At last a really good Assassin's Creed!

Having Assassin's Creed: Revelations was pretty boring and Assassin's Creed III, although had good ideas, but it nevertheless clearly haperte to the implementation, I was the sixth home console title set opposite a little skeptical - thankfully my concerns were unfounded. Who does not want to read everything, I will summarize the pros and cons as bullet points at the end.
Info: the language of the English version can also be provided in English.

== == Modern

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag has again two stories: a present in time and in the past.
Let's start with modernity - and my personal biggest gripe.

Man plays the employees at Abstergo Entertainment and will scour the life Edward Kenways for interesting events to make it a video game as part of the sample 17 Projects. Everything is shown from the first-person view and you have neither a body nor a voice, because you should be playing loud Ubisoft itself.

Personally, I would be a new character with history, body, voice, and, well - just nature - have been much better, so it's just dead boring. Much has also nothing to do in the present: one can collect and chop post-its. The mini-games to are indeed quite entertaining, but nothing more. The story is all about not in the modern age.

Luckily, you can skip almost everything, so you do not mind so much, I'm just always quickly returned to the Animus to play the truly amazing historical scenario to which the rest of this review relates.

== History and Characters ==

The story begins in 1715 in the Caribbean. Edward Kenway is pirate after his original target "career" as a privateer for the peace of Uttrecht is no longer possible. He wants to accumulate enough wealth to live a good life and light, what it can not succeed in Wales, his homeland. Because there is exploitation by king and clergy just too big - at least Edward sees it that way.

Pirates and assassins - how is that please go together? The answer - no!

Edward is selfish, greedy gold and concerned only about his own benefit and that of his crew. The only higher thing that he has committed himself, the pirate republic in Nassau, which he founded together with his former buccaneer colleagues: Ben Hornigold, Edward Thatch (better known as Blackbeard) and James Kidd, son of Captain Kidd. Throughout history, even more famous pirates like Stede Bonnet ago, Charles Vane, Jack Rackham (Calico Jack), Anne Bonny and Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart).

Edward is a great character - although he is somewhat selfish, but not exclusively. He only has a strong dislike monarchs and clergy against because he is exploited by them and feels betrayed and looks therefore justified to attack their ships as a pirate. But he has good sides, so he really the ideal of a free republic in which everyone can make his fortune. His companions, especially Thatch - are very dear to him and the Jackdaw - his ship - is conducted democratically. He has no racial prejudices and makes Adewale, a former swarthy slaves to his first mate. Edward is quick-witted and charming, and when he wants because it's fun to watch him.

I am particularly pleased about the fact that there are great, well presented supporting characters with personality again: all these were eerily pale in ACIII, you will be paid due attention again in Black Flag. Cleverly used Ubisoft the first few missions to introduce the characters and introduce good to advance the plot and at the same time integrating the tutorial.
They have really much, much better than in ACIII made where these aspects were simply not well solved.

Here in Black Flag one is immediately thrown into action, which is always exciting and entertaining and also some very emotional moments has - that's why it does not bother me that the plot has not much to do with Assassins and Templars. Edward is the outsiders, exacerbating the dispute ignorant manner and at first only what has against the Templars, because they happen to be the governors who cause problems for pirates. Just because Edward and the Assassin have the same opponent, he has to but them far from connecting.
It is not the story of a confident from the outset assassins, it's Edwards travel, the assassins to be worthy of and understand their credo and the duty resulting therefrom.

== General == Gameplay

Edwards ship, the Jackdaw, is a central part of the game, with the really big world is almost freely accessible. Larger islands such as Cuba and Jamaica or a small part of the Mexican coast can be visited, in between there is a large number of small islands on which to smaller fishing villages, plantations or famous places like Nassau are, or are uninhabited. Here, cities / villages alternate with stand, jungle and Mayan ruins from. But reservation must be made, that not everything is to explore Cuba, but only certain areas, overall the world is but really big. Nevertheless, Black Flag is not quite as open world such as the Elder Scrolls games.

The transition from land to ship / water is flowing and does not require a loading screen. So you can now happily sailing from place to place, but who does not want to use the Fast Travel function. By pure zooming on the world map you can now namely travel from any point to an even synchronized viewpoint. Or to all the places that are marked on the world map and you have visited. Having the choice is really very nice.
But that explore water really makes a lot of fun and when tropical storm appears, you have to take good care of his ship, to avoid being smashed by giant waves or waterspouts.

As usual in previous parts, the exploration of viewpoints cover again the whole map on, not like ACIII in which only parts were uncovered. I think that's really important, especially in such a vast area. Additionally be drawn all the shops and collectable items.
At sea, the function of viewpoints is taken over by the fort. Each fort is a part assigned to the card, you conquered the fort, the corresponding map section is uncovered and marked all places and objects. Capture the fort is partially challenging and fun.

