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Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is pulling the well-loved open-world game into the modern era with updated graphics and revamped combat, but Ubisoft also says it's retroactively fitting Edward Kenway with parkour closer to the series' newer entries.
At a preview event attended by GamesRadar+, game director Richard Knight told us that games like Assassin's Creed Shadows or Valhalla will have an impact on the way Edward hops around pirate shanty towns or scales massive ships.
"From the start, the intention was clear: deliver a faithful and enriched experience grounded in what players loved," Knight says of the developer's mission statement. "We have rebuilt the entire adventure using our latest Anvil Engine. Expect fully overhauled visuals, new additions that deepen its world and enhance gameplay, both on land and at sea. Movement now flows more naturally from one action to the next, whether you're doing parkour across rooftops in Havana or fighting on the docks."
While faithfulness is a key goal for the game's remakers, it hasn't stopped them from borrowing a thing or two from more modern games in the series. "Parkour builds on the latest design improvements from recent Assassin's Creed games, while still keeping Edward's classic moves," Knight continues.
There aren't too many details on just how much Black Flag Resynced's parkour will resemble Shadows', for example, but the remake launches this July on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PS5. So we won't need to wait long to find out.
Knight also notes that combat is apparently more "dynamic" and Edward can now crouch anywhere, an ability that aims to "open up more tactical routes and subtle approaches" during stealth.
"Naval gameplay also follows the same philosophy and offers more tactical options. New officers will join your crew with powerful abilities, while the jackdaws weapons can be upgraded with new modes to change up the fight. The sea now plays an active role in how you'll be challenged by the elements, weather and waves will influence how your ship will handle while preserving the pace and freedom players remember."
