Assassin’s Creed® IV Black Flag™

"You don’t need a reason to be free." In Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Ubisoft hoists the black sails and trades city rooftops for the wide, uncharted sea — and it’s a gamble that pays off in full. This entry isn’t just a pirate game with a hidden blade; it’s a daring adventure that captures the chaotic beauty of the Golden Age of Piracy and delivers one of the most exhilarating open-world experiences of its generation. You play as Edward Kenway, a charismatic Welsh privateer-turned-pirate who stumbles into the eternal conflict between Assassins and Templars. Unlike most protagonists in the series, Edward doesn’t begin with a noble cause — his journey is driven by greed, self-interest, and ambition. But that’s what makes his evolution into something more meaningful so compelling. The narrative is a swashbuckling blend of Pirates of the Caribbean-style spectacle and Assassin's Creed's philosophical underpinnings. Edward's relationships with historical pirates like Blackbeard, Charles Vane, and Anne Bonny are gritty, nuanced, and often tragic — painting a complex picture of freedom and its cost. Meanwhile, the present-day segments — set in a satirical version of Ubisoft’s own office (via Abstergo Entertainment) — offer clever meta-commentary without overstaying their welcome. Black Flag is where the franchise let the wind take the wheel. The naval mechanics, introduced in Assassin’s Creed III, are fully realized here — and they're a joy. Steering the Jackdaw across stormy seas, engaging in ship battles, boarding enemy vessels, and upgrading your fleet delivers constant thrills and genuine progression. Land-based gameplay is classic AC: stealth, parkour, and stylish assassinations. But it’s the freedom of the open world that makes this game sing. The Caribbean is dotted with islands, shipwrecks, treasure maps, and hidden coves. Every horizon feels like an invitation. Underwater exploration, harpooning, tavern brawls, and shanty hunting all enrich the world and give it texture — and few games have made sailing with your crew feel this alive. The ability to recruit crew members and hear them break into sea shanties is iconic and never gets old. For its time — and even now — Black Flag is gorgeous. The shimmering Caribbean waters, dense jungles, and bustling port cities are vibrant and full of detail. The weather system adds dynamic tension, especially when squalls suddenly darken the sky mid-battle. The sound design is stellar. From the creak of your ship’s hull to the roar of cannons and the emotional vocals of sea shanties echoing across the waves — the game is a sensory feast. Brian Tyler’s score strikes a perfect balance between epic and melancholic. Assassin’s Creed® IV Black Flag™ is not just a highlight of the franchise — it’s a masterclass in open-world game design. It took a risk by prioritizing freedom over structure, and in doing so, delivered a pirate experience that remains unmatched. Edward Kenway’s tale is one of ambition, loss, and eventual redemption — all set against the most exciting backdrop the series has ever offered. Whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer to the franchise, this is one voyage you shouldn't miss. Recommended For: Fans of pirate lore, open-world adventuring, naval combat, and morally complex characters. Avoid If: You're looking for traditional Assassin-centric gameplay or dislike seafaring mechanics. Rating: 8/10

I downloaded this game on sale for $11. My issue isnt with the game but with Ubisoft. As you can see I've played 3.1 hrs of this game and loved it. Now, Ubisoft isnt allowing me to play the game because I bought it on steam, linked the game code to my Ubisoft account but now it's telling me my code is already in use. So...thank you Ubisoft, as now I cant return the game because I've played over 2 hours of it and I cant play the game because your authenticator changed it's mind and now it's allowing me to play it and see it as my game anymore.

The best Assassins creed game ever for me, and it's not even close. However, the Kenway's Fleet option simply doesn't work in the PC version. Ubisoft is aware of the issue and refuses to fix it. Until it's fixed, I can never recommend a broken game

[h3]Simply the best Assassin's creed game[/h3] Fun and action packed, this pirate themed game has no real equivalent. It has loads of content, great sea shanties, enjoyable nautical missions... I mean, if you can excuse the few modern era scenes that take place every so often, this is an amazing pirate themed game. One of my all time favorites, yaaar !

