Just purchased Black Flag on Black Friday sales!

[JRD]

... and so far I am loving this game.

The graphics are amazingly beautiful. the vegetation and clear Caribbean sea water are amazing. The rocks and terrain are so diverse and the textures are very rich. It seems they took all the best things fom AC3 and improved it a lot. Using vegetation to sneak upon enemies is really fun. Fighting is just like AC3, which is one of the best features in that game. Free running is also very fluid if compared to the Ezio trilogy. I also like how you don't have to shove people off using shift keys anymore since Edward will do it automatically this time. Also, free running on roof tops is now much more enjoyable than in AC3. The made Havana with narrow streets and with lots of elements connecting houses so you can cross town without touching the ground. I remember how disappointed I was when Connor got to New York and Boston and I couldn't use the roof tops since they were far apart of each other due to wide streets and not well connected as in this game.

I really like how they made the environment with so many possibilities for climbing and moving on tree tops and yet all climbable areas are very well merged into the scenario as opposed to the obvious paths many other games feature.  :-X Even on the first memory, while Edward is chasing the Assassin, I managed to find two or three hidden places and a lot of chests, fragments and Mayan stones.

I am still very early into the game, I am in Havana and only got my dual hidden blades now but I already spent some good hours revealing the map and looting chests. The story seems very immersing and I am more fond of Edward Kenway than his native american grandson. I know a good deal of the game is spent at sea and I'm looking forward to that part of the game. Sea missions were fun in AC3 but I felt they could be much more developed which I hope is the case now.  8)

[Art Blade]

yep, the game is really nice and you should take a look at the coop as well which is a lot of fun. There are also plenty of different online modes available. :)

By the way, unity is even better.

[JRD]

Another thing is that you are tossed into action right from the beginning. In AC3 it took ages until you could actually start playing the game. First you play Connor's father Haythan, then 10 y.o. Connor, then teenage Connor and all tutorials are very long. You can only actually start the game in full open world in sequence 5. Ubi was clearly trying to create a bond between players and Connor but it was way too long. I enjoyed it in the first playthrough but going through all of that again on my second playthrough.......  :D

Since Edward is more of a strighforward character nothing more logical than throwing players into action right from sequence 1 and with short cutscenes.  >:D

[PZ]

Have a great time in the game, JRD, and please post your impressions.  Might even want to go back in to the game one of these days
  :-X

[Binnatics]

I should... I'm still in Havana on my first playthrough :-[

Try to convince me, JRD ;)

[JRD]

Ok. I did a couple more missions in Havana. The usual tail a target and eavesdrop on a conversation as a tutorial of what you will eventually do during the game. Then I got two missions to steal a key and break into a place to do something. It seems this is also something we'll see a lot during the game. One of the guards have a key you have to steal to move further on the mission. I was then presented to the first naval mission, where I got my first crew and the Jackdew, now my ship, stolen from the local fleet. Typical Assassin's Creed mission. You have to go through a few ships at anchor in the Havana port setting free a number of prisioners. They will then turn into your crew and will help you sail the ship and escape the Spanish Armada. It leads you to Nassau.

I am still doing tutorial missions merged into the story arc. You have to go to an island and hunt iguanas to craft a pistol holster but that's all part of Edward's story, which is a nice way of keep the game going instead of a hand-held initial memroy. Nassau looks completely different from Havana. The city is much smaller but the island has plenty of areas to explore. The terrain remain very diverse and I find it very enjoyable to go around places synching viewpoints. These are, just like in AC3, not just towers or churches but also trees and any other high ground where you can oversee a large portion of the island. Unlike AC3, once synched, the viewpoint reveals a considerable area of the map and can be used as fast travel point so there's another reason to synch them. I still didn't find a base of operations. AC1 had the Assassin's Bureaus in every city, AC2 had the Villa in Monterigione, AC:B the Tiber Island Hideout, AC:R the Assassin's HQ in Constantinople, AC3 the Homestead... there's a canteen in Havana but it is not your place. I have the impression the Jackdew will be my home and every island in the game my port, so working on improving her is going to be extremely neecssary.  ;)

I still have to be introduced to whaling and shark hunting and I'm sure it is close. Some items in the crafting menu require those animals skins. Once this initial part is done there will be a lot of sea to cover and a large number of small islands to explore and tresues to hunt. I already found one in Havana, after recovering the treasure map from a cadaver near the church. 3000R that helped me purchase a nice set of pistols and swords.

