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Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a 2013 historical fiction action-adventure open world stealth video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the sixth major installment in the Assassin's Creed series. Its historical timeframe precedes that of Assassin's Creed III (2012), though its modern-day sequences succeed III 's own. Black Flag was first released on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii U in October 2013 and was ported to PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, and Xbox One the next month.
The story is set in the early 18th century Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy, and follows notorious pirate Edward Kenway, grandfather and father of Assassin's Creed III protagonists Ratonhnhaké:ton and Haytham Kenway respectively, who stumble upon the conflict waged by the Assassins and Templars. Unlike previous games, gameplay elements focus more on ship-based exploration in the open world map, while also retaining the series' third-person land-based exploration, melee combat, and stealth system. Multiplayer also returns, albeit with only land-based modes and settings. The game spans across the Caribbean with the three main cities of Havana, Nassau and Kingston along with numerous islands, sunken ships, and forts. Players have the option to harpoon large sea animals and hunt land animals. For the first time in the series, naval exploration became a major part of an Assassin's Creed game, where Edward Kenway captains the Jackdaw, a Brig he captures from a Spanish fleet.
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag was critically acclaimed upon release, and was one of the best selling games of 2013, selling more than 11 million copies to date. Critics praised the massive open world gameplay, numerous side-quests, beautiful graphics and improved naval combat. The light-hearted pirate theme was well received by critics and fans alike. The modern day story however, received a slightly more mixed response, while criticism also fell on aspects of the historical story missions which were considered repetitive. The game received several awards and nominations, including winning the Spike VGX 2013 award for Best Action Adventure Game. It was followed by Assassin's Creed Unity and Assassin's Creed Rogue, set during the French Revolution and Seven Years' War respectively, with both released in November 2014.
Gameplay[edit]
The game features three main cities; Havana, Kingston, and Nassau, which reside under Spanish, British, and pirate influence, respectively.[2] The game also features 50 other individual locations—including atolls, sea forts, Mayan ruins, sugar plantations and underwater shipwrecks—to explore, with a 60/40 balance between land and naval exploration.[7] Assassin's Creed IV has a more open world feel, with missions similar to those found in Assassin's Creed, as well as fewer restrictions for the player. The world opens up sooner in the game, as opposed to Assassin's Creed III, which had very scripted missions and did not give players freedom to explore until the game was well into its first act.[2][16][17][18] The player will encounter jungles, forts, ruins, and small villages and the world is built to allow players much more freedom, such as allowing players to engage, board, and capture passing ships and swimming to nearby beaches in a seamless fashion.[7][15] In addition, the hunting system has been retained from Assassin's Creed III, allowing the player to hunt on land, and fish in the water, with resources gathered used to upgrade equipment.[7]
A new aspect in the game is the Jackdaw, the ship that the player captains. The Jackdaw is upgradeable throughout the game, and is easily accessible to the player when needed.[16] In addition, a new underwater component has been added.[2] The player has access to a spyglass, allowing the examination of distant ships, along with their cargo and strength. It can also help determine if an island still has animals to hunt, treasures to find, high points to reach for synchronization or additional side-quests to complete, such as assassinations and naval contracts.[2] An updated form of the recruit system introduced in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood has returned,[2] allowing Edward to recruit crew members. While Kenway's crew will remain loyal to him, can be promoted to captain acquired ships, and are needed to assist in boarding enemy vessels, they cannot assist in combat or perform long-range assassinations, as in previous games. Ubisoft removed this aspect of the brotherhood system, believing it allowed players to bypass tense and challenging scenarios too easily.[19]
In the present day, at the offices of Abstergo Entertainment—a subsidiary of Abstergo Industries—in Montreal, Quebec, players engage in modern day pirating through the exploration of Abstergo's offices, eavesdropping and hacking, all without combat. As well, various "hacking" games, similar to previous cluster and glyph puzzles, are present, that uncover secrets about Abstergo.[20]
Multiplayer also returns, with new settings and game modes, though it is only land-based.[2]
Synopsis[edit]
Characters[edit]
The main character of the game is Edward Kenway (Matt Ryan),[21] a Welsh[22] privateer-turned-pirate and eventual member of the Assassin Order. Edward is the father of Haytham Kenway, and grandfather of Ratonhnhaké:ton (Connor), the two playable characters of Assassin's Creed III. Real-life individuals that are encountered include the pirates Edward "Blackbeard" Thatch[note 1][23] (Mark Bonnar),[21] Benjamin Hornigold,[2] Mary Read,[2] Stede Bonnet[2] Anne Bonny,[2] Calico Jack,[2] and Charles Vane[2] (Ralph Ineson).[21]
Setting[edit]
As is the case in previous games in the Assassin's Creed series, the story is divided into two intertwined halves, with one in the present day, one in a historical setting, and the events of each influencing the other. Although the present-day story had previously established that an Animus was required to view one's ancestors memories, the ending of Assassin's Creed III reveals that Abstergo can now view a host's genetic memories simply by sequencing the host's DNA. As such, the player character is hired by Abstergo Entertainment to investigate a pivotal character in Desmond's ancestry, the Assassin Edward Kenway.[24] A notorious pirate and privateer operating during the Golden Age of Piracy, Kenway's story is set in the Caribbean, and mixes open-ended ship-based exploration with combat and land-based adventures in Cuba and Jamaica, and on a number of Caribbean islands, parts of southern Florida and eastern Mexico.[25][26][27]
Plot[edit]
Samples taken from Desmond Miles' body in the moments after his death have enabled Abstergo Industries to continue to explore his genetic memories using the Animus' newfound cloud computing abilities. The unnamed player character is hired by Abstergo Entertainment, from their Montréal headquarters, to sift through the memories of Edward Kenway, an eighteenth-century pirate, the father of Haytham Kenway and the grandfather of Ratonhnhaké:ton. Ostensibly, this is to gather material for an Animus-powered interactive feature film, but in reality, Abstergo—the Templars of the present time—are searching for a First Civilization structure known as the Observatory, and are using the memories of Edward Kenway to find it.
As Kenway, the player must unravel a conspiracy between high-ranking Templars within the British and Spanish empires who, under the guise of cleaning up piracy in the Caribbean, have used their positions to locate the Sage—later identified as Bartholomew Roberts—who is the only man that can lead them to the Observatory, a First Civilization device which can monitor anyone anywhere in the world when provided a blood sample, which they intend to use to spy on and blackmail world leaders. Kenway becomes an unwitting player in their plot when he kills a rogue Assassin, Duncan Walpole. Seeing an opportunity for profit, Kenway takes Walpole's place at a meeting of Templars in Havana, where he meets Woodes Rogers as well as Cuban Governor, and Templar Grandmaster, Laureano Torres. His recklessness endangers the entire Assassins' Order, prompting him to pursue the Sage and the conspirators from the Yucatán Peninsula to Jamaica, eventually catching Roberts on the island of Príncipe off the African coast.
Meanwhile, a band of notorious pirates—including Edward "Blackbeard" Thatch, Benjamin Hornigold, and Charles Vane, among others—dream of a pirate utopia where man is free to live beyond the reach of kings and rulers. With Kenway's help, they seize control of Nassau and establish a pirate republic. However, poor governance, a lack of an economy and an outbreak of disease bring the pirate state perilously close to collapse, with the founders divided on the best way forward. Kenway attempts to resolve the dispute, but is too late to stop the Templars from exploiting the situation for their own ends.
