ASSASSIN’S CREED IV: BLACK FLAG
Edward Kenway boarded our hearts with an Assassin’s Creed different from the rest
Technically the sixth in the series, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was both the last numbered entry in the series, and the first one to sport a subtitle. It was also the first to wind back the clock on the historical settings, with main character Edward Kenway being the father and grandfather of Haytham and Connor respectively. As you might expect from the Age Of Piracy setting, Edward was a much more charismatic star, more in line with fan favourite Ezio than the morose and serious Connor. There was swashbuckling, leaping from ship to ship, cutlass in hand, and using multiple guns strapped to your body to get more shots off. City-based exploration was more stripped back, but you could sail with your pirate crew from island to island. It all felt so freeing, so bright, and so, so fresh. It’s fair to say Black Flag was a re-awakening of the series, proving it could change significantly while still feeling like Assassin’s Creed.
“PROVED THE SERIES COULD CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY WHILE STILL FEELING LIKE ASSASSIN’S CREED.”
The warm feeling of sailing calm seas as your crew sings sea shanties was matched only by the terror of taking on a legitimately frightening wave in stormy weather. Actor Matt Ryan gave Edward a great sense of energy and personality, and his story was a wonderfully fun one to follow, helped along by the modern-day shenanigans being stripped back so you could just get right into it. Starting out merely impersonating an Assassin for personal gain, Edward ends up wrapped up in the Assassin/Templar war, while also fighting for the rights of pirates to be free. Black Flag was an unforgettable adventure, and still one of the best to date.