Nothing to say about the game, I 100% love it. Too bad the game only started once and after that nothing. I verified files. Tried re-installing. Followed every solution suggested on Steam Community and Reddit but nothing seems to work. Considering that all AC games are notoriously giving issues to many as of 2025, I'm gonna assume that the monkeys at Ubisoft simply didn't know how to make a game...how do you say it...ACTUALLY playable on PC. No surprise you guys failed, good fucking riddance.

Old but good story abouts Pirates rule the Caribbean and have established their own lawless Republic where corruption, greediness and cruelty are commonplace.Among these outlaws is a brash young captain named Edward Kenway. story 10\10 sound track 10\10 gameplay is old but not the worse 10\10 https://youtu.be/M_RoX7kOs_I?si=IwnjpWsfo8MUBL9M

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag took me completely by surprise. As someone who’s never really been into pirate lore or swashbuckling adventures, I wasn’t expecting much going in. But here I am, ready to hand it a solid 9/10. The gameplay loop is incredibly satisfying — sailing the open seas, hunting down ships, and upgrading your ship felt like a perfect rhythm that kept me hooked. What really stood out was the balance of challenge; I’m not the type to enjoy punishing difficulty, and Black Flag nails that sweet spot where it’s engaging without ever feeling frustrating. Plus, the story kept moving at a good pace, never dragging or getting lost in the vastness of the world. If you’re on the fence about pirate games or worried about getting stuck on tough sections, this one’s worth diving into. It’s a rare gem that manages to be both accessible and deeply rewarding.

It needs the Ubisoft game launcher, which is abandon-ware, so I'm currently unable to play it because screw me I guess?

by far the best Assassin's Creed game overall. Personally, the story was a little dull, didn't really enjoy it. But the post story gameplay is PEAK, you quite literally can't get bored from the amount of stuff you can do. I sometimes like to say that the story is just an introduction to the game from the sheer amount of stuff there is to do. so story mode: 6/10 kinda slow, but memorable characters. post story game: 10/10 best pirate game I've ever played, and pretty dang close to being the best game I've ever played. Overall: 9.5/10.

---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☐ Good ☑ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☐ Eargasm ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☑ Potato ☐ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{ Game Size }--- ☐ Floppy Disk ☑ Old Fashioned ☐ Workable ☐ Big ☐ Will eat 15% of your 1TB hard drive ☐ You will want an entire hard drive to hold it ☐ You will need to invest in a black hole to hold all the data ---{ Difficulty }--- ☐ Just press 'W' ☐ Easy ☑ Easy to learn / Hard to master ☐ Significant brain usage ☐ Difficult ☐ Dark Souls ---{ Grind }--- ☐ Nothing to grind ☐ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks ☐ Isn't necessary to progress ☑ Average grind level ☐ Too much grind ☐ You'll need a second life for grinding ---{ Story }--- ☐ No Story ☐ Some lore ☐ Average ☑ Good ☐ Lovely ☐ It'll replace your life ---{ Game Time }--- ☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee ☐ Short ☑ Average ☐ Long ☐ To infinity and beyond ---{ Price }--- ☐ It's free! ☑ Worth the price ☐ If it's on sale ☐ If u have some spare money left ☐ Not recommended ☐ You could also just burn your money ---{ Bugs }--- ☑ Never heard of ☐ Minor bugs ☐ Can get annoying ☐ ARK: Survival Evolved ☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs ---{ ? / 10 }--- ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐ 4 ☐ 5 ☐ 6 ☐ 7 ☑ 8 ☐ 9 ☐ 10 ---{ Author }--- ☑ https://vojtastruhar.github.io/steam-review-template

Holds up, This game is just classic. Steam probably charges too much but If you catch a good sale you should get it

Every time I start this game Ubisoft Connect forces me to enter my account password. EVERY SINGLE TIME!

at one point i could play the game. been in a battle with ubisoft for years at this point over a key they insist isn't tied to my account despite purchasing it from steam (approved vendor), and having literal game time in the game. when asked to supply proof of purchase ubisoft does not let you submit pictures to their website (how else is a customer supposed to provide proof of purchase). Just pirate the game, don't give any money to this company.

