gameplay element that i would want changed to make a better game but I wouldnt change anything about the story to make it more AC because its already extremely AC to me and is great.

    • @scott8448
      @scott8448 Před rokem +1

      Perfectly said and I wholeheartedly agree AC is a game based off of interactions. Interactions with various well crafted characters, places and times. I find this is the core to the game more so then the assassin vs Templar’s or anything else put in the games. It’s the interactions between classic characters like da Vinci and other historical characters or pretty much anyone in black flag that elevated the series above its counterparts.

  • @Bravo_Joker_
    @Bravo_Joker_ Před rokem +6

    I have been waiting so long for this video and I agree with all haha especially your reaction to things was amazing. Definitely in my opinion your most funniest review haha good work Aqua.

  • @willcarter-professionalwre3196

    Hey man I love your content! Have you ever considered having somewhere to upload the raw footage of you playing through games before you make videos on them? Or do you have a Twitch for this? Seeing your initial thoughts as you play through the game would be really cool I think! Also keep smashing it you're content is class

  • @yixkhblank7956
    @yixkhblank7956 Před rokem +2

    Bro the sound track hits😮‍💨

  • @73whitezz
    @73whitezz Před rokem +15

    It's a game I thoroughly enjoyed playing. Sometimes I would just sail about for ages, singing sea shanties & plundering any ships that crossed my path!😁

  • @xdreadx_5025
    @xdreadx_5025 Před rokem +6

    It's amazing how the creed has made such a huge impact on a certain generation of gamers...I remember the first one came out when I was seven and the feeling of awe as each title released, I love the old games but I like some of the new take on the series mainly with valhalla the assassin gameplay was lacking but the amount of lore it creates for the brotherhood is something I feel like is neglected I hope they continue to work on the formula and try to incorporate the social stealth with the new systems in place because what traditional gameplay was included in valhalla I thought was really good fingers crossed for the future

  • @brandonovo1611
    @brandonovo1611 Před rokem +1

    This is by far my favorite entry in the series. The story, Edward, combat, the scenery, & the pirate theme?! (Who the fck doesn't love pirates?!?)
    Everything was great about it. Unity was also special, but this takes the cake as the best one for me.
    I long for the days where AC made you feel like an ultimate badass that could decimate an entire army in the coolest and most brutal way possible.
    That's what made AC special. The chain killing & counter kills were so cool & completely unique when compared to any game out there.
    4 got everything awesome about Assassin's Creed right, and even managed to innovate.
    Great video dude!

  • @Ben10man2
    @Ben10man2 Před rokem

    Just hearing the Black Flag theme in the background of the intro is enough to get me emotional, my word

  • @evanmiddledorf
    @evanmiddledorf Před rokem +3

    Your videos are incredible. Thank you for all the effort you put into these for us viewers 🙌

    • @ThatBoyAqua
      @ThatBoyAqua  Před rokem +2

      And thank you for watching them ❤️🙏

  • @the_codex4449
    @the_codex4449 Před rokem +4

    This where the fun begins

  • @IllegalTumor
    @IllegalTumor Před měsícem

    Been 100%ing the game again around the time i found your video. For the xbox controller the unaimed shot button was Y, which was also used to reload, however using the right bumper you can reload your pistols even if you haven’t used all four

  • @colindavidch
    @colindavidch Před rokem +1

    This is personally my favorite assassins creed game I love the character development of Edward and his personality is just so relatable to me

  • @midnight3232
    @midnight3232 Před rokem +17

    Boys at a sleepover: 25:04

  • @beegyoshi6525
    @beegyoshi6525 Před rokem +4

    An assassin's creed game for me, is a game which involves a creed of assassins, preferably who fight templars. A hidden war, in plain sight.

  • @kristianthaler6525
    @kristianthaler6525 Před rokem +2

    The only reason that I bother with managing the fleet is because of the rare artifacts that you can find on the missions. And every artifact you find gets added to your mansion hideout, so you can wander around it and see your collection grow.

  • @tobyjack1238
    @tobyjack1238 Před rokem +1

    I love this game so much. I would like to see how all the games hold up nowadays, but just watching the footage I just remember why I liked this one so much. This is one of the few games I played where I never used the fast travel.

  • @TetsuoSlade
    @TetsuoSlade Před rokem +3

    Don’t call yourself a loser, you’re not a loser

  • @CEMORESPORTS
    @CEMORESPORTS Před rokem +7

    Honestly I’d love to hear your thoughts about which historical setting they should it in next. Assassins creed games are about the historical setting and the name assassins creed. I’ll buy any game they put out as long as it’s good
    Love your videos. I’m so glad that I’m
    Not the only one thing who feels the way you do

    • @galadballcrusher8182
      @galadballcrusher8182 Před rokem +1

      Sengoku era Japan...with ninja background and also combo between ninja being on assassin side and navigating between feudal lords (Daimyo) fights and the front some put against western influences (which can be Templar driven).

