Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced review

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While the original Black Flag holds up well enough that it probably wouldn’t have been my first pick for an Assassin’s Creed remake, sailing the high seas, sending other tubs to Davy Jones’ Locker, uncovering ancient secrets, and asking “What does that have to do with me getting rich, exactly?” have made it clear Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced was a necessary second pass over one of the best games in the series. More than just the game you remember but shinier and better looking, it’s also an attempt to bring Black Flag ’s systems and sensibilities up to today’s standards. Both land and sea combat are bolstered by new tricks that add depth and clarity to all of the action, the top-tier story of the Kenway patriarch proves it’s beloved for a reason (plus some extra content further fleshes out certain character moments), and missions have been adjusted and restructured just enough to take advantage of the mostly smart updates to parkour and stealth. Even where it stumbles, like its long-standing issues with overly sticky free running or sometimes very dumb enemies, it never feels like a step backward. As a result, there’s never been a better time, or a better way, to return to the Golden Age of Piracy.