I'm sick of having to play a game online which does not need to: logging into both steam and ubisoft. I bought it now can't play as i've not got my ubi password or email!

One of my top favorite Assassins Creed games. I feel like this is where they started to drift off into the not so great games but it still keeps the core/essential parts of an AC game. Also they finally are adding achievements to the older games. YAY!

never buy a ubi soft game, you never know when you will no longer have access or be able to play it.

Dammit Ubi! Where are my previous saves? Granted it's been more than a decade but still. The upside is I get to play this one from scratch again so... it's sort of a win? Easily the best pirate game out there and the visuals are still stunning in 2025. Could do without the Abstergo sequences though (on any AC game, really). Still works on modern systems but frames are locked to 60fps. Kinda hoping Ubi provides some update to the graphics like removing the frame lock and adding DLSS maybe but it's a Far Cry.

ubisoft connect ruins the experience, since you have spend time figuring out a password every time you want to play the game you bought.

[h1] Better than Skull & Bones. Ubisoft should remake Assassin's Creed Black Flag [/h1]

This is one of the best Assassin's Creed games out there. Keep in mind, though, that it has been out there for many years now, so if you are only used to the newer games, the controls for this game will feel and are very clumsy and they are. However, this is one of the best story lines in the series and the game is a good time. With some practice you might even master it.

My favourite AC game. I like the pirate theme and how Edward carries himself. game got a little slow just for a short bit but after meeting black beard I just loved every single moment of it.

It looks like I have played a ton but I just left it running on my pc a few times. That being said, I probably played it for around 10 or so hours. It runs like garbage, it looks like garbage. If I didn't leave it running on my pc when I went to bed the night I bought it, it would have been refunded. Since I left it up and ruined my chance for a refund I gave it a solid try and it is terrible. I bought it on sale for like 11 dollars and I still feel like I got ripped off. Apparently there is a bug that was introduced in 2023 that rendered many unable to open their fleet screen. I was one such person and when I got to that point I just uninstalled it. 0/10 ubisoft fuck you

Hands down the GOAT pirate game for single player!! 🙌 Hope it lights a fire under more devs to cook up pirate games like this. Next I wanna play that Yakuza in Hawaii!

Ship sail. Man stabby stab. Do for several hours. 10/10 Good game. You don't hate Ubisoft enough.

Started crashing at startup about four years ago and continues to do so whenever i download it, even on separate devices. Half the hours above is me downloading the game again like the sucker i am, game starting to crash at the boring ass abstergo sequence and me deleting after I give up looking for a solution. Only reason I am not refunding rn is my country's currency being worth like 1/30 today lmao

Personally it's one of the best story games i've ever played even it's 12 Years old. Think of this whenever you play it for the first time...

Really amazing game Awesome story Great Graphics Good gameplay definitely worth it

It's a very good game, one of my favorite ! But the big problem is obviously Ubisoft Connect. It's not possible to play offline... I don't know if it's normal, but I have to reconnect to my Ubisoft account every time I want to play, which is really annoying !

The main missions and the plot is not bad overall, but do not try to complete this shit on 100% achievements. If you wanna complete this game on 100%, it will cost you hours of grinding.

the best AC game yet, the open world freedom is fun

Literally one of the best Assassin's Creed / Pirate Games ever made. I thought it was overrated but I got it during the Steam Summer Sale and it's absolutely awesome 10/10 if you haven't played it and have a chance to do so DO IT!! (After this review there's a "bug" which doesn't allow me to move my mouse or use my keyboard when starting the game. I've recently played Assassin's Creed: Rogue and I think in my opinion it's better than Black Flag so go check that out.)