Eventually, Kenway and Roberts uncover the location of the Observatory and retrieve the artifact powering it, but Kenway is betrayed by Roberts at the last moment. After a brief stint in prison for the crimes of piracy, Edward escapes with the aid of Ah Tabai, the Assassin Mentor, and elects to join their Order. Chasing down Roberts and the Templar conspirators, Kenway retrieves the artifact and returns it to the Observatory, sealing it away for good. He is left facing an uncertain future with his newfound convictions until he receives a letter informing him of the passing of his wife and the imminent arrival of his hitherto unknown daughter, Jennifer Scott. Kenway travels back to England, promising Ah Tabai that he will one day return to continue the fight against the Templars.
In the present day, the player is contacted by John, Abstergo Entertainment's information technology manager. John convinces the player that their employers know more than they are telling, and encourages them to investigate in more detail. He convinces the player to hack several Animus terminals and security cameras, and then has them deliver the information taken to Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane, who are working undercover to infiltrate Abstergo. When the facility is locked down after the hackings are discovered, John arranges for the player to access the Animus' core, at which point Juno materializes into an incorporeal form. She reveals that although it was necessary to open her temple to avert disaster, the world was not ready for her, and she is unable to affect it or possess the player character as her agents intended. John is unmasked as the reincarnated form of the Sage and attempts to murder the player to cover up the failed attempt at resurrecting Juno, but is killed by Abstergo's security before he can do so, thus implicating him as the one responsible for the hacks. As Roberts, the Sage admits to Kenway that he owes no allegiance to the Assassins or the Templars and instead uses whoever he thinks represents his best chance of achieving his ends. With the Sage dead, the player is contacted by the Assassins as they continue their infiltration of Abstergo, but neither side is able to explain the Sage's presence or identify his followers, the Instruments of the First Will.[note 2]
Freedom Cry[edit]
The Freedom Cry downloadable content is set twenty years after the events of Black Flag and follows Adéwalé in his mission as an Assassin.
While attempting to intercept Templar activities in the West Indies Sea, Adéwalé is shipwrecked off the coast of Haiti. Making his way into Port-au-Prince, he establishes that the Templars are working with Bastienne Josèphe, the proprietor of a local brothel and a sympathiser to the Maroons, a faction of freedom fighters made up of liberated slaves led by Augustin Dieufort. Despite his obligations to the Brotherhood of Assassins, Adéwalé becomes sympathetic to their cause, and joins with the Maroons in hijacking a vessel, Experto Crede, in order to interrupt the slave trade.
Whilst working for Bastienne, Adéwalé begins to uncover a conspiracy within the French provincial government ruling Port-au-Prince. The local governor, Pierre de Fayet, plans a clandestine scientific expedition to measure the curvature of the earth and gather geographical data, which they intend to sell to the highest bidder with the promise of naval superiority. Adéwalé successfully sabotages the expedition by substituting the illiterate slaves being used by the expedition for literate members of the Maroons.
Tensions begin to arise within the Maroons when Adéwalé plots further raids against the slave trade. Bastienne objects, as de Fayet will only punish those trapped in slavery further as punishment. Adéwalé ignores her, but is horrified when he witnesses a frigate fire on an unarmed slave ship to prevent the slaves from joining the Maroons. Adéwalé boards the slave ship and manages to save a few slaves from drowning before the ship capsized with the rest. He plans retribution, but Bastienne cautions that taking revenge will weaken the Maroons' cause; if Adéwalé is to kill de Fayet, then he should do so acting as an agent of justice. After assaulting the Governor's Mansion, pursuing him through the city and fighting off a local garrison, Adéwalé finally corners and kills de Fayet, who claims that slaves are incapable of self-governance and turn to armed uprising at the slightest provocation. Adéwalé points out that none of the slaves or overseers came to the his aid, and instead let him die. After killing de Fayet, Adéwalé returns to Bastienne, promising to leave Port-au-Prince for good, but pledging to use his newfound convictions to aid people who are oppressed rather than the cause of their would-be liberators.
Development[edit]
In early February 2013, during its quarterly financial call to investors, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed that the next Assassin's Creed game, due for release some time before April 2014, would feature a new hero, time period, and development team.[28] On February 28, 2013, Ubisoft posted their first promotional picture and cover for their next Assassin's Creed game, following leaked marketing material days before.[29] It announced the title of the game as Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and featured an unnamed character holding a flintlock and a sword with a black flag in the back ground containing the Assassin's symbol with a skull.[29] A reported glitch on the official Assassin's Creed IV website suggested the game will release on next-gen consoles and October 29 as the release date,[30] which was confirmed by the first trailer for the game, released on March 4, 2013 (originally leaked on March 2, 2013, but was quickly pulled by Ubisoft).[7][31][32]
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag was announced with a cinematic trailer on March 4, 2013.[31] Development began in mid-2011 at Ubisoft Montreal by a separate team from the one on Assassin's Creed III, with additional work done by Ubisoft studios in Annecy, Bucharest, Kyiv, Montpellier, Singapore and Sofia.[2]
Lead content manager Carsten Myhill stressed away the sentiment that the sequel should have been a spin-off in the same vein as Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood or Assassin's Creed: Revelations, given the ostensible similarities with Assassin's Creed III. He stated "The whole feeling of the game is completely fresh and new. It will feel very different from Assassin's Creed III. I think it completely warrants the Assassin's Creed IV moniker, not only with the new name and setting, but the attitude and the tone of the experience."[33] Assassin's Creed IV is the first main series numbered title to carry a subtitle, a decision which Myhill says was made to clearly distinguish the pirate theme from the rest of the franchise.[33]
By utilizing the AnvilNext engine, the development team is able to work with one engine for both the next-gen and current-gen versions of the game, as the AnvilNext engine was designed with next-gen capabilities in mind, while still working on current-gen systems.[7] In addition, each system will have their own intricacies and feature sets, with support for the different controllers and utilizing features specific to each console.[7] The PC version supports Nvidia's TXAA.[34]
Marketing and release[edit]
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag was released worldwide for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 29, 2013,[11][12][13] while the Wii U was released on October 29, 2013 in North America,[9][12][13] November 21, 2013 in Australia, November 22, 2013 in Europe[8] and November 28, 2013 in Japan.[35] The Wii U version in Europe was delayed from its original November 1, 2013 release date.[8] It was announced on March 1, 2013 that the game will also come to the PlayStation 4, and on May 21 that it will release on the Xbox One.[10] Both versions will be launch titles, with the PlayStation 4 version releasing on November 15 and November 29, 2013 in North America and Europe, respectively,[12][13] and November 22, 2013 worldwide for Xbox One.[12][13]