Finally there is an on-screen menu where everything is easy to find. The progress bar is designed very clearly, the only thing I lack is an indication of the dates, when the missions play.
Awareness, there are not only at sea, on land. This I find illogical and unfortunate because it lets you perform on land as a bull in itself, without having to fear negative consequences.

Unlike ACIII Black Flag has hardly struggling with bugs, I have only two or three small encounters that are not worth mentioning.

Money is necessary in Black Flag until the very end, you will all weapons, outfits and buy upgrades, of which there are really very many, what is good for people who like to customize. More importantly, however, upgrades to buy for his Jackdaw, since you will otherwise quickly defeated by stronger ships.

The free-run system is no longer as bad as in ACIII, but it still has no extra button to start the climbing procedure to be pressed. So Edward tried not automatically to climb all of the runs right past, but this rises to matters not plan to which you want it and you clearly frontal controls. This sucks, I want the old climbing system from AC to AC I: Revelations back!

Luckily the loading screens are now dark and hide a not nearly as in ACIII. That is very good, but it's actually sad for ACIII that you have to emphasize this circumstance especially as positive.

== == Looting

On the sea you meet a lot English and Spanish ships of various sizes (up saver galleys). What and how much you have downloaded can be previously explored with the telescope. If one decides to attack the ship, a battle ensues.
The various munitions which have different advantages and disadvantages, fired from various parts of the ship from, they will change by looking in the appropriate direction, which is very fast. Only mortars are triggered by a dedicated button. In addition, the trajectory can be customized.
The enemy AI ships has been improved, so you have to act clearly tactical, especially if you have several ships against him. If then added a tropical storm, it gets difficult to correct.
In addition, the map in areas of difficulty is divided so that you never get bored even later in the game itself in the fighting. Because the ships are more difficult to defeat the more loot you have loaded.
All this results in an extremely entertaining naval battles that become addictive.

You can either sink a ship to get half its load, or board. Then it comes to battles on deck, where you have to fulfill various conditions and must have sufficient crew. If the ship is captured, you get the full load and can sink the ship either to repair the Jackdaw, reduce its visibility or the ship of his own fleet Kenways inflict fleet.

Looting serves two purposes: sugar and rum can be sold for a lot of money, while wood, metal and cloth is required to revalue its Jackdaw.

== Main missions, side missions and mini-games ==

Shaping the main missions is varied and are sometimes on land and at sea and even a lot of fun. Only with them, there are optional objectives that achieve some challenging but fair and not all have to be fulfilled in a single pass.

There are also numerous, entertaining side quests, collectibles and mini-games to complete.
For the fulfillment of the Templer hunting quest line waving a specific dud as a reward, collecting Mayan stones that you need also for a special armor, simple puzzle must be met.

The board games mill Dame and Fanorona return of ACIII back (but have become easier).
It is important to collect treasure maps on which coordinates and an image of the place where the treasure is buried in about. As Beohnung obtained money or plans for upgrades to the Jackdaw.

In Kenways fleet can be analogous to the Brotherhood missions in AC: Revelations, AC: Brotherhood and send ACIII his ships on missions and received money or collectibles, which then embellish their own villa. Negative is here but that is only playable online Kenways fleet, which I think is impossible, after all this is a single-player content.

Another secondary task is to hunt, which is required in order to upgrade Edward (more weapons holster, longer life Sener greed etc). This is at the land and sea. While on land, the animals are pretty quick and painless but killed by Edward, the harpooning of whales and sharks is a completely different thing. I understand why Ubisoft has incorporated this feature, it was at that time an extremely important source of income for seafarers. Still, I felt extremely bad, the animals with several harpoons agonizing to kill and leave their bloody remains pull aboard. At least they do not trivialize the matter, but I wish they had left out harpooning, or did it purely optional.

A further method to get at prey, is the hijacking of warehouses, which are guarded by many guards and thus really creeping technically challenging and therefore also make a lot of fun.

Edwards base can also be upgraded, which is also playful advantages (prostitutes and drunken sailors who can be hired to distract guards, can then be used for free).

As before, there are also assassination jobs at sea and on land.

Negative, I also think the social events for which you need to be online. The special boxes and Convoys I do not care because they only contain a great deal of money, but the white whales (which are necessarily required to revalue Edward) can only appear so.

Taverns where you can recruit new crew members, have to be unlocked by a fist fight sometimes.

Especially a lot of fun have given me the underwater missions in which Edward dive for treasure and needs to protect this against sharks, moray eels, jellyfish and treacherous currents. They are challenging and require planning.

