Ubisoft Launches Black Flag Official Trailer A Tad Early

[Karloff]

Ubisoft Launches Black Flag Official Trailer A Tad Early


You mean there's a story mixed in with all this piracy?

Whether it was too much grog that caused it will be a problem for future archeologists to puzzle out, but Ubisoft has let its official Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/previews/10216-Assassins-Creed-IV-Black-Flag-Sets-Sail-for-the-Caribbean] launch trailer out of the gate somewhat prior to the game's release date. Still, for those of you who want to know why Edward's in the business, it's all for love of a good woman. Or maybe a bad one, who knows, but the hangman's waiting, so the question's moot.

Evidently you're building a brave new world, but that shouldn't stop you taking the Jackdaw out for a loot-and-pillage junket every once in a while. It's a big new world, even if it isn't brave yet; 50 distinct locations await your thieving, greedy crew. But perhaps you've given up on gold, as the nice lady with the new neckerchief suggests. Maybe you'd like to do something more with your life. Kill dudes, for instance. Every brave new world needs a pile of corpses at its foundation.

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is due November 2013 for PS4, Xbox One and PC; October 29th for PS3, Wii U (in North America) and Xbox 360.

Source: Ubisoft YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IWwjdPJpiU]

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[Webb Myers]

The "Preorder Now!" ads would argue against this being a mistake. Ubisoft's financials are bad enough already. Now they're releasing their last hope for 2013 against Battlefield and Call of Duty. They need all the marketing they can push out.

 

[LordMonty]

Aye this is a all hands on deck Ubisoft move, they're just pushing this game hard.

To be honest I might even play this one since i gave up with... the first one? it came across as a boring GTA with a few good assasinastions. But now it seems to have gained some depth in game play and although sadly I believe they're still twisting the time bending story around quite a bit which was really build for 3 games but hey I#ll see when i play it and read a wiki page or two.

 

[VondeVon]

Oh, goodie, I can play a guy who is only driven to awesomeness because his woman died believing in him.

I would fork over ten times the asking price for this game, if I could be her - 'living free and defiant' - as she was taught by the man who died by his words. Driven to step up and be more, to not allow society or laws to keep her down. To have to fight not only Kings and Queens and armies, but the very men (and women?) she recruits and commands.

But no. She has to die, so Protagonist Man is free to be unfettered and motivated.

(Maybe it's just the way the trailer portrayed it, but he seemed like just another greedy, gold-loving slacker... until she died. And now he's suddenly all noble? Gimmie a break.)

I know, I know, female main characters don't sell well, blah blah blah - but if they're ever going to, this'd be the place for them.

PIRATES!

 

[XaVierDK]

Oh, goodie, I can play a guy who is only driven to awesomeness because his woman died believing in him.

I would fork over ten times the asking price for this game, if I could be her - 'living free and defiant' - as she was taught by the man who died by his words. Driven to step up and be more, to not allow society or laws to keep her down. To have to fight not only Kings and Queens and armies, but the very men (and women?) she recruits and commands.

But no. She has to die, so Protagonist Man is free to be unfettered and motivated.

(Maybe it's just the way the trailer portrayed it, but he seemed like just another greedy, gold-loving slacker... until she died. And now he's suddenly all noble? Gimmie a break.)

I know, I know, female main characters don't sell well, blah blah blah - but if they're ever going to, this'd be the place for them.

PIRATES!

Fun fact, when Assassin's Creed III came out, they released a game for the PSP with a female lead. Think it did okay, but can't remember the name of the game (Don't own a PSP, no interest past the fact that it got released).

But yes, it would be an interesting twist to have you play as a female pirate building an empire in a very male-dominated society and setting.

 

[VondeVon]

Fun fact, when Assassin's Creed III came out, they released a game for the PSP with a female lead. Think it did okay, but can't remember the name of the game (Don't own a PSP, no interest past the fact that it got released).

But yes, it would be an interesting twist to have you play as a female pirate building an empire in a very male-dominated society and setting.

Yeah, I know of that game, but I didn't buy it precisely because it was on the PSP. I might check it out on YouTube, see of it's worth hunching over a tiny screen for.

 

[VondeVon]

Aye this is a all hands on deck Ubisoft move, they're just pushing this game hard.

To be honest I might even play this one since i gave up with... the first one? it came across as a boring GTA with a few good assasinastions. But now it seems to have gained some depth in game play and although sadly I believe they're still twisting the time bending story around quite a bit which was really build for 3 games but hey I#ll see when i play it and read a wiki page or two.

If you haven't played #2, it's worth checking out. Everyone I know who didn't like #1, loved #2. (About three people. )

 

[Xenominim]

Just picked up Assassin's Creed 3 when it went cheap on Steam a week or so ago. It's strangely addicting but at the same time it's not particularly GOOD. It feels like this series really is on the cusp of being absolutely stunning if they would have the courage to tweak the maingame instead of just adding more crafting, collecting, minigame type stuff as a sign of growth. Make the combat challenging so I actually need to run away when more than 6 guys show up. Make stealth useful outside of 'detection=failure' missions and more believable than a visibly armed and conspicuously dressed man standing between two housewives. Stop dropping in random cameos of famous people for no rhyme or reason other than to say 'look, you know them!' Because the games look stunning and there's really not a whole lot else out there like them.

 

[ciancon]

I'd be more inclined to buy this if it wasn't an AC game. The series fell far too low with AC3 for me to go near it any time soon.

