Assassin’s Creed IV is an action-adventure game that’s all about pirates. It has all the free running and swordplay that the Assassin’s Creed series is known for, plus exhilarating naval battles on a vast and beautiful ocean.
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Story & Themes
Like other Assassin's Creed games, Assassin's Creed IV is a story within a story. One part is set in modern day, and the (unnamed) player character is an employee at Abstergo Entertainment. Abstergo has a device called the Animus, which allows the user to explore the genetic memories of their ancestors in virtual reality, thereby allowing them to "time travel" into the past. The player character is instructed to explore the memories of Edward Kenway, an 18th century pirate, in order to gather material for an interactive feature film.
The son of a poor farmer, Edward dreams of wealth and glory, so he sets out to become a privateer. When the War of Spanish Succession ends in 1714, privateers are no longer needed, so like many others Edward turns to piracy. In his pursuit of wealth, Edward ends up killing an Assassin who was intending to defect to the Templars. He decides to impersonate the dead Assassin, thinking he might be able to make a profit out of it somehow. This, of course, causes him to become caught up in the centuries old conflict of Assassins versus Templars. Edward must decide where his true loyalties lie, and whether there are more important things in this world than riches.
Save Points
Assassin's Creed IV saves automatically at checkpoints throughout the game.
Difficulty
If you're a seasoned action gamer you probably won't feel too challenged, but will provide a reasonable challenge for the more casual gamer.
Heads Up!
Violence Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a fairly violent game. It is possible to turn off blood effects, but you can attack your enemies with all manner of weapons, from swords to pistols. Being a game about real pirates, it is a fair bit less tame than something like the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
Scary Imagery No monsters or zombies, but you will get shot at a lot.
Sex & Nudity There are references in the dialogue to sexual acts, but nothing too explicit.
Strong Language According to the ESRB "The words "f**k," "sh*t," and "c*nt" are heard in the dialogue.
Substance Use There is some alcohol use, and it is possible for the player character to consume alcohol, causing the screen to become blurry. According to the ESRB, "One prolonged sequence depicts a drunken character having hallucinations."
Discrimination Fairly inclusive. Edward's first mate is a Black man named Adewale, who is featured in the Freedom Cry downloadable content as a main character. As with most Assassin's Creed games, the gender ratio is skewed heavily in favor of men. The pirate Mary Read, disguised as James Kidd, is a powerful figure in the game up until her death.
Online Community
There is multiplayer with voice chat, but it is possible to mute anyone you find offensive. It also seems to be somewhat less common to use voice chat than it is in some other console games with an online component.
Conversation Starters
- Black Flag emphasizes the sailing and naval combat experience. Did you enjoy the part of the game?
- If you could explore the memories of your ancestors, would you? Which one would you choose?
- Does the game do a good job of making you feel like you’re in a real location?
- Do you think these games would appeal to someone who isn’t interested in history? Does it make you want to learn more?
- Do you feel like you learned anything about pirates from this game?
- Do you think Black Flag romanticizes piracy, or condemns it? Or maybe neither? Is it realistic?
- What other historical periods do you want these games to explore? What cities do you think would be good locations?
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