Ubisoft once again partnered with Sony to bring exclusive content to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 versions of the game,[36] which will feature the protagonist of Assassin's Creed III: Liberation, Aveline de Grandpré, in three missions. The Aveline content, which will be written by Liberation writer Jill Murray, picks up after the conclusion of her story in Liberation.[37] The content is also available on the PC platform, through the Uplay Gold Edition.[38]
On June 21, 2013, it was announced that the Microsoft Windows version had been delayed "a few weeks" from its intended release of October 29, 2013.[39] Its new release dates were later revealed to be November 19, 2013 in North America and November 22, 2013 in Europe.[8] Lead designer Jean-Sebastien Decant explained that the delay was caused by the team working on the "master version" first, making sure it works and then proceeding to the other versions. For Black Flag, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 version was the master, before the team adapted it to the other consoles.[40]
On October 31, 2013 Ubisoft announced that the Uplay Passport requirement would be removed from Assassin's Creed IV and all future games. Uplay Passport came with all new copies of the game and was required for accessing multiplayer and Edward's Fleet minigame. Owners of used copies could download Uplay Passport for a fee before the removal.[41][42]
A Japanese manga adaptation of the game, written by Takashi Yano and illustrated by Kendi Oiwa, began serialization in Shueisha's Jump X magazine on August 10, 2013.[43]
Downloadable content[edit]
On October 8, 2013, Ubisoft announced that a Season Pass will be available for purchase at the launch of the game on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC, and will include the Freedom Cry single-player missions, Kraken Ship pack featuring elements to personalize the Jackdaw, as well as additional single-player and multiplayer elements.[44]
Freedom Cry sees the player take on the role of Adéwalé, a freed slave from Trinidad who became Edward Kenway's Quartermaster, and later a member of the Assassin Order. The story mode takes place 15 years after the events of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag where Adéwalé has become a trained assassin and finds himself shipwrecked in Saint-Domingue, where he comes face-to-face with some of the most brutal slavery in the West Indies. The DLC is written by Jill Murray, who wrote Liberation and the Aveline content for Black Flag.[45] In February 2014, it was announced that Freedom Cry would be released as a standalone title on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 on February 18, 2014 for North America and February 19, 2014 for Europe. It was released for the PC on February 25, 2014.[46]
Blackbeard's Wrath allows the player to play any one of three new characters in Black Flag's multiplayer mode. These characters include Blackbeard, The Jaguar and The Orchid. This DLC is free with the Season Pass.[47]
Guild of Rogues adds three new characters to the multiplayer mode. These characters are The Shaman, The Siren and The Stowaway. It was not released for the Wii U.[48]
Music[edit]
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Original Game Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by Brian Tyler, Sarah Schachner, and Omar Fadel
Released
October 14, 2013
Genre Video game soundtrack
Length 1:41:33
Label Ubisoft Music
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Original Game Soundtrack) was composed by American composer Brian Tyler, who also composed the soundtrack of the previous Ubisoft title Far Cry 3. Additional compositions and arrangements were provided by Sarah Schachner, Omar Fadel, Steve Davis, Mike Kramer, Jeremy Lamb, Matthew Llewellyn, and Robert Lydecker. The soundtrack was released on Amazon MP3[49] and iTunes on October 14, 2013.[50] Two other soundtracks have also been released: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Game Soundtrack — Sea Shanty Edition), a second soundtrack containing a set of 16 sea shanties composed by various artists, was released on Amazon MP3[51] and iTunes on October 29, 2013.[52] Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Game Soundtrack — The Complete Edition), a complete soundtrack including the two previous soundtracks as well as the multiplayer soundtrack composed by Joe Henson and Alexis Smith, was released on Amazon MP3[53] and iTunes on December 2, 2013.[54]
The score to the Freedom Cry DLC was composed by French composer Olivier Deriviere. It was recorded at Avatar Studios in New York with La Troupe Makandal, a dedicated group for Haitian music, and at Galaxy Studios in Belgium with the Brussels Philharmonic.[6]
[show]Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Original Game Soundtrack) / Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Game Soundtrack — The Complete Edition) (Disc One)
[show]Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Game Soundtrack — Sea Shanty Edition) / Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Game Soundtrack — The Complete Edition) (Disc Two)
[show]Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Game Soundtrack — The Complete Edition) (Disc Three)
Notes^[a] signifies a song that is included in the "Skull Edition"[55]
Reception[edit]
Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator
Score
GameRankings (PS3) 87.62%[56]
(X360) 85.74%[57] (WIIU) 87.00%[58] (PS4) 85.31%[59] (XONE) 81.00%[60] (PC) 86.67%[61]
Metacritic (PS3) 88/100[62]
(WIIU) 86/100[63] (X360) 86/100[64] (PS4) 84/100[65] (PC) 86/100[66]
Review scores
Publication
Score
CVG 9/10[67] Edge 9/10[68] EGM 9.5/10[69] Eurogamer 9/10[70] Famitsu 37/40[71] Game Informer 8.25/10[72] GameSpot 9/10[73] Giant Bomb 4/5 stars[74] IGN 8.5/10[75] Joystiq 4/5 stars[76] OPM (UK) 8/10[77] OXM 9.0/10[78] PC Gamer (UK) 90%[79] VideoGamer.com 7/10[80] The Escapist 5/5 stars[81]
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag received critical acclaim upon release, with critics generally praising the open world gameplay, side-quests, graphics and naval combat. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation 3 version 87.62% and 88/100,[56][62] the Xbox 360 version 85.74% and 86/100,[57][64] the Wii U version 87.00% and 86/100,[58][63] the PlayStation 4 version 85.31% and 83/100,[59][65] the Xbox One version 81.00%[60] and the PC version 86.67% and 86/100.[61][66] In November 2013, Hardcore Gamer ranked Black Flag as the 70th greatest game of the seventh generation era.[82]
Black Flag was generally praised as superior to Assassin's Creed III,[76][80] with Game Informer 's Joe Juba noting that Ubisoft responded to criticisms the previous game faced and rectified them.[72] CVG's Matt Gilman called the game "a return to form for the franchise,"[67] while Mikel Reparaz of Official Xbox Magazine stated that "After weathering the somewhat diminishing returns of Revelations and ACIII, Black Flag is exactly the shot in the arm Assassin's Creed needed."[78] Two days after its release, IGN ranked Black Flag as the 2nd best game in the Assassin's Creed series, only behind Assassin's Creed II.[83]
Several reviewers directed heavy acclaim to the game's open world structure, with the Edge staff declaring that Black Flag "sets new benchmarks not only for Ubisoft's series but for open-world gaming."[68] Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell called the open world gameplay "a surprising breath of fresh sea air,"[70] with Gilman stating it "revitalizes the series."[67] The large scale of the open world was praised,[75] with Greg Tito of The Escapist saying that the game "opens up the whole Caribbean."[81] Reviewers also praised the game's side-quests and collectibles,[67] as it actively encouraged the player to explore the open world,[70][75] with GameSpot's Shaun McInnis saying that "Black Flag presents a world full of adventure and opportunity [and] full of reasons to go exploring."[73] The side-quests were generally agreed to be superior to the main missions,[69][72] with IGN's Marty Sliva stating that "Black Flag is at its best [when you] set out in search of your own fun."[75] The assassination side-missions were particularly praised.[72][79] The seamless exploration between ship, land, and sea without loading was also praised.[73][79]