I reckon this game is going to provide hudreds of hours exploring and hunting treasures and doing naval warfare, even in SP mode. AC3 managed to open a whole new mode of gaming by creating Th Frontier and this time is the Caribbean Sea open to exploraion.

So far, I really like this game. The graphics are amazing, gameplay is fresh and light, plenty of things to do, great fighting mechanics (which I already master since it is the same as in AC3  >:D ), naval warfare was good in AC3 and it seems to be the highlight of this game - the sea is amazing, waves and wind and storms... excellent efects -. Let's see what is ahead of me.  :)

[PZ]

Very nice write-up, JRD +1  :-X

You are bringing back memories of the game, and I can visualize what you're experiencing quite accurately.  Yes, you do have many more fun adventures ahead of you.

[JRD]

I read a couple reviews saying how disappointing the story is. I was expecting a very poor background and lots of sailing with a little bit of land action here and there but so far the game is exceeding my expectations. Story wise it is a true AC game with a non orthodox main character, which I like. There's no more Desmond and Rebecca and Shawn but that Abstergo Entertainment guy - I haven't been outside the Animus apart from the mandatory short level you are taken to your desk - so I am wondering about the back story of modern day Assassins vs Templar and the aftermath of the last time we saw Desmond at the cave. I don't think I'll see much more than Abstergo from the inside though.

[PZ]

Now that you mention it, the end of the game was a bit odd for me.  I was simply playing the game, going about my merry way through the main story line when it simply ended.  I was more expecting a lead up to the end like we have seen in the Ezio games.  In fact, I thoroughly checked the menus to be sure I wasn't missing something.

I know many do not like the Abstergo parts of the game, but I actually was drawn in by them.

[Art Blade]

me too, and particularly with Black Flag.

[JRD]

I keep having fun with Black Flag although I am working my way through the main missions very slowly to avoid the disappointment. I am mostly playing the main missions when I feel I am lacking some feature that will only become avaiable when I reach a certain point of the story. Some items to craft or purchase at the harbour master are still unavailable to me so I have to play main missions at some point.

So far I am mostly sailing after lone schooners that are easy prey and have wood and metal so I can upgrade the Jackdaw to it's max strength before reaching the end of tha game. There are numerous activities around. I found a smuggler's den and some golden chests that helped me build up resources faster than normal tresure hunting and assassinations contracts. Good fun!  :-X . There are forts to attack, convoys to loot, so many unexplored areas! This is going to take a while.  ;D

[Art Blade]

 :-()

[PZ]

I keep having fun with [insert game name here] although I am working my way through the main missions very slowly to avoid the disappointment.

Seems like the above is one of the most common comments we are doing around here lately  8-X 

It is a shame that the main event in a game is what we avoid the most.  Unfortunately as you mentioned, you have to go through a certain number of main mission events to advance your character.

[JRD]

Actually, the main story seems great to me. I am just avoiding getting to the end too early. I like to leave the final levels of a game for when I'm done with everyting I want to do regarding exploring and gearing up so it feels like there is a reason for me to keep exploring and crafting and building up money!  :-D

[PZ]

  :-X

I like my interpretation of your line so much it is now my signature!  :-()

[Binnatics]

 ^-^ :-X

[JRD]

:-X

I like my interpretation of your line so much it is now my signature!  :-()

   :-X

I'm flattered!  :-D

[Art Blade]

 :-()

[JRD]

I still didn't find a base of operations. AC1 had the Assassin's Bureaus in every city, AC2 had the Villa in Monterigione, AC:B the Tiber Island Hideout, AC:R the Assassin's HQ in Constantinople, AC3 the Homestead... there's a canteen in Havana but it is not your place. I have the impression the Jackdew will be my home and every island in the game my port, so working on improving her is going to be extremely neecssary.  ;)

I've reached the Island Hideaout in AC:BF. Now it feels like a true AC game. A place to call home and improvements to do. Great place and great missions leading there.  :-X. Some at sea, tailing a target mission and some sneak in a kill a templar fun.  :)

I like that type of mission. Many people complain but I think it's fun.

