Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Black Flag is at its best when it allows the player to exist organically in its immensely beautiful and consuming open world. While the bulk of the game is exceptionally crafted, there are rough edges that keep it from reaching the masterful heights to which it aspires. Story missions that require swift execution and a careful step accentuate the clumsiness of the free-running mechanics, and can make the occasional sequence a bother to play. That, combined with low frame counts, will be sure to hinder the experience for some, but we don’t think it’s quite enough to take your sights off the captain’s deck.

The amazing world of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag has kept me gladly occupied for longer than any other game in the series, even though its story isn’t the strongest. At no point in my dozens of hours was I ever at a loss for something to do. Simply sailing wherever the wind takes me and seeing what sort of trouble I can get into is a complete joy. Beyond the underwhelming main campaign, Black Flag delivers a world brimming with gorgeous places to go, amazing secrets to discover, and nefarious pirates to stab.