The graphics were also widely acclaimed. The Edge staff stated that "From a graphical standpoint, Black Flag's world is built to amaze regardless of which console generation you're playing it on."[68] Reviewers praised the game's open world as "beautiful" and "gorgeous;"[67][73] Sliva called Black Flag "one of the best looking games of 2013."[75] The game's level of detail was also acclaimed,[69] with the open world's water, rain and sea, being cited as "amazing" to look at.[67][72]
The game's naval combat system drew much praise. Reviewers noted that the naval combat was Assassin's Creed III 's best feature, and consequently praised Black Flag for improving on it.[68] Tito explained that, while Assassin's Creed III 's naval missions were linear and limited, Black Flag offered the player much greater freedom by allowing them to explore, fight or sail whenever they wanted.[81] McInnis said that the game "places a huge emphasis on naval combat," and stated that it "builds on ACIII 's naval side missions to create an experience every bit as important as running around on dry land."[73] The naval combat received praise for its additions of boarding ships and attacking forts,[81] as well as the seamless transitions between ship and sword gameplay,[73][79] with Tito calling it "a great dual system that rewards both skill in naval combat, and [in] pirate action."[81]
The stealth in the game was praised for being more flexible than previous games by allowing the player more options to accomplish their goals.[67][73] The Edge staff said that "Stealth games are only as good as the flexibility of their encounters, and in that regard Black Flag is the most generous Assassin's Creed game to date."[68] However, some also criticized the stealth for being frustrating,[72] due to its clunky and poorly-defined controls.[70][80] Reviewers noted that fighting as Edward was similar to previous games,[77] with some criticizing it for being monotonous,[70] too easy,[67] and lacking nuance.[81] However, it was also praised for being "an effective and violent power trip,"[79] and for being "fluid and lively."[73] Some also complained about the enemy A.I. for lacking intelligence.[77][79][80] The simplified crafting system was praised for improving over Assassin's Creed III 's,[73][78] with reviewers noting it took inspiration from Far Cry 3.[68][79]
The story received a mixed response from reviewers. Reparaz praised it as "engrossing" and one of the Assassin's Creed series' best. Reparaz and McInnis also complimented the characters, and praised the way the story explores the human side of pirates, painting them in a sympathetic and relatable light.[73][78] Bramwell felt that the story "flourishes," particularly praising the supporting characters and Edward's character arc.[70] PlayStation Official Magazine 's Joel Gregory felt that Black Flag 's storyline was nothing unique for the series, though he praised the characters as "far more interesting, more likeable, and more varied" than previous games.[77] While he praised the story's first half, Gilman was more critical of the latter half, adding that its flawed pacing and structure resulted in player apathy towards the characters.[67] Both Sliva and Juba also criticized the main story,[75] with Juba complaining about its lack of purpose, or a compelling antagonist, and felt that most of the supporting characters were underdeveloped.[72]
The story missions also had a mixed reception. Reparaz, who gave the game high praise, felt that they were the weakest aspect of Black Flag.[78] Juba and VideoGamer.com's Steven Burns both felt that most of the story missions were extremely repetitive and were tediously tiring.[72][80] Tito, however, felt that they were varied, and that the frustrating portions compensated by being challenging.[81] One particular aspect that received heavy criticism from most reviewers were the eavesdropping and tailing missions,[68][70][72][73][78][80][81] with several noting that these problems should have been fixed or removed entirely from the series.[67][77] The tailing objectives were also extended to ship/sea missions, with reviewers also criticizing this form of naval stealth.[68][76] The game's pacing and opening were praised, as it introduced the pirate gameplay without the need of an overly long tutorial,[69][75][79] with Juba noting it an improvement over Assassin's Creed III.[72]
Several reviewers labelled Black Flag a more pirate game than it is an Assassin's Creed one, due to its heavy focusing on pirating in gameplay, story, and characters.[68][76][77][79] Reviewers felt that it was better for the game; they praised Black Flag 's more light-hearted fare and tone compared to previous games,[68][75][80] while also believing the game wisely avoided the usual convoluted Assassin 's plot in favor of a simplistic pirate story.[75][79] Gilman stated that "Black Flag is a better pirate game than it is an assassin game,"[67] with PC Gamer 's Tom Senior remarking that "Black Flag doesn't really want to be an Assassin's Creed game, and [...] that is a welcome move."[79] Reparaz called it the greatest pirate game he had ever played,[78] while Electronic Gaming Monthly 's Ray Carsillo declared Black Flag to be "probably the best pirate simulation in gaming history."[69] Tito stated that Black Flag 's gameplay reminded him more of a 3D version of Sid Meier's Pirates! than any Assassin's Creed game.[81] Edward Kenway's character as a self-motivated pirate rather than an Assassin was also praised by most.[70][73][75][80] Sliva believed that Edward's character was a "refreshing change of pace from a series that had started to take itself a bit too seriously,"[75] while he and Gilman stated that Edward was a "livelier" and more "palatable" protagonist than Assassin's Creed III 's Connor.[67][75]
Sales[edit]
During the first week of sales in the United Kingdom, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag became the best-selling game on all available formats, ahead of Battlefield 4.[84] However, the game's opening week sales were 60% down compared to 2012's Assassin's Creed III. Ubisoft blamed the fall in demand on uncertainty caused by the upcoming transition to eighth generation consoles.[85] According to NPD Group figures, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag was the third best-selling game of November 2013 in the United States, only behind Call of Duty: Ghosts and Battlefield 4.[86] In May 2014, Ubisoft announced that the game had shipped over 11 million copies.[87]
Awards[edit]
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag has received Game of the Year nominations from media outlets Cheat Code Central,[88] GameSpot,[89] and the Inside Gaming Awards,[90] It won the Spike VGX 2013 award for Best Action Adventure Game,[91] and the GameSpot awards for PS4 Game of the Year and Xbox One Game of the Year.[92][93]
[show]List of notable awards and nominations for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.
I once sailed for a king. I obeyed men of privilege and wealth. Now, I bend my knee to no man. My only oath is to my crew and together we will take back what is rightfully ours. With blood and steel, we shall stand up to the powerful. Captains will curse our flag, and kings will fear it. As long as empires generate wealth and riches, we will be there to bleed them dry." ―Edward Kenway, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag's "Under The Black Flag" Trailer.
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag
Developer(s)
Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher
Ubisoft
US release
29 October 2013 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U) 15 November 2013 (PS4) 19 November 2013 (PC)[1] 22 November 2013 (Xbox One)
EU release
29 October 2013 (Xbox 360, PS3)[2] 22 November 2013 (PC, Wii U, Xbox One)[1] 29 November 2013 (PS4)
Genre:
Historic Action-Adventure
Game modes:
Singleplayer, Multiplayer
ESRB rating:
M (Mature)
Platform(s):
Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PC, Wii U
Media:
DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital download
Website
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a 2013 action-adventure game, and the sixth main installment in the Assassin's Creed series. A sequel to 2012's Assassin's Creed III, the game has the player take on the role of an Abstergo Entertainment research analyst as they explore the story of Edward Kenway – father to Haytham Kenway, grandfather to Ratonhnhaké:ton and an ancestor of Desmond Miles.