    • @roxtaramir
      @roxtaramir Před 11 měsíci

      ​@@galadballcrusher8182your wishes may be answered soon with AC Codename Jade 😍

  • @scott8448
    @scott8448 Před rokem +1

    To answer your question of what makes AC games AC games, I’d have to say it’s the interactions in the game. The interactions between the historical characters, regular NPCS, locations and timeframe. I found it was the core element from working with da Vinci to siding with spartans or athenians, it was these interactions that gave AC the characteristics of an AC game more then the parkour, the battle between Templar’s and assassin’s, the stealth or any other mechanic it’s these interactions that bring life to the series and elevated it above it’s competitors.

  • @PugglesWuggles
    @PugglesWuggles Před rokem +20

    My biggest problem over the last years is that it feels like we havent been able to play an assassin and the games havent been connected to assassins (or the other games for that matter) either. The latest games aren't bad but it just feels like it could have easily had a different title name and worked the same. The lack of stealth has been the biggest issue for me to play like an assassin is to be stealthy and discreet, the latest games (especially Odyssey and Valhalla) have been everything BUT that.

    • @emmarabenhorst3106
      @emmarabenhorst3106 Před rokem +1

      Odyssey straight up didn't have social blending. It didn't feel like a game about being an assassin at all. It was just an RPG under the AC banner. Doesn't mean it wasn't good in its own right, but it wasn't really an assassin's Creed game.
      Valhalla was... Good? But holy crap did it take me a whole 60 hours to finish one playthrough. Way more time than I wanted to invest in that story.

  • @Piketom1
    @Piketom1 Před rokem +25

    The title of this video partially explains why Black Flag is my favorite in the series. I love the historical settings, the characters, the open world, and the variety in gameplay between the various entries. I've never been a fan of the "traditional" assassin's creed experience.

    • @dogdude259
      @dogdude259 Před rokem

      I completely agree I care more about the setting Than the title

  • @brennanhughes976
    @brennanhughes976 Před rokem

    Man the way you Adewale pisses me off but great video dude always a blast to hear your retrospectives

  • @blockbaby3451
    @blockbaby3451 Před rokem +1

    I'm about to turn 31 , I still remember how addicted I was to even the first game .

  • @KJB2023
    @KJB2023 Před rokem +9

    Btw I was thinking a while ago now with every ac game it’s less and less assassins creed ever since 1, think about it: ac 1 was purely assassins vs templars and best of the real versions of the groups, ac 2 is more about ezio as a character and clearly less about the assassins compared to ac 1, ac brotherhood and revelations are basically finishing what 2 started and the latter of ezio’s life, ac 3 is more about multiple other things like the kenway family and the state of the colonial brotherhood after rogue, ac black flag I’ll just leave to the video but basically it’s 3/4 a pirate game and the rest an ac game. I’ll leave it there because I’m not gonna go through like 12 games but I just want to show ‘not being assassins creed’ didn’t start with origins/ odyssey and has been a thing since ac 2, also I’m not saying they are bad assassins creed is my favourite thing and I love all of them (including the new ones)

  • @Phoenix_Media
    @Phoenix_Media Před rokem +40

    Honestly, I've held the mindset of the title basically since this game released back when I was an edgy 14 year old who just learned what contrarian meant. That being said, I've learned to appreciate the devs for trying something new and starting to push the game in a different direction. I still don't necessarily like Black Flag as much as other entries purely because I've never been the biggest fan of naval combat or pirates in general, but I can still agree that it's a damn good game. Just took a few years to get over the jaded view I had of it after they killed off my boy Desmond and hadn't decided what they wanted to do with the present day segments yet.

  • @8CD8
    @8CD8 Před rokem +1

    25:06 That came out of left field and I love it

  • @diablo595
    @diablo595 Před rokem

    Black flag has a special place in my heart because it was the first ac game I ever played, it was one of the first games I bought on the ps4 and I was obsessed with the idea of pirates and rogues when I was a kid.

  • @plantguy8628
    @plantguy8628 Před rokem +10

    I come for fortnite battle pass song

    • @speak-the-red-letters
      @speak-the-red-letters Před 8 měsíci

      Auqa: Fortnite battle pass.
      Crew: I just shit. Out my ass.
      Crewman1: out your ass?
      Crewman2: what?
      Aqua: Booted up my PC.
      Crew: because I need meat.
      Aqua: to get that-
      Crew: Fortnite battle pass.

  • @Modie
    @Modie Před rokem +3

    I am pretty sure you can reload the guns at any point. It's been a while since I played the game, but I am 99% sure it was possible. It's somehow related to holding a specific button.

  • @dayooperedtroll2208
    @dayooperedtroll2208 Před rokem

    This was my intro to assassins creed. I had played other people's games trying their game of assassin creed 1. But, Black Flag was MY first assassin creed game. And I loved it. It got me to want more lore.

  • @xBintu
    @xBintu Před rokem

    Black Flag is one of my favourite games of all time i have so many memorys and great things attached to it. Its a part of my childhood and i replayed it half a year ago and did everything i could find and it was great i am so happy even about thinking about it right now, to everyone have a great day