Unleashing the Future: The Ultimate Guide to Remaking Assassin's Creed 4 with a Modern Twist

Rumors are circulating that Ubisoft is working on a remake of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, and gamers all over the world are excited about the possibility of returning to the role of pirate protagonist Edward Kenway. While considered one of the standout entries in the franchise, there are still improvements that could be made by drawing inspiration from the games that came after it. By incorporating the beloved aspects of Black Flag and integrating the best elements from its sequels, Ubisoft has the opportunity to pay homage to a classic while delivering a fresh and appealing experience. Remaking a beloved title like Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag poses a challenge for Ubisoft, as they must balance between playing it safe with nostalgia and introducing new mechanics that could potentially alienate fans. However, by carefully selecting the most favorable features from its successors and seamlessly integrating them into a Black Flag remake, Ubisoft has the potential to create a game that appeals to both fans of the original and new players.

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Deserves a Livelier World

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag received high praise for its vast and realistic ocean, filled with numerous ports of call. However, once players set foot on dry land, the cities could feel empty and less vibrant. For example, cities like Havana, which was the third-largest city in the Americas during the game's 18th-century setting, often felt deserted. While the main cities in Black Flag wouldn't necessarily need to be as densely populated as Assassin's Creed Unity's Paris, augmenting the number of NPCs could help create a more lively and immersive game world.

Increasing the population density in the game could also offer players more activities to engage in. While the central narrative of the game is captivating, there were few opportunities for players to explore off the main storyline. By incorporating NPCs that offer side quests throughout the cities, players could embark on new adventures and further immerse themselves in the game world. Instead of overwhelming players with mundane tasks and fetch quests, as seen in later entries like Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Black Flag's optional missions could be more focused and potentially tie into the main story.

Recent Assassin’s Creed Games Provide a Template for a More Fleshed-Out World

A valuable addition to a remake of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag would be the inclusion of a Discovery Tour mode, which allows players to delve into the real-world history of the game's setting without combat. If Ubisoft decides against implementing a wholly new mode for the remake, they could take inspiration from the History of Baghdad in Assassin's Creed Mirage and incorporate a smaller, history-focused addition to Black Flag.

Another feature from Assassin's Creed Origins in 2017 that would complement an Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag remake is the ability to survey the map using an aerial assistant. While having a parrot perched on Edward Kenway's shoulder throughout the game may be too obvious, Black Flag could still benefit from providing players with a convenient and efficient way to obtain an overview of the game world. Although this may pose some minor continuity challenges, Ubisoft could easily develop an in-game justification for Kenway's newfound feathered companion.

Despite having eleven new Assassin’s Creed games currently in development, Ubisoft cannot afford to release a subpar remake. The failure of high-profile releases like Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy has demonstrated that nostalgia can only generate sales up to a certain point before negative reputation drives players away. However, by incorporating valuable lessons from the series' history while preserving the elements that made the game successful originally, a remake of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag has the potential to become one of the franchise's finest installments.

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is natively accessible on PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Wii U.