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is set primarily on and around the islands in the Caribbean Sea during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century, with the three major cities consisting of Havana, Nassau and Kingston.
Contents[show]
Development
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag producer Martin Schelling and Mission Director Ashraf Ismail both stated that they began the project in the summer of 2011, with a pirate game as their focus.[3] Ismail also stressed that they aimed towards a more historically accurate take on the era, including staying away from the stereotypical image associated with pirates, such as parrots, Krakens and plank-walking.[4] The pair also explained that because the game was so radically different from its predecessor and that the scope and open-world gameplay was so different from the previous game, they opted for the project to be a numbered sequel as opposed to a spin-off that followed in the footsteps of the last numbered game, Assassin's Creed III.[3]
Ubisoft's Montreal-based team, in conjunction with 7 other studios from Singapore, Sofia, Annecy, Kiev, Quebec City, Bucharest and Montpellier – accompanied by a band of developers of Far Cry 3 – contributed to the completion of the game, with each studio focusing on different elements.[4]
Writer Darby McDevitt began writing the game soon after completing Assassin's Creed: Revelations, after being suggested to do a game expanding the "Kenway family saga", instead of Connor's life story as they did with Ezio Auditore da Firenze. He considered beginning the story with Edward as a boy during the William Kidd and Henry Morgan era of piracy, but decided he felt skeptical as to whether Assassin's Creed II convincingly portrayed a similar span of time, and so opted to simply focus on the Blackbeard era towards the end of the Golden Age of Piracy.[5]
McDevitt stated the game's primary history resources were A General History of the Pyrates (1724) and The Republic of Pirates (2008). As a homage to the former book, the game's subtitles rendered each noun with capital letters. Republic author Colin Woodard was invited to consult on the game.[6]
Lorne Balfe, who was the sole composer for Assassin's Creed III and secondary composer for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Assassin's Creed: Revelations, did not return to score the soundtrack for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. The score was instead composed by Brian Tyler, the composer of Far Cry 3.
Gameplay
Locations and navigation
About 60% of the game takes place on land; players can explore 50 locations ranging from fisherman villages, plantations, jungles, forts, islands, Templar hideouts, Mayan ruins and exotic Coconut Islands. Furthermore, there are around 75 beaches and sandbanks, which can hold various treasures and marooned sailors to add to Edward's crew.
Other activities include hunting, harpooning and exploring underwater environments. The game aims to blend between its land and aquatic experiences seamlessly, to the point where players can simply dive off Edward's ship, swim to the shore and explore the land, as well as dive under the surface to loot underwater ship wrecks.
View Points are also in Black Flag. As in the previous games, View Points have to be synchronized so as to reveal information about an area and its surroundings. Furthermore, they now also serve the function of fast-travel locations. Synchronizing with a viewpoint unlocks more loot and area of "interest" to Edward and can also be used as a faster way of locating a specific target.
Combat
Black Flag's combat has been upgraded to include free aiming. While previous instalments relied on the game's built-in auto aim, in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, players are able to just aim and fire, similar to third-person shooters.
Dual-wielding weapons has also been implemented, with Edward being able to carry four flintlock pistols and be able to use them all together, chaining up to four gunshots into a combo of attacks to take down more enemies. Aside from the pistols and his Hidden Blades, Edward can equip dual cutlass swords and chain their attacks together. Other weapons include a blowpipe with multiple effected projectiles and rope darts. Accompanying this, the stealth system has been remade and is encouraged in-game.
Combo attacks are achieved through chaining multiple attacks in a row while uninterrupted. The game includes many different ways of combo moves, with some available through running towards an enemy or jumping onto an enemy from the high ground.
Naval combat
The game also includes naval combat, with 40% of the story taking place on the water, which includes numerous side missions. After checking out a ship with Edward's spyglass from the Jackdaw's crow's nest and evaluating the information and statistics, players can launch an attack using various scenarios; one can simply shoot the opposing captain, board the ship by leaping from mast-to-mast and performing an air assassination, or charge into the fray to cut down foes using Edward's swords. Once the objectives for each boarding process, all of which include killing a certain amount of soldiers, are completed, the player has three options - reduce the Jackdaw's notoriety, send the ship to Edward's fleet or salvage the ship to repair the Jackdaw. Players are also able to exploit weather patterns, luring the opposition into less than ideal conditions such as rougue waves, to their advantage. Naval combat also features a trajectory-based aiming system that requires knowledge of distance and the speed of an enemy.
Upgrades
Players are also able to upgrade Edward Kenway's the Jackdaw through pillaging, taking over enemy ships and completing missions, granting the Jackdaw with new weapons and abilities. Of these, weapon upgrades include round shot, heat shot, chain shot, fire barrels, mortars, swivel guns and a ram. Edward can recruit crew-members for the Jackdaw via side missions that include bar fights, and battle missions. It is also possible to simply rescue them while just sailing across the map. However, the crew members are also expected to die in the game while braving storms and boarding enemy ships, forcing Edward to continuously recruit more members. The game also has six different enemy archetypes at sea that all behave in vastly different ways and require the player to have different upgrades to deal with them.
Memories
Instead of Desmond Miles, the modern day portion is centered around the players themselves, who act as Abstergo Entertainment research analysts that are reliving the memories of Edward Kenway. The Animus no longer constrains the players with its barriers whenever they attempt to interact with an environment the ancestor has not; instead tougher enemy ships will block the way, with the only way around them being to actually explore the world, and finding things that can go towards upgrading the Jackdaw. In addition, players are able to connect with other players in the modern day, which will allow them to interact and share information with each other.
Other
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag includes many historical figures such as Benjamin Hornigold, Jack Rackham, Anne Bonny, Charles Vane, and Edward Thatch.
The notoriety system featured in previous Assassin's Creed games was remade in Black Flag, as a "worldwide alert" for a pirate sailing between islands was deemed illogical. In its place, a system of pirate hunters were introduced, with four tiers of increasingly difficult ships appearing to attack the Jackdaw depending on how many robberies Edward has committed.
The new "Horizon" open-world system dynamically creates side missions, such as merchant ships to rob, whales to hunt or pirates to rescue, dependent on an individual's playing style.
Edward will put his hood on when in a restricted zone or in a city, and take it off when on the open seas or as soon as he is incognito.
Multiplayer
The multiplayer aspect of Black Flag includes cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes, some of which that are reused from previous games, along with all new maps and new characters.
To date, the characters are as follows: ◾Adventurer ◾Blackbeard ◾Buccaneer ◾Cutthroat ◾Dandy ◾Duellist ◾Firebrand ◾Huntsman ◾Jaguar ◾Lady Black ◾Mercenary ◾Navigator ◾Night Stalker ◾Orchid ◾Physician ◾Puppeteer ◾Rebel ◾Shaman ◾Siren ◾Stowaway ◾Wayfarer
Adding to this, the locations are: ◾La Havana ◾Saba Island ◾Santa Lucia ◾Saint Pierre ◾Portobelo ◾Prison ◾Palenque ◾Tampa Bay ◾Virginian Plantation ◾Fort St-Mathieu ◾Charlestown ◾Kingston
Furthermore, players can create custom game modes alongside default and Game Lab modes and share it to their friends.
