Why Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Could Be The Wrong Game To Remake

Assassin’s Creed has long been Ubisoft‘s signature franchise. It has become a defining feature for the company – a dead giveaway. And thus, as Ubisoft went through changes of ideas and direction, so did this series alongside it. It was only a matter of time before Ubisoft’s monotonous open-world formula seeped into it as well. However, it seems the industry giant is set on making amends, as Assassin’s Creed is going back to its origins.

The franchise is returning to its roots on October 12th, with Assassin's Creed Mirage being designed
as an homage to the first games of the series.

And now… our newest trailer.#AssassinsCreed #UbiForward pic.twitter.com/gotwXJuR7G

— Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) June 12, 2023

With Assassin’s Creed Mirage, it looks like the series has finally returned after being lost. No more tedious RPG grind, repetitive open worlds, and worry about level differences. Just take your trusty hidden blade and silently slit the throats of all foes before they know what hit them. This is a most welcome revival, but the next project Ubisoft is picking up is Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag remake, which I believe is entirely unnecessary and risky.

Remakes Are A Risky Bet

Just like any other medium, preservation is an important part of gaming too. Thus, the solution called remakes became the norm to fix the potential threat of a game being lost to time. It’s a full recreation of the game from the ground up. In contrast to the sole visual enhancement of remasters, a remake holds a lot more leeway as the game can be slightly or completely altered, keeping the core idea, story, basic mechanics, etc. the same.

It might sound pleasing. Your favorite game getting modern gameplay and crisp new visuals, how awesome is that? But remakes do carry considerable risks with them. Seeing your beloved gems ruined would indeed be mortifying. Precisely why remakes have a high bar to overcome since there is a standard they will most definitely be compared to. Alongside comes the analysis of if there is even a need for the particular game’s remake.

Why Are We Getting Unnecessary Remakes?
by u/SaviorAssassin1996 in gaming

This is not always the case, as in the end, it comes down to the developers’ expertise. The original Dead Space‘s environments and feel were splendidly recreated in the remake. Shadow of the Colossus PS2 is a timeless masterpiece and the PS4 remake is just as engaging if not more. The best of all is Capcom‘s remakes of Resident Evil, which do the impossible of further improving marvelous originals. Would Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag be able to attain the same?

Another critical problem is how it jeopardizes the original. Consider a classic no longer available on modern platforms. It gets a great remake which people enjoy. That’s all well and good and highly appreciated, but what about the original? What if fans get an urge to replay it, and it’s no longer possible to do so? A remake is not supposed to be the original’s replacement. It should be brought back as a remaster or a port.

The last thing to mention is the overall decline in new ideas, and this applies to both remakes and remasters. Working on old projects leaves no time to develop new IPs. While a new IP is much more riskier than an established project, there is no success without plunging blindly and putting your heart into a new project. All enormous games started as a risky new venture. These factors show remakes require considerable thought.

Spending 3-5+ years on a remake/remaster instead of making a new game is such a horrible trend.
by u/Alliddboon in truegaming

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Was An Ingenious Idea Well-Executed

First, there was the Prince of Persia. Then, along came Assassin’s Creed as a spinoff-turned-new IP. For those of us following the series since the beginning, Assassin’s Creed meant embodying the role of an Assassin, planning stealth assassinations, wandering around the open world, and climbing almost everything in sight. This core idea remained the same for the first five games, after which we saw an innovative twist.

The next entry was Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, and we were all in for a surprise. Ubisoft did something creative, mixing the age-old concept of pirates with their Assassin-Templar conflict, creating one of the best pirate games. Follow Edward Kenway on his quest for the mysterious Observatory. Edward remains a wild card for either side, enjoying a more standalone position and staying true to his pirate nature.

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag has enough recognizable characters to start a history lesson, though however much you like these versions better, remember it’s sadly fictional. The characters include Blackbeard, Bartholomew Roberts, Anne Bonney, and Mary Read to name a few. The story truly shines in the portrayal of these supporting characters. Though vile criminals, the game splendidly showcases their humane sides, enough to spark sympathy for them in our hearts

I firmly believe the developers outdid themselves with the side content, as its design and the ensuing development of the character’s story far surpasses even the main quest. I do have quite a few qualms with the main quest design though. I’m looking at you, tailing missions. Moving on to the gameplay, it plays out quite similarly to its predecessors. The twist is as you would expect of a pirate game; naval battles

Manage your crew and ship, equip it with the best weapons to tackle any adversity, and be a true pirate when you give the battles a little personal touch and raid the ship to pay a visit to your unfortunate enemies. And speaking of ship navigation, it would be a crime not to mention the glorious sea shanties to truly immerse you in the pirate life. Getting on your ship and being hit with the “Leave her Johnny, Leave her” was a true bliss.

Black Flag Doesn’t Need A Remake

The entire reason behind remakes is preservation, but does Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag need it? I don’t think it does, since the game is already available on all modern platforms. It’s available on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, released for PS4 and Xbox One which indirectly makes it available for the next-gen too, and also has a Switch port. And it’s not like the game has aged poorly, either. It holds up pretty well both visually and mechanically.

It’s not like a good game cannot be further improved in a remake, as Capcom has so boldly proved. But remember, this is the current Ubisoft we’re talking about. I dread to think Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag turning into an RPG grind and a dull open world with nothing to do. Microtransactions cunningly slipped in, disguised as upgrades and ships having levels on them where you can’t even hit one a few levels higher than you.

Ubisoft indeed seems to be improving, as Assassin’s Creed Mirage is back to the original formula, and Star Wars: Outlaws seems to have a highly redeeming open-world design. Still, those are new games, this is a beloved classic we’re talking about, and the risk of Ubisoft ruining it is considerably high since it doesn’t even need a remake in the first place.

Why not look for more appropriate candidates? Take the original Assassin’s Creed for example. The game has not aged that well compared to others, and if Assassin’s Creed Mirage indeed takes off, a remake of the original would be no different and appreciated. Similarly, Assassin’s Creed 2 can be chosen for a remake, but then again it is present on modern consoles as the Ezio trilogy and fairly preserved, but still a more viable candidate.

Why do you think Ubisoft is not doing a AC1 remaster/remake if the demand is so overwhelming for it?
by u/i-d-even-k- in assassinscreed

Lastly is the concern of new games. Since Ubisoft Singapore is supposedly involved, what became of Skull and Bones, the pirate game it was developing? The game has been in development ever since the original Black Flag came out, and there is still no sign of it. Are we to believe this remake project is a sort of compensation for that? I hope that game at least sees the light of day, and if Ubisoft is dead set on this remake, let it be a good one.