Ubisoft's remake of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, titled Black Flag Resynced, has drawn criticism for altering core gameplay elements in ways that some feel detract from the original experience. Despite visual upgrades and quality-of-life improvements, the remake's changes to mechanics like stealth, climbing, and combat have led to comparisons that often favor the 2013 original.
One of the most significant points of contention is the handling of stealth missions. While Resynced introduces the ability to crouch anywhere, it simultaneously removes fail conditions from these sequences. This, according to one assessment, renders the stealth system largely redundant. Similarly, climbing has been streamlined to be far faster, but this change removes the need for players to strategize their ascent, a design choice that lessens the engagement with the game's environments. The remake also notably omits the classic high-profile/low-profile control scheme that defined earlier Assassin's Creed titles and has been replaced by a cutlass-only combat system that, while potentially more difficult, is described as bland due to fewer available options.
Naval combat, a hallmark of Black Flag, has been made significantly more challenging in Resynced. The Jackdaw, Edward Kenway's ship, features new firing modes and officer upgrades, but naval battles are now described as more punishing. While this may appeal to players who found the original ship combat too easy, some feel that success in these tougher battles now heavily relies on specific new abilities, such as the Perfect Brace ability offered by a new officer character.
The narrative of Black Flag, which explores Edward Kenway's journey driven by greed and ambition, is still considered a strong point. However, the new quests added in Resynced reportedly do not measure up to the quality of the original story content. The remake also incorporates elements like an in-game shop for cosmetic items and collectible locations, which can be purchased with real money, along with mechanics reminiscent of a battle pass. These additions are seen by some as attempts to modernize the game that ultimately create an awkward juxtaposition and reflect poorly on the industry.
Ultimately, the sentiment surrounding Black Flag Resynced is that while it may offer a prettier experience with some smoothed-out rough edges, it does not necessarily improve upon the original. For those seeking to revisit Edward Kenway's story and the pirate adventures of the Caribbean, the original Assassin's Creed Black Flag is suggested to hold up remarkably well and may offer a more authentic experience. Playing the original after experiencing the remake revealed how well it has aged, with more grounded movement and engaging stealth sequences.