Marketing
As with its predecessor – Assassin's Creed III – Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag features an additional 60 minutes of downloadable gameplay for Sony's PS3 and PS4 consoles, which features Aveline de Grandpré.
During the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con, Ubisoft hired the Star of India to stand in for the Jackdaw.
McFarlane Toys' action figures of characters from Black Flag and Assassin's Creed III come with unique codes to unlock in-game weapons, outfits, and sails for the Jackdaw.
Other media
A Japanese manga adaptation of the game, written by Takashi Yano and illustrated by Kendi Oiwa, began serialization in Shueisha's Jump X magazine on 10 August 2013.[7]
Controversy
BlackFlag promo 4
Edward aboard the Jackdaw as a whale breaches the water ahead
After this screenshot (right) was released, PETA issued a statement condemning Black Flag as "disgraceful" as it "glorified" whaling.
A Ubisoft spokesperson provided this response to IGN. "History is our playground in Assassin's Creed. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a work of fiction that depicts the real events during the Golden Era of Pirates. We do not condone illegal whaling, just as we don't condone a pirate lifestyle of poor hygiene, plundering, hijacking ships, and over the legal limit drunken debauchery." Ubisoft later established Susan Drayton, a character in Assassin's Creed: Initiates, as being anti-whaling.
Assassin's Creed 4 or Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, the successor to Assassin's Creed 3, was released on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U on October 29th 2013. It released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on their respective launch days (PS4: November 29, 2013, Xbox One: November 22, 2013) and PC as well. Assassin's Creed 4 takes place in 1715 in the Caribbean, featuring new locations. Assassin's Creed 4 stars a new protagonist, pirate and Assassin named Edward Kenway, grandfather of Connor and father of Haytham Kenway of Assassin's Creed 3. Ubisoft Montreal has traditionally developed Assassin's Creed games, but a new team developed Assassin's Creed 4.
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is set in the Caribbean on multiple islands including playable areas in Kingston, Havana and Nassau. The Caribbean ocean is an explorable region via Kenway's ship Jackdaw. Smaller islands and locations can be visited, and underwater locations can be explored for the first time in the Assassin's Creed series.
The modern-day setting no longer focuses on Desmond but on Abstergo Industries/Entertainment and the research analysts who work to explore Kenway's memories. [n]
Cheat mode Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding cheat under the "Cheats" option at the "Abstergo Challenges" menu. Note: Enabling a cheat will prevent achievements from being earned and the game from being saved. Armed To The Teeth: Successfully complete 90 Abstergo Challenges. This cheat gives unlimited ammunition.Arrr Matey!: Successfully complete 20 Abstergo Challenges. This cheat allows pirate speak for Edward.Celestial Navigation: Successfully complete 10 Abstergo Challenges. This cheat allows time to be set and locked.Dead Men Tell No Tales: Successfully complete 70 Abstergo Challenges. This cheat provides invincibility for Edward and the Jackdaw.Deceased Crew: Successfully complete all 100 Abstergo Challenges. This cheat allows skeletal crew.Loaded To The Gunwhale: Successfully complete 50 Abstergo Challenges. This cheat makes Edward always drunk.No Quarter: Successfully complete 30 Abstergo Challenges. This cheat prevents Edward and the Jackdaw from regaining health.Poseidon's Will: Successfully complete 60 Abstergo Challenges. This cheat allows sea wave intensity to be set.Scourge Of The Seven Seas: Successfully complete 40 Abstergo Challenges. This cheat allows always maximum wanted level.Shiver Me Timbers: Successfully complete 80 Abstergo Challenges. This cheat changes enemies into strange creatures. Bonus costumes Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding costume:
Classic Assassin and Uplay costumes Altair's Robes: Have a saved game file from Assassin's Creed, and an internet connection to retrive the costume. Alternately, have that game played on your Uplay profile.Connor Kenway's outfit: Have a saved game file from Assassin's Creed 3, and an internet connection to retrive the costume. Alternately, have that game played on your Uplay profile.Edward The Legend outfit: Purchase for 20 Uplay points.Ezio Auditore's Robes: Have a saved game file from Assassin's Creed 2, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, or Assassin's Creed: Revelations, and an internet connection to retrive the costume. Alternately, have one of those games played on your Uplay profile. Unlockable costumes Explorer outfit: Successfully complete Community Challenge #6. Community challenges will randomly appear while online.Governor's outfit: Find and share a social chest. Social chests will randomly appear while online.Mayan outfit: Find and solve all 16 Mayan Stela puzzles to unlock the secret door in Tulum (70, 405 coordinates). Open the secret door to get the Mayan outfit. It deflects all bullet attacks.Officer's outfit: Successfully complete the "Great Reputation 1" trading mission to Gibraltar with Kenway's Fleet (Mediterranean Sea mission).Stealth outfit: Successfully complete 50% of the Assassin Contract side quests. It decreases visibility and improves stealth.Templar Armor: Successfully complete all Templar Hunt side quests, then open the cage in the Great Inagua hideout using the five Templar keys. It provides 25% damage reduction. Crafted costumes Feline Pelt outfit: Craft it using a Jaguar Pelt and Ocelot Pelt.Hunter outfit: Craft it using a Red Howler Monkey Skin and White Jaguar Pelt. It reduces animal aggression.Shark Hunter outfit: Craft it using a Bull Shark Skin and Hammerhead Shark Bone.Whaler outfit: Craft it using three White Whale Skins. General Store costumes Brown Cloak: Purchase for 1,500 R.Crimson Cloak outfit: Purchase for 3,000 R.Merchant outfit: Purchase for 10,000 R.Pirate Captain outfit: Purchase for 8,000 R.Pirate Cloak: Purchase for 6,000 R.Politician's outfit: Purchase for 12,000 R.Privateer outfit: Purchase for 5,000 R. Infinite money Proceed through the main missions until you have access to Sequence 2: Memory 3. Proceed through Sequence 2: Memory 3 until you reach the area where the three templars are standing around a table. The "Pickpocket All Templars" optional objective will appear while standing next to them. Pickpocket all three templars, then pause the game and select the "Reload Last Checkpoint" option. The money you pickpocket from the templars will be saved, and you can pickpocket them again. Repeat this process as many times as desired to get an unlimited amount of money. You can get approximately 35,000 R every seven minutes using this glitch. You can use the money earned from this glitch to easily buy all weapons and gear in the game. Note: You can load any sequence and memory you have completed throughout the game, allowing you to use this trick at any point once you have access to the specified sequence and memory. Additionally, this glitch was done on an unpatched version of the game. After the patch has been applied, the glitch can still be used if done once you reach Sequence 2: Memory 3, but it cannot be done after completing the memory. You can delete all patches for the game by using the "Clear hard drive cache" code for the Xbox 360.
Easy money
Note: This trick requires a decent amount of hull armor and 10 or more mortar rounds for the Jackdaw ship. Travel to the legendary ship battle in the northeast corner of the map, with the two legendary ships that attack you. You will not be able to defeat both ships without your ship fully upgraded, but you will be able to defeat one if you complete the following steps. When the battle starts, shoot two mortar rounds at the ship you are focusing on while turning around, then release your fire barrels. When they get close, use your heavy shot. Do not get between the two opposing ships or you will quickly be defeated. Once they pass, keep shooting mortars at the ship you are trying to defeat while they are turning around. Repeat the previous steps until you destroy the ship you are focused on. Quickly pick up the loot from the destroyed legendary ship, or else the other ship will ram and sink you quickly. You will get 10,000 Reales and be able to keep it after you die. Repeat this process as many times as desired.
