It is fitting, then, that the extended preview of Black Flag granted to us at E3 2013 focuses almost entirely on Edward’s career and expertise in the buccaneer business, and does little to explain how Assassins or Templars fit into the mix. We’re not complaining, since the demo shows serious promise for those hoping for a triple-A pirate adventure from a proven studio. And if Ubisoft grasps the opportunity to chart a new course - Assassin’s Creed game or no - it could be a wise move for the brand as a whole.
While much of the marketing surrounding Black Flag’s first announcement centered on the historically accurate Golden Age of Piracy that will act as the game’s backdrop, the demo did little to shed light on Edward’s relationship with Blackbeard, Calico Jack or any others. Perhaps after Assassin’s Creed 3’s use of historical figures and themes was not quite universally praised, they’ve decided to focus on gameplay over story for the time being.
Explaining that the demo takes place in Edward’s quest to become a Master Assassin, the developers on hand made it clear that the star of the show is not Edward, but the open-ended and expansive world in which the game is set. Giving players the chance to navigate the massive waterways separating the Caribbean islands - and the ports and cities spread along them - is the main goal. And the first step to immersing players into the mind of a pirate is removing any obstacles between combat, sailing, and exploration.
From that standpoint, there really is little shown in the demo that could be identified as distinctly ‘Assassin’s Creed’ in nature, aside from the combat and emphasis on stealth; where AC3 introduced navigable high seas sailing, Black Flag is taking every aspect much farther, and making it a larger part in several aspects of the game’s design.
For starters, the selected mission wasn’t set in a bustling urban center - like Havana, for instance - filled with towering terraces and rooftops on which Edward could run/climb/fall. Instead beginning in a small fishing village (one Edward will seemingly be visiting regularly) the mission centered on the series mainstay ‘Assassination Contracts.’ A pair of marauding brothers were the targets, and it was left to the player to decide how they would be dispatched.
Instead of eliminating both on the spot, one of the targets was allowed to flee in their own ship, while Edward climbed aboard his own vessel, the Jackdaw, docked nearby. Without loading times or a cut-scene breaking the flow of gameplay, Edward’s crew began pursuit of the target’s ship, and engaged in combat largely resembling that seen in AC3.