What isn't to like about this game? You play a pirate assassin...it is peak AC

The first AC that I played on PC. I remember that at launch it was utterly bugged and unplayable but after that day 1 patch is was nothing but smooth sailing and I enjoyed every second of it. I might one day come back to play it again just to unlock all the achievements on Steam too.

i've played it before and to be honest out of all i've played edward is my favorite assassin the most lethal and scary one.Never get tired of playing it again and again

This game is equal parts gamma radiation poopy water, and absolute pirate masterpiece. Everything it sucks at comes down to the most subtle, smallest issues but those issues make the gameplay feel horrendous. A tiny corner clips you, or the character suddenly darts in the wrong direction. The movement is so precise that it ends up being a mess you basically have to look exactly where you're going at all times. I can't even explain how many times I've rage quit because of it. But still... the masterpiece side keeps pulling me back in. Smooth combat, rewarding fights, amazing sailing, and epic ship battles it nails the pirate experience. It's such a good pirate game at its core. If only the sticky movement and random glitches didn’t make it so frustrating to play sometimes.

After many years and many assassin's creed games that i have played that might be the best one after ezio trilogy. Engaging story (even modern times one wasn't that bad) and an interesting main character is something I haven't seen in this series for a long time.

The modern story and the normal Assassin's Creed gameplay hamper it but Edward's story and the sailing is so good that it makes up for it.

12 years later still a great game apart from the ubisoft bugs but still fun

What can I say other than it's best AC game in the franchise and it's not because of the AC part. I have replayed this game at least 3-4 times across multiple platforms and I always spend 30-40 hours just sailing the seas and attacking Man O' Wars with my elite mortars and then ramming the sh*t out of them. More hours spent sailing the seas while pirating, killing and capturing sharks/whales than playing the main story.

Love this game but why did u remove the Fleet option in PC. I wanted to check it out

ngl its addictive truly reccomend for a first assasins creed runs on any device too

This game is really good bro. I don't have much to say. But this is the 2nd game that I really finished and the most addictive one. At first I didn't like this game. But in the end. this game is the best ac game. And the most exciting pirate game. With a story that makes me sad for every betrayal haha. LOVE this game so much

BEST AC game unfortunately buggy and optimized on steam but if you can endure

this is one of the strongest in the franchise and only big dislike i have for the game is the modern day being kind of pointless because it seems like they didn't know what to do with it after how ac3 ended

very lit game, best of the series before it slowly tanked

I haven't enjoyed an AC ending since the very first one. AND I haven't enjoyed the gameplay since the first one as well. Combat mechanics are simple, easy to learn and easy to conquer but also easy to blunder if you don't know how to handle large crowds of enemies (when the opportunity presents itself). Now, with the addition of naval fights brought new life to the series. I enjoyed thoroughly the naval fights, even though I keep bumping into islands during fortress captures. lol If you're playing through the entire series like I am, I recommend taking your time with this one and not just powering through the main missions (like I did with brotherhood, revelations and AC3). Black Flag was an enjoyable experience for me and I think you'll enjoy it too. Hopefully. Though, I didn't 100% the game, cause there's soooooo much collectibles in this one, only the truly dedicated ones will be able to complete it but it was fun trying to complete every island that I had to go to. Some I had to go out of my way to explore. So yeah. If you do decide to play this game, play at your own pace or however you want it. Happy plundering!

Well its assassins creed with a pirate. Probably the best AC series out there. Bug with kenway fleet still there though, ubisoft doesnt care anymore. Hopefully when they try remastering this one, they fix the bug too

Best pirate game out there i've played. Always come back to this game, whether you like the ac series or not, pick this game up and you won't be disappointed. The game is just fun. hits every nail on the head it's trying to. Just finished 100% playthrough on my steam version. (yes i've re-bought the game over and over for different consoles like a silly goose) and that'll be like my fifth time beating the game.... If you like beautiful scenery, amazing smoke effects (makes sure the physX is on and you comp can run it, those effects tend to lag slightly cause is simulated smoke, but fuck they look amazing) A great story with a rich protagonist, pirates of the carribean with a little more grit, then pick this up. I've shown this game to people who dont like the ac series and bought it just for its pirating. i could go on and on but honestly, you just have to play it to feel it. 10/10 I WILL PIRATE AGAIN

awesome game, although the game features more pirates than assassins.

DLC IS UNACCESSIBLE The Freedom Cry DLC is required to 100%. This DLC is not available. It is currently impossible to 100% without buying the GOLD Edition, which involves rebuying Black Flag.