Note: This trick requires the cannon and/or shot upgrades; or upgrades to your chain shot and ram abilities. Also, the Brothers-In-Arms must not have been sunk yet. Start a battle with a group of ships, then sink one of them and ignore the other ships. Collect your loot, then intentionally fail. After respawning, the ship you sunk will also be back with its loot, and you will still have your previously collected loot. Repeat this process as many times as desired to earn 10,000 Reales each time. Easy boarding While facing large ships (for example, frigates), position your ship near your target, then swim to the ship, and eliminate the crew through close quarters. Afterwards, swim back to the Jackdaw, and hit each ship with a single broadside to immediately win the boarding sequence that follows. Charge Ram attack Defeat all four legendary ships to unlock the Charge Ram attack. Revealing all collectible locations To reveal the location of all collectibles (Animus Fragments, Chests, Secrets, and Song Sheets) in the game, synchronize all the viewpoints. Note: To get the West Indies Sea collectibles, you must conquer all Naval Forts. All elite ship upgrade plan locations Search the indicated locations at the listed coordinates on the world map to find all nine hidden elite ship upgrade plans in special chests and get the "Destroyer" achievement: 1. Elite Round Shot: Kabah Ruins - 769, 145 coordinates2. Elite Hull: San Ignacio - 379, 770 coordinates3. Elite Swivel Guns: Devil's Eye Cave - 488, 353 coordinates4. Elite Harpoon: Andreas Island - 579, 720 coordinates5. Elite Broadside Cannons: The Blue Hole - 471, 170 coordinates6. Elite Heavy Shot: Petite Cavern - 901, 263 coordinates7. Elite Fire Barrels: San Juan - 479, 487 coordinates8. Elite Fire Barrel Storage: Isla Providencia - 502, 44 coordinates9. Elite Ram: La Concepcion Shipwreck - 181, 296 coordinates All Mayan Stela locations Search the indicated locations at the listed coordinates on the world map to find all 16 Mayan Stela puzzles. The first puzzle is part of DNA Sequence 4: Memory 1 (it cannot be missed). After completing this memory, the other Mayan Stela puzzles will become available. Some of them are on islands in dangerous ocean zones; thus, it is recommended to upgrade your ship and continue through the story to make all locations accessible. You can also view the Mayan Stela locations on your map if you synchronize the viewpoints of their respective area. To check which ones you have found, open the progress tracker, and select the "Mayan Stela" tab. It provides an overview of islands that contain the secret puzzles. Once all 16 puzzles have been solved, travel to Tulum. There will be a marker on your map saying "Mayan Outfit". Go to that location in Tulum (70, 405 coordinates), and open the secret door to get the "Vault Raider" achievement, along with the special Mayan outfit. The following are the exact coordinates of each Mayan Stela puzzle: 1. Great Inagua: Acquired during DNA Sequence 4: Memory 12. Cat Island: 734, 694 coordinates3. Matanzas: 343, 642 coordinates4. Cape Bonavista: 179, 593 coordinates5. Tulum: 70, 405 coordinates6. Pinos Isle: 334, 476 coordinates7. Pinos Isle: 342, 478 coordinates8. Tortuga: 876, 377 coordinates9. Long Bay: 525, 253 coordinates10. Isla Providencia: 502, 44 coordinates11. Isla Providencia: 502, 44 coordinates12. New Bone: 431, 116 coordinates13. Misteriosa: 303, 199 coordinates14. Misteriosa: 296, 196 coordinates15. Santanillas: 217, 245 coordinates16. Santanillas: 221, 242 coordinates
All tavern locations Search the indicated locations at the listed coordinates on the world map to find all eight taverns and get the "Barfly" achievement. Simply walk up to the barkeeper at each tavern, watch a short cutscene, and defeat the bandits to unlock the tavern. You can see the taverns on the world map if you synchronize the viewpoints for the respective area. 1. Andreas Island (573, 720 coordinates)2. Salt Key Bank (496, 629 coordinates)3. Crooked Island (808, 545 coordinates)4. Arroyos (192, 565 coordinates)5. Corozal (37, 266 coordinates)6. Grand Cayman (392, 325 coordinates)7. Kingston (623, 172 coordinates)8. Ile à Vache (839, 137 coordinates)
All Underwater Shipwreck locations Search the indicated locations at the listed coordinates on the world map to find all 13 hidden shipwrecks and get the "Seven Deadly Seas" achievement. Note: Shipwrecks become available after completing Sequence 6: Memory 1. 1. San Ignacio: 378, 769 coordinates2. Petite Caverne: 901, 264 coordinates3. Jiguey: 564, 539 coordinates4. Atocha: 632, 661 coordinates5. Black Trench: 221, 449 coordinates6. San Juan: 480, 486 coordinates7. Devil's Eyes Cave: 487, 356 coordinates8. Anotto Bay: 622, 276 coordinates9. Ambergris Key: 55, 177 coordinates10. The Blue Hole: 470, 170 coordinates11. Kabah Ruins: 768, 144 coordinates12. La Concepcion Shipwreck: 180, 296 coordinates13. Antocha: 629, 661 coordinates
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Giant squid attack Easter Egg Swim inside the Antocha shipwreck at the 630, 660 coordinates. While looking out one of the windows, you should be able to see a giant squid take down a whale. The IT Crowd reference Go to the map near the entrance to the modern-day Abstergo offices. Two co-workers will begin talking about Chicago. They will talk about John from IT. The male co-worker will comment that whenever he requests help, John replies with "Have you tried turning it off and on again?", which is a reference to the British comedy The IT Crowd. Easy "Excavator" achievement To find a buried treasure, you must first obtain a treasure map. A treasure map can easily be found on Mariguana Island, at the coordinates 878, 539. Collect the map, and you will be shown a picture and the coordinates of a treasure. This particular treasure can be found on Andreas Island, at the coordinates 575, 717. To unlock the locations of other treasure maps, you can talk to the barkeepers of taverns, or just explore the world and synchronize viewpoints. Easy "Hungover" achievement To get the "Hungover" achievement, keep drinking at a tavern until you pass out. A tavern can be found in Nassau, which is one of the first locations you will visit during the main story. Walk up to the bar, and interact with the bottle to start drinking. You have to drink at least five times to pass out. Easy "Killer Killer" achievement Killer whales can be found in the "Cruz" area of the ocean. Capture the fort of this area to see the killer whale symbol on your map. It is also recommended to upgrade the harpooning statistic of your ship by upgrading the harpoon strength and harpoon storage. Check your map for the fishing locations (one can be found at coordinates 537, 340 on the world map), as they can vary. Fishing locations are highlighted on the ocean when you get close. Interact with one of these spots to start fishing. After a deck hand announces the presence of a whale, Kenway will be sent with a harpoon to hunt it. Once the killer whale appears, defend your boat and keep throwing harpoons at the whale until it dies to get the "Killer Killer" achievement. Easy "Owned" achievement A great place to easily complete every activity in a single location is on "Florida" island, at coordinates 409, 815. When you scroll over an island on the world map, you can see which activities it has to offer. Usually it offers some collectibles and viewpoints. Florida island has very few activities to complete. Synchronize the viewpoint, collect the two animus fragments, open the treasure chest, and pick up the bottle message to get the "Owned" achievement.
