Black Flag 2?
X1 and PS4 gamers got their own AC game with Unity, which well….has its share of issues (check the review here) but overall it is a decent game and one that I’m sure will be improved upon post-launch, just hold in there…or dig deep and get through it and you’ll find it’s not all that bad. If however you haven’t made the leap to next-gen and want a different Assassin’s Creed experience, then look no further than Rogue…
Essentially it’s more or less a sequel of sorts to Black Flag, which is my personal highlight of the series so far. You play as an Assassin named Shay who as the name of the game implies, goes rogue and joins the Templars. It’s an interesting concept to switch camps after dozens of games playing solely for the Brotherhood, but to have one that defects is new and refreshing… the story itself is also entertaining throughout and a new protagonist joins the fold, I was skeptical when I first heard about it…but I love being proven wrong and that’s just what Rogue has done.
Sure, it looks and feels the same as Black Flag, but it does have some noticeable differences. The Naval gameplay returns, but more refined and with new weapons at your disposal…also you’ll have to deal with ice cold water, so you can’t exactly stay in there long without suffering. The “real world” plot that is in the background of every AC game returns in the same way it did in Black Flag, except you are working at Abstergo Entertainment and have to do research on Shay, while looking around the offices between Sequences.
As with every other AC game, expect a lot of collectables to discover as well as viewpoints to synchronize…not to mention the side missions and upgrades for you and for your ship. Overall it feels like a combination of the best moments from other AC games rolled into one, which doesn’t make it original…but it does make it the most fun out of the lot, Unity included. There’s no multiplayer or co-op play to speak of, so it’s a totally solo experience…but with the amount of content here, it’s no big loss.
Visually, Rogue looks more or less identical to Black Flag…but the framerate does seem a lot smoother, the load times seem shorter too. Either that or I’ve been playing too much Unity to tell. Voice-acting is a real plus for Rogue, I was skeptical about the Irish accents, but they do work well within the game, while the music is just as good as in past games.
The Verdict
Assassin’s Creed: Rogue may not come with much new to the table in terms of gameplay, it actually feels like the “AC: Best Of” Edition. But overall, it’s a great follow-up to Black Flag and one that’s just as enticing to play. Sailing on the high seas has never been as fun as this.