There are so many things to do in this game... exploring both land and sea, naval combat, assassination missions, smuggler's dens, treasure hunting, attacking forts, hunting, looting, crafting, upgrading.... good fun.

Best US$20 I've ever spent....  8)

[PZ]

 :-X

[nexor]

I'm toying with the idea in getting the game also  :ideas

[PZ]

I think I purchased the season pass when the game first came out - might go in to see if there is any DLC to download.

[JRD]

As I purchased the golden or deluxe edition, whatever name they give to the bundle,  I got several messages upon first launch saying something like "new feature unlocked, visit Black Island to get your reward" "new mission unlocked, visit Mistey Island to acess memory" or something alog those lines. I am still doing main missions and side quests but I see a few locations that are not a question mark on my map and these are the locations from the initial messages. Apparently all DLC are already available and it seems to be quite a few. Not sure if they are just an outfit or a sword or interesting new story missions though.

On the main menu page, where you can start your game or go online, there is also an "Aveline" box with a pirate girl showing. As I click on it I get the same three save slots layout as in the main game with a "start new game" on them so it seems to be another stand alone game inside Black Flag, maybe with another character.

I will investigate it a bit more during the weekend and let you guys know.

@nexor. If you like the AC games, this one is one of the best I have ever played so far. Much more enjoyable than AC3 with amazing graphics and gameplay. Story wise people say it is quite disappointing at the end but the missions I have played thus far are really good. But when it comes to exploring the game outside the main story this is where the game shines in my opinion. Just recently I found out that once you get your hideout unlocked you can start building your own fleet. Everytime you attack a ship and take it over you can either repair the Jackdaw with salvaged materials from the ship or lower your wanted level and keep sailing without being bothered by enemy ships. Now you can also send that ship to Kenway's fleet and a new feature is open at the captain's quarters where you can manage your fleet and send them in trading (or pirate) routes.

There are tons of things to do in the world besides the main story so even if it ends prematurely, I will still be sailing the caribbean seas for quite a while!  :-X

*****************************EDIT*****************************

Here's what I found about the DLCs I got with the purchase

AVELINE

Aveline is a single-player downloadable content addition for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. The content features the French-African Assassin Aveline de Grandpré, and is exclusive to the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PC.

[smg id=7467]

GOLD EDITION

Extra Content included in Assassin's Creed® IV Black Flag™ Gold Edition:

    Assassin's Creed® IV Black Flag™ Season Pass: Gives you all-in-one access to a new 3+ hour single-player story featuring Adewale, an ex-slave turned Assassin, the exclusive Kraken Ship Pack, plus multiplayer characters and much more!
    Captain Kenway's Legacy Pack: Golden Scimitars and Multiplayer Treasure Hunter Costume
    The Trove of Mystery Pack: Iron Wheel & Astrolabe Relic
    Pirates Bounty Pack: German Rapiers & Compass Relic
    Sacrificed Secrets Pack: Dark and dangerous treasure-hunting mission on Sacrifice Island; Unlock Captain Drake's Dual Swords and Pistols, Picture, Title, and Relics
    Hidden Mystery Pack: Adventurous treasure-hunting mission on Mystery Island; Unlock Stede Bonnet's Ship, Costumes and other MP items
    Black Island Pack: Dark and dangerous treasure-hunting mission on Black Island; Unlock the Deadly Black Ship and Captain Morgan's Silver Flintlock Pistols, Costume, Picture, and Title
    Aveline Pack: 60 minutes of additional gameplay featuring Aveline de Grandpré from Assassin's Creed III Liberation; Unlockable Aveline ship figurehead

[nexor]

FC4 pissed me off, I went and purchased Black Flag and it's busy installing right now  ;D

[PZ]

Looking forward to stories!  :-X