Easy "Redingote Up!" achievement
Crafting the Hunter outfit will cost a total of 11,000 R. Go to any general store, and select the "Hunting Goods" tab. Purchase the Red Howler Monkey Skin for 5,000 R and White Jaguar Pelt for 6,000 R. Then, open the crafting menu, scroll to the very bottom, and choose the "Hunting Outfit" option to craft this outfit and get the "Redingote Up!" achievement. Note: If you do not want to waste the money crafting the Hunter outfit but still want the achievement, simply save the game and back it up to a storage device (for example, USB flash drive) before crafting the Hunter outfit. After crafting it and getting the achievement, copy the saved game file back to the original storage device, and overwrite the current saved game file to retain the money you spent crafting the Hunter outfit.
Easy "Silence, Fool!" achievement
You can get the "Silence, Fool!" achievement at any warehouse. Warehouses are found at farms and have a restricted area around them (shown as red on the world map). They will be marked on your map if you synchronize viewpoints. One can be found in Nassau, at coordinates 633, 784. Once you enter the restricted area, there will be an alarm bell on your HUD. Then, get noticed by an enemy, and wait for him to ring the bell. Quickly kill him with a melee attack when he starts ringing the bell to unlock the achievement. Note: You can also do this at warehouses that have already been looted. The enemies will respawn after a while.
Easy "Siren Song" achievement
To rescue pirate hostages by distracting enemies with dancers, you must allow some of your crew members to die. Board an enemy ship, and your crew should begin fighting. Many of your crew will probably die. Then, go to Kingston, and go to coordinates 623, 172. There is a restricted area where two enemies are aiming at captured pirates. You can hire some dancers nearby, just up the street. Send the dancers to these two enemies. Once they are distracted, sneak behind them, and free the pirates to get the "Siren Song" achievement. If this event does not appear (even after losing a lot of your own crew members), fast travel to another island, and return later.
Easy "Wild West Indies" achievement
First, craft all pistol holsters. You can buy the required crafting items from any general store (so you do not have to hunt down the animals on your own), if needed. Also, buy and equip the "Cannon-Barrel Pistol" for one-shot kills. Then, find a group of at least four enemies, walk up to them with the pistols selected in your weapon wheel, and press Y without manually aiming to have each shot kill an enemy and get the "Wild West Indies" achievement.
Achievements
Accomplish the indicated achievement to get the corresponding number of Gamerscore points:
Heroes Aren't Born (10 points): Complete memory sequence 1. Good While It Lasted (20 points): Complete memory sequence 2. A Pirate's Life For Me (20 points): Complete memory sequence 3. No Apologies (20 points): Complete memory sequence 4. Death Of A Salesman (20 points): Complete memory sequence 5. Mixing Up The Medicines (20 points): Complete memory sequence 6. The Hammer Falls (20 points): Complete memory sequence 7. Adrift (20 points): Complete memory sequence 8. A New Hope (20 points): Complete memory sequence 9. My Elusive Fortune (20 points): Complete memory sequence 10. Been Down So Long... (20 points): Complete memory sequence 11. Just Like Starting Over (20 points): Complete memory sequence 12. Saw That One Coming... (50 points): Complete memory sequence 13. By The Book (50 points): Complete 100% of all main mission constraints. Silence, Fool! (5 points): Kill a guard ringing a bell. Owned (10 points): Complete every activity in a single location. Vault Raider (30 points): Unlock the secret door in Tulum. Killer Killer (10 points): Harpoon a killer whale. Help A Brother Out (20 points): Complete a Templar Hunt sequence. Sea Legs (30 points): Complete all naval contracts. King Of The Castle (30 points): Capture all forts. Employee Of The Month (30 points): Complete 25 Abstergo challenges. Business And Pleasure (20 points): Earn 50,000 reales. Mer-man (10 points): Swim a total of 1 nmi. Redingote Up! (10 points): Craft the Hunter outfit. Thug Life (30 points): Plunder 30 ships. Devil Of The Caribbean (40 points): Defeat all 4 legendary ships. Destroyer (40 points): Fully upgrade the Jackdaw. Seven Deadly Seas (10 points): Explore all underwater shipwrecks. Barfly (30 points): Unlock all taverns. Cannon Fodder (5 points): Recruit 500 crew members. FTFY (10 points): Fully upgrade your hideout. Cartographer (20 points): Visit every location of the game. Ghost In The Machine (10 points): Hack 15 computers in Abstergo Entertainment. Roped In (10 points): Perform 5 air assassinations from a swinging rope. Sharing Is Caring (10 points): Share each type of discovery with friends once. All Aboard! (30 points): Board a ship without losing any crew members. Siren Song (20 points): Rescue pirate hostages by distracting enemies with "dancers." Wild West Indies (20 points): Kill 4 enemies in a row using multi-pistols. Excavator (10 points): Find a buried treasure. Committed To The Cause (20 points): Reach level 55 in Multiplayer. Personal Bag Of Tricks (10 points): Finish a game session with an ability set that you customized in Multiplayer. Master Of The Caribbean (20 points): Complete the Discovery Mode of Wolfpack in Multiplayer. Lab Technician (10 points): Play and complete a game session of Game Lab in the Multiplayer Public playlist. All Rounder (20 points): Play on every game mode, and use every ability and ranged weapon once in Multiplayer.
Additionally, there are five secret achievements:
Routine Hacking (20 points): Complete present day mission 2. Getting Weird Around Here (20 points): Complete present day mission 3. Bunker Buddies (20 points): Complete present day mission 4. It's All Good (20 points): Complete present day mission 5. Hungover (10 points): Wake up in a haystack.
The following achievements require the "Freedom Cry" bonus downloadable content:
Sacred Land (20 points): Playing as The Jaguar, be the highest scoring player of a Domination game session. Queen Anne's Revenge (20 points): Playing as Blackbeard, perform an acrobatic kill and a gun kill in less than 10 seconds. Preemptive Strike (20 points): Playing as The Orchid, block 10 abilities from opponents with Sabotage. Elevator to the Gallows (20 points): Kill a player using a lift that has been trapped with Booby Trap. Liberation Day (15 points): Free your first slave. Seeds of independence (40 points): Liberate 500 slaves. Firepower (15 points): Kill 5 guards at once with a blunderbuss. His Full Attention (50 points): Freedom Cry - Achieve 100% synchronization.
Additionally, there are two secret achievements with the "Freedom Cry" bonus downloadable content:
His Own Medicine (20 points): Gave the Gouverneur a taste of his own medicine. His Word Was "Perhaps" (30 points): Freedom Cry - Completed all missions
Read more: http://www.cheatcc.com/xbox360/assassinscreed4blackflagcheatscodes.html#ixzz3jHV96cuj Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives
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