Ubisoft is rumored to be remaking Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, and according to a new report, this revamp is going to feature a distinct change: more RPG elements. It’s rare for any studio to remake a game and change core gameplay elements, but that seems to be what Ubisoft is aiming for here. This is Ubisoft’s flagship franchise, and it’s one of the last properties that fans hope to see return to its glory days. Sadly, this alteration will more than likely just ruin the hype for the game and will not give Ubisoft what it’s hoping for.
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Why might Ubisoft be doing this? It’s no secret that Skull and Bones was a huge misfire. Ironically labeled as the first “AAAA” game, it was a spectacular flop for Ubisoft despite Black Flag itself being the groundwork. Ubisoft’s big swing ended up getting a 59 rating on Metacritic and a 3.3 user score. The pirate game didn’t work, so it’s certainly feasible that Ubisoft is now trying to make Black Flag a bit less pirate-centric in this remake.
The other alternative is that Ubisoft just wants to make its new version of Black Flag more unique. Remakes and remasters are usually good when they just port the existing game with modern graphics, controls, and more. But sometimes, it’s totally fair to want to add something for the players who will jump in and know everything already. Think of it as a movie that’s either remastering something or adapting another piece of art. The creators will often change a few things to make it different enough to justify the creation of this version.
Additionally, it meshes best with the current style of Assassin’s Creed. Black Flag and previous entries were not really RPGs, but Assassin’s Creed hasn’t been the same since Origins. That marked a huge shift for the series, for better or worse, and the RPG elements have been part of the franchise ever since. With that in mind, it’s not a huge surprise that Ubisoft wants to do this, even if it is a bit unprecedented.
With the exception of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, most of the best-reviewed and most popular titles in this series came before Origins. That said, the highest-selling games in the Assassin’s Creed franchise came after more RPG elements began being added. Ubisoft must think that this is a major reason why these games have sold well, which is why it’s now trying to bring them into Black Flag.
Fans of Black Flag will likely pick up the game anyway since it’s a remake of a beloved title. But fans of RPGs who might have ignored the more adventure, stealth style of the original might also pick it up because it’s new and more along their preference lines. It could also blow up in Ubisoft’s face and result in a complete and total dud, which would also be par for the course lately.
Players generally don’t like change, even when it comes as a transition for the series as a whole. The switch from classic Zelda to Breath of the Wild is still seen as controversial, even if it has been successful. Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed pivot is the same way. Making this change to an existing game that obviously worked well is a surprise and a bit of a shock. Still, even if this doesn’t go the way fans want, the original Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is readily playable now and won’t be going away anytime soon.
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