Also very demanding and therefore also very good, are fighting against four (actually five) legendary ships that carry their names rightly. Only with completely valuated Jackdaw you have a chance against them and even then they are very heavy. They also use all the different tactics, so you have to re-think about constantly, how to combat them.

Smugglers hideouts, which are partially accessible only through the underwater missions want to be excavated.

Finally, you can still collect manuscripts, letters (a bottle) and new songs for his crew.

So you see: there is a lot to do in ACIV because Ubisoft has been really hard, absolute plus.

== Battle on land and weapons ==

As in ACIII the fight with Edward is extremely simple: mostly you just have to exclamation mark over the opponent heads wait then press circle and then either circle for Wegschupsen, case for killing X for defense break or Triangle to kill with a secondary Press weapon. Only one opponent places deviates from this scheme.
Opponents do indeed do more harm than in ACIII, but because the fight is so simple, you will not have taken such and such, so you still can disassemble 30 people loose straight.
As before Edward can human shields against enemy shooters and inserting itself with up to four guns run 4 quick fixes, which he is even stronger and fight even easier.

There are very few weapons that Edward always has with him: Double swords, pistols and the Hidden Blade. Later in the game come Rope Dart (very late) and added a blowpipe with two arrows. The blowpipe thereby brings a lot of variety in the approach purely what I find very good.
Weapons, carrying guards, Edward can take them, but not keep permanently.

Annoying is also the absence of a lock-ons, which Edward sometimes simply does not attack the shoots or the one would like.

== == Atmosphere and graphics

What Ubisoft as yet rausholt from the Playstation 3, is really impressive. In particular, detailed, busy environment looks phenomenal from: Waves gently sway in the wind, the water looks absolutely beautiful from, you yourself would like to jump in to the fish that cavort in the turquoise waters. The vegetation is dense, varied and beautiful.
The lighting effects are great and the changing weather and time of day super: a sunset contrary to sail looks beautiful and who raises a tropical storm and is seen getting closer the looming dark clouds and whipped up sea throws at a waterspout and giant waves that looks simply stunning out!
The underwater world of diving missions is alive with many beautiful animals and when you hear a whale sing in the distance, the later also at one swims quite fantastic!

Generally, the atmosphere is amazing in ACIV: Black Flag. The own crew sings Seelieder (you can also issue, if it bothers one, which I could not understand at that), in taverns genuine folk songs are sung (eg Star often hey County Down). In general, the music is just great in ACIV and very atmospheric.
The NPC sing, dance, are drunk in the corner, go after their day's work, creates the feeling of a living world.

For personal taste Edward has many different outfits available and the Jackdaw can be individualized by many different sails, steering wheels and figureheads.

The English localization is absolutely fantastic!

In terms of atmosphere ACIV conceded: Black Flag so really perfect score.

== Bonus DLC for the Playstation 3: Aveline ==

The missions of the types of hostage rescue, infiltration and climbing passage. The story is not worth talking about, it's all about the gameplay. Nothing Special. There really are missing a nothing if you do not play these three missions.

== == Multiplayer

Power continues to be charmed by its many different game modes as much fun as in AC: Brotherhood. The tried and true recipe gets old.

== Conclusion ==

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag has become fantastically. After two disappointing home games of the series great entertainment is here at last offered. The story is well told and is a close if you look simply times it admits that not everyone is born with an immediate conviction of the assassin, but only their creed learns to appreciate by his experiences.
There are tons of different stuff to do, the graphics and atmosphere are top notch, the supporting characters super. Music and localization are at the highest level.

The only negative aspect is the twist that takes the story in the present.
All in all, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag almost as well as Assassin's Creed II, the latter being my favorite part of the series. I recommend this game only to anyone, it is 50 to 60 hours entertained alone with the single player, the multiplayer even longer, so that Black Flag is really worth every single penny.

+ More than 50 hours if you want to do it all, just for the single player
+ Great, exciting story in the historical very interesting setting the Caribbean to the Golden Age of Piracy
+ Interesting and lively supporting characters
+ Great setting
+ Beautiful graphics
+ Good narrative structure, well-integrated Tutourial
+ Large, relatively open world games
+ Viewpoints reveal whole map and are considered quick Destinations
+ Fort conquest fun and useful
+ Good, logical menu
+ Little bugs
+ Extremely entertaining naval combat
+ Very, very many entertaining and diversified side quests and minigames
+ Underwater missions
+ Legendary ships
+ Blowpipe
+ Atmosphere stunning good
+ Fantastic English localization and music

- Modern
- Free-Run system is still much too imprecise
- Fight easy
- Kenways fleet only playable online
- Harpooning of whales and sharks
- Social events only online
- Awareness only at sea