When it comes to ranking the best Assassin’s Creed games of all time, I always find that two specific games always make the list: Assassin’s Creed 2 and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Black Flag was revolutionary for the franchise when it was released, not only creating this vast open world to explore, but also introducing a morally gray character. Was Edward Kenway working for the greater good, or just a grubby, money-hungry pirate?
As you follow Edward Kenway to the Bahamas, you’ll find that a lust for treasure and a better life for his wife wraps him up in an epic adventure involving Templars, Assassins and the Observatory. Nothing to spoil here, but the outstanding cast of characters you might have experienced when the game first launched are back and better than ever.
That said, Resynced is not simply a remastered version of Black Flag. The game is built from the ground up using the Anvil Engine, the same engine that brought the latest Assassin’s Creed Shadows to life. Because of that, expectations were high as I loaded it up.
It will take you all of five minutes to realize that this is Black Flag built for modern consoles and PC. The opening island chase sequence is phenomenal, with the lush jungle looking and feeling more realistic than ever before. To those who perhaps wouldn’t know, this definitely feels like a fresh release in 2026, as opposed to a remaster of an older game.
The game looks better, sounds better, and plays better as well. New running paths have been created to provide Edward with a more natural and seamless traversal experience. It’s not quite as smooth as Assassin’s Creed Shadows, where parkour roadblocks rarely exist, but it’s definitely a lot more free-flowing than it used to be. This is a pretty important enhancement in my opinion; before we had modern Assassin’s Creed games, I’m not sure we really realized how much of a chore climbing and world traversal were in the early games.
Further enhancement eliminates load screens, making the world feel like a complete, seamless open sandbox. Players can now seamlessly dock their ship and jump ashore to explore Havana without the need to wait while the city loads. It’s a small change, perhaps, but one that only makes Black Flag better than it ever was. The seamless world without loads is also enhanced with dynamic weather and an active day-night system.
Other changes also make the game feel a lot more fluid. Edward can now crouch whenever he wants, not just in tall grass. And do you remember those tailing missions you would fail if you got too close, or fell too far behind? Those still exist, but stalling failing on the eavesdropping portion of those missions now just changes the mission requirements. No more failing here.
Combat is a key mechanic in any Assassin’s Creed game. The modern RPG elements of more recent Assassin’s Creed titles haven’t been incorporated here, however. Resynced uses a combination of swords, gunplay, and gadgets to create a very tactical combat experience. Parrying attacks will be your greatest strength, as well timed parries allow for instant kills.
Smarter enemy AI also means mashing buttons after a parry, like in the original, is no longer a viable option. The same goes for the overpowered kick to the chest. Enemies will now adapt to your fighting style, dodging more than they used to, and attacking in groups more strategically than before.
If Black Flag Resynced had done everything we’ve already talked about, I would have been more than happy to drop 59.99 USD on experiencing the game again.
The team at Ubisoft didn’t think that was enough, though, as they have added additional story content that explores the backstory of Edward Kenway, additional missions around Blackbeard in the post-game A World Without Gold expansion, and three brand new crew with their own special abilities and backstories for you to unlock and uncover.
These inclusions are fantastic, but come at a cost. Almost every Assassin’s Creed game is broken into two sections: 90% of the games focus on the protagonist and the historical world they inhabit, while about 10% focuses on modern-day story elements like Desmond Miles or Abstergo Industries. All modern-day gameplay has been eliminated, and whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing will depend on the individual. I do believe a few story elements are lost by taking this approach, but I’ve personally never been a fan of the modern-day story elements, so nothing is lost here for me.
Multiplayer, though, is something I’m a bit disappointed by. We’ve written a bit more at length about what is lost with the release of Resynced, but it will be a bit disappointing to not have those multiplayer moments to distract you from the main story.
The Assassin’s Creed franchise has spanned almost 20 years. A lot of video game fans have experienced the franchise from the beginning, including the evolution of the gameplay and the quality of life improvements that came with each successive game released. Going back to Black Flag has been a blast, and Ubisoft picked a fantastic title to focus this remaster on.
Players who may have only been playing since Assassin’s Creed Origins or later might not find the same amount of fun in this experience, however. Even with all the quality of life improvements, the lack of RPG elements still makes a game like Black Flag feel completely different from Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla, and Shadows. As an open-world adventure game, though? This is one of the best ever made.
Adam has been writing about video games since 2014 and board games since 2018. If he's not rooting for the Toronto Maple Leafs or Toronto FC, he definitely has a controller in his hand - probably playing on a Nintendo platform - or is sitting at a table playing a board game. Adam also has firm opinions on a few key topics: there are much better board games than Settlers of Catan, and Nintendo doesn't need to compete with Sony and Microsoft.
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