One of the bigger complaints when it came to Assassin’s Creed III was that it took a very long time before you actually felt like a true assassin. Speaking to OXM, Jean Guesdon, Creative Director, seemed to alleviate some worries of a slow start in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag by saying that “we are making sure our game puts you right in the middle of the action from the get go.” Not only that, they’re also “structuring the main path in order to make it possible to give the tools and the world to the player fairly early on in the game.”
When you do get into the action of Black Flag, you won’t see “any changes to the combat system per se,” though they “are adding ingredients to it that will definitely change the dynamics.” These include Edward’s ability to carry up to four pistols, which he can use to quick-fire mid-combo to kill up to four enemies, and free-aiming for all the firearms, a first in the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
While there may be many additions and changes to Black Flag, it is another yearly entry into the Assassin’s Creed series on consoles, which could result in gamer fatigue, but Jean explained why he thinks it won’t happen:
I think we have proven that this franchise is relevant, and that it has a long way to go. Our job as developers of this new opus is to surprise players and bringing fresh, different ideas, while at the same time ensuring that what makes AC such a standout franchise remains intact.
With the scale and scope of the world we are building, the completely new setting, the new gameplay mechanics, and our new characters (both our hero and his supporting cast), we are definitely on track to get the job done and avoid fatigue altogether.
Launching on October 29th in North America, Black Flag is a month away from other open-world heavy hitters Grand Theft Auto V and Watch Dogs. Jean isn’t worried about the competition though, because “when it comes to what we’re doing, we believe our promise and setting are very different from both of those games.”
Which game do you want to play the most between Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Grand Theft Auto V, or Watch Dogs? Let us know in the comments below.
