Ubisoft is currently working on modern renditions of some of its most beloved classics. Betting big on the ongoing trend of remakes, the French publisher is nearing completion of three major re-releases, one of which has yet to be announced but has already grabbed everyone’s attention.
The mystery game in question is Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, Ubisoft’s half-pirate, half-assassin blockbuster from 2013. Thanks to the novelty of refreshing naval combat, a genuinely engaging main plot, and a more charismatic cast of characters than its predecessor, Black Flag quickly became a favorite among Assassin’s Creed in 2013.
However, for all the things this game got right in 2013, it seems Ubisoft is willing to redo most of its core elements in the remake. If the rumors are to be believed, Assassin’s Creed 4 Remake will be more red flag than black flag, something I’m not too happy about.
RPG Elements Ahoy
When I played Assassin’s Creed 4 all the way back in 2013, I was blown away by the sheer scope and scale of the experience. Setting sail upon the open waters of Black Flag as my crew drunkenly sang sea shanties and Edward Kenway issued orders left and right was an experience unlike any other, and I still hold it in high regard to this day.
The same could be said for the intense naval combat itself, which often ended in hectic, albeit very enjoyable melee combat following the boarding of an enemy ship. Parkour was yet another strong suit of Black Flag, carrying over the elegant animations of what was Ubisoft’s brand-new Anvil technology at the time.
The last thing I want to see, then, is the remake throwing all of that out of the water in the remake. If rumors are to be believed, Black Flag is set to receive a fresh coat of paint, with plenty of RPG elements to boot. For starters, the game’s core combat is said to be moving closer to the RPG style of Assassin’s Creed.
I find it disappointing that the classic counter-based combat is seemingly being done away with. I’ll be the first to admit that the Kenway trilogy’s combat was never the most deep or engaging. However, what it lacked in substance, it made up for with stylish animations and a free-flow rhythm that the series has lacked ever since.
In my opinion, Ubisoft should’ve stuck to the old combat system and refined it further instead of choosing the easy way out and scurrying back to its RPG systems. Similarly, it seems Black Flag is getting a makeover with loot and gear stats, because of course it is. After all, modern games clearly don’t have enough gear systems already.
I can’t quite stomach the thought of seeing Edward struggling to deal with enemies because he lacks the appropriate gear to deal enough damage or tank incoming hits. Unfortunately, however, it seems this is exactly the route Ubisoft is going, at least according to ongoing rumors.
Not A Premium Remake?
This may be hard to believe, but Ubisoft’s first remake is supposedly not a big-budget production on the same level as Capcom’s Resident Evil offerings. The game will reportedly ship with all the aforementioned changes to the fundamentals Black Flag experience and even remove the tacked-on modern-day elements for more focus on Edward Kenway himself, but leaks suggest Ubisoft doesn’t consider this remake a match for modern re-releases like Silent Hill 2 and Resident Evil 2.
This begs the question of why the team decided on this treatment for its first blockbuster remake to begin with. If the core gameplay is being changed, new activities are being added, and Assassin’s Creed 4 is effectively turning into a pseudo-RPG, clearly a lot of time and money have been put into the project.
It’s even said that cut content is being repurposed to extend the length of Assassin’s Creed 4 with the remake, but does Ubisoft really have its priorities straight? Quite frankly, I’m baffled that the team would spend all this time and effort changing perfectly fine parts of the Assassin’s Creed experience and then somehow dub the remake a non-premium experience that serves as more of a reimagining.
Even 2023’s Assassin’s Creed Mirage showed that the series’ original formula is still perfectly fine in today’s gaming landscape. Still, Ubisoft seems hell-bent on changing as much about Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag as possible.
Who Is The Remake For?
My biggest gripe with Ubisoft’s approach stems from the fact that it seems oblivious to what the core Assassin’s Creed fanbase wants. Does the community want a Frankenstein-like RPG version of Assassin’s Creed 4, or does the fandom want the same game with all the bells and whistles of modern technology? Perhaps there’s a bigger discussion to be had here about the fundamental meaning of a remake.
I’m all for remakes taking a few creative liberties, but there is something to be said about re-releases going too far to the point where they completely lose the charm and essence of the original experience. Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Remake, I’m afraid, seems to be speeding full sail ahead in this direction.
Of course, it’s important to note that Ubisoft has yet to say anything about the game. There’s a chance Assassin’s Creed 4 Remake will be a love letter to fans of the original when it arrives next year, but Ubisoft’s recent track record hardly inspires much confidence, and these leaks come from sources that have been very reliable in the past. Needless to say, I’m very concerned about this upcoming remake of one of my favorite games of all time.