 

[Roofstone]

I bought assassins creed 3 again some time ago, to see if I could get hyped enough to buy this game, the trailers being good and everything.

Well.. I don't want black flag anymore...

...

At least not until I see and hear first hand from reviewers and friends that it is good.

 

[The Critic]

Fun fact, when Assassin's Creed III came out, they released a game for the PSP with a female lead. Think it did okay, but can't remember the name of the game (Don't own a PSP, no interest past the fact that it got released).

But yes, it would be an interesting twist to have you play as a female pirate building an empire in a very male-dominated society and setting.

Yeah, I know of that game, but I didn't buy it precisely because it was on the PSP. I might check it out on YouTube, see of it's worth hunching over a tiny screen for.

Liberation, right? That was the name. They're supposed to be releasing an improved HD version for consoles sometime next year, I think.

To the main point, the trailer's pretty, but I'm a bit annoyed by Anne Bonney's narration. She's an interesting historical character in her own right, and her and Jack Rackham (and presumably Mary Read, too) are supposed to feature prominently in the game; but it seems like the story might reduce them to flat stereotypes, Bonney in particular, judging by the narration. They seem to be going for the traditional inspired/tragically killed girlfriend route, which is just plain sad.

It's almost as sad as the constant "Piracy=Freedom and Liberty" tone the trailers keep striking. Assassin's Creed is a series that has quite a lot of potential for grey-and-grey , but the games tend to never quite capitalize on that setup.

Come to think of it, you know what would be fun? An AC game from the Templar side, where you have to spend time talking, coercing, and plotting in addition to the sneaking and killing. It'd be like the first part of ACIII mixed with a hypothetical Age of Sail version of Alpha Protocol. Would certainly add an interesting story dynamic, if nothing else.

 

[VondeVon]

It's almost as sad as the constant "Piracy=Freedom and Liberty" tone the trailers keep striking. Assassin's Creed is a series that has quite a lot of potential for grey-and-grey , but the games tend to never quite capitalize on that setup.

Actually, yeah, I felt that too. Piracy = assault, intimidation, theft and murder... which I suppose involves freedom to go out and take what you want at the expense of others. -_- Maybe it's a red herring thing, sort of learning how 'nothing is true, everything is permitted' isn't quite as all-encompassing as some thing. Like how Altair had to re-learn what he thought he knew?

We'll, see, I suppose.

 

[putowtin]

Fun fact, when Assassin's Creed III came out, they released a game for the PSP with a female lead. Think it did okay, but can't remember the name of the game (Don't own a PSP, no interest past the fact that it got released).

But yes, it would be an interesting twist to have you play as a female pirate building an empire in a very male-dominated society and setting.

Yeah, I know of that game, but I didn't buy it precisely because it was on the PSP. I might check it out on YouTube, see of it's worth hunching over a tiny screen for.

Liberation, right? That was the name. They're supposed to be releasing an improved HD version for consoles sometime next year, I think.

Really? That'd be good, it the only Assassin's Creed game I haven't played (I couldn't justify buying a vita just for one game!)

 

[Legion]

I know, I know, female main characters don't sell well, blah blah blah - but if they're ever going to, this'd be the place for them.

I suspect it has less to do with that and more to do with the fact that it is Desmond using the Animus to re-live his ancestors past. Obviously due to genetics he could go back to female ancestors as well, but it'd hardly feel natural for him to suddenly be in a female body. They'd need to account for that in the story and let's face it, Assassins Creed isn't exactly a game known for it's depth or details of storytelling. It takes a back seat to the contrived reasons to walk unsubtly on rooftops and jump into hay bales.

Then again I am of the opinion that Assassins Creed would be ten times better without any of the Animus side of things, and playing as a female assassin pirate would be a hell of a lot more interesting that Desmond and his band of irritating grandfathers.

 

[VondeVon]

I know, I know, female main characters don't sell well, blah blah blah - but if they're ever going to, this'd be the place for them.

I suspect it has less to do with that and more to do with the fact that it is Desmond using the Animus to re-live his ancestors past. Obviously due to genetics he could go back to female ancestors as well, but it'd hardly feel natural for him to suddenly be in a female body. They'd need to account for that in the story and let's face it, Assassins Creed isn't exactly a game known for it's depth or details of storytelling. It takes a back seat to the contrived reasons to walk unsubtly on rooftops and jump into hay bales.

Then again I am of the opinion that Assassins Creed would be ten times better without any of the Animus side of things, and playing as a female assassin pirate would be a hell of a lot more interesting that Desmond and his band of irritating grandfathers.

Desmond is dead, isn't he?

I can see there maybe being a synch error if the person's ego identity as male was too overpowering. It might keep throwing up errors, like constantly killing civilians throws up errors until you get desynched. At the same time, however, I think such errors would only crop up when the person was living a memory that actively jarred with their own experiences - such as going to the bathroom or sex. Frankly, I'd find that conflict interesting anyway and would love to see what happens when someone has to face the bleeding effect on top of gender conflict.

Also, I'm thinking that if Desmond can handle being born and witnessing his family being murdered, then he could probably handle looking down to see boobs. Although admittedly, it would be utterly unhelpful for the whole 'teaching you the skills of your ancestors' thing if he learned to account for the mass and weight of boobs that weren't there.

Edit: Subject 16 also says "All the men and women we?ve ever been" which I think might be taken as proof that there's absolutely nothing stopping the dev team from having had Desmond experience being a woman - except possibly concerns over how that might freak out male gamers/result in less popularity.