Want to look at all the changes in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced? We've gone through all the pre-launch information Ubisoft revealed about the AC4 remake and have corroborated and added to it thanks to the many hours we've sunk into the game between us. For your convenience we've explained all the major differences, improvements, and additions - from graphical enhancements and map expansions to new officers for the Jackdaw and stealth changes for Edward - in Black Flag Resynced below.
What does the Black Flag Resynced remake change?
By all accounts the Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced remake is largely a modernization of the original game, updating its visuals and adding and adjusting features in line with more recent technological advances and sensibilities, although the developers have also chosen to remove certain elements. We've broken them down into three sections for easier navigation, which you can do via the tabs at the side of the page.
Story and quests
- No future sequences. The original AC Black Flag had multiple sequences set at Abstergo Industries based around an unnamed protagonist. These will be removed in Resynced.
- Tailing and eavesdropping missions are revamped with "multiple ways to succeed and progress". After tailing missions in the original game were a pointedly unpopular element, the new game includes alternate ways to resolve them, and no longer fails you if you're spotted.
- Three new Black Flag Resynced Officers for the Jackdaw. Known as Lucy Baldwin, the Padre, and Deadman Smith, each one is unlocked via new Officer quests and unlocks new abilities for the Jackdaw.
- New quests and storylines. Black Flag Resynced features a new endgame questline made up of eight side quests. There are also new side quests for Blackbeard (you have to find Blackbeard's Treasure in Black Flag Resynced) and Stede Bonnet, one for unlocking more pets, and one for collecting art pieces for the Great Inagua mansion.
- New "what if" Rifts. Players can find optional Rifts that allow you to play through various alternate realities and "what if" scenarios for Edward and other characters. These are the closest thing to modern-day sequences in Black Flag Resynced as you, the player, fiddle with the Animus.
Gameplay and online
- Combat reworked. Fighting in Black Flag has been somewhat updated for the modern day, with elements including perfect parries and chained takedowns that allow you to take down enemies with clever timing.
- Gear perks: More weapons come with special perks and Edward can now be equipped with up to two Trinkets to gain additional perks.
- Improved parkour. The free running gameplay has been made more versatile and fluid with the inclusion of new mechanics, like free jumps and various wall ejects.
- Stealth gameplay improvements: Crouching is no longer contextual as there is a dedicated crouch button. The visibility meter is also affected by day, night, and weather, with rain making Edward harder to spot. Overall, players have a bit more creative freedom for approaching stealth sequences and assassinations.
- Expanded map: The entire Caribbean Sea map has been expanded a bit with new island to explore. This also means that any map coordinates from the original game are completely different in Resynced.
- Dynamic weather system. Weather conditions like storms and rain now appear to be more interactive and impact the world more significantly.
- Underwater exploration is more expansive. Underwater areas have been redesigned and expanded, and you can now dive below the surface anywhere.
- New Black Flag Resynced pets. Players can obtain pets for the Jackdaw. So far, a cats and a monkies have been confirmed, but there sadly doesn't seem to be a parrot.
- Alternate fire upgrades for the Jackdaw. All the Jackdaw's weapons and cannons now have secondary fire modes that can be unlocked. The suit of Black Flag Resynced Ultimate ship upgrades still exists too.
- You can now pass time: Using the new Black Flag Resynced skip time feature allows you to fast-forward to the morning or evening, but only under certain conditions.
- Removal of multiplayer. The multiplayer component has been removed from Black Flag, and it is now fully single-player.
- Integration to the Animus Hub. Black Flag Resynced is tied to the Animus Hub platform, including its live service elements as seen in games like Assassin's Creed Shadows before it. That means it also features Projects for unlocking things and the collectible Keys currency.
Graphical and technical changes
- Anvil Engine. Black Flag Resynced runs on Ubisoft's Anvil engine. This specific incarnation of Anvil has been previously used for Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Mirage and Shadows, as well as Immortals Fenyx Rising and Skull and Bones, though it received an upgrade for Shadows, with both technical and gameplay additions.
- No more loading screens when entering cities. Docking at cities and settlements is now unbroken gameplay with no loading screens involved.
- Improved textures, lighting effects and visual detail. Thanks to a total redesign of all assets and the latest Anvil improvements, Black Flag Resynced has an incredibly detailed and more immersive Caribbean map.
- Environmental destruction. Objects in the world are easier to destroy in the course of combat, but this doesn't really affect gameplay.
- New sea shanties. The original game's sea shanties are in Resynced, but also new ones "connected to the story". These come as part of a partnership with musician Woodkid, who collaborated on the new shanties.
Those are all the major changes but much is also the same and should be familiar if you've played the original. Things like the Black Flag Resynced Treasure Maps and Black Flag Resynced Mayan Stones are in the same locations but at different coordinates due to the changes to the map. If you want to know where all those sorts of collectibles and side quest items are, be sure to check out the rest of our Black Flag Resynced guides.
Is Black Flag Resynced on Game Pass? We've explained here.
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