Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is just weeks away from release, and will introduce its millions of fans to an extraordinary new pirating world, one with hours’ worth of activities. Whether you’re invading the high waters in your pirate ship, diving for treasure, or fighting with the locals to earn loyalty at a local bar, there’s no shortage of things you can do with Edward Kenway.
Though we’ve covered some single player activities in a previous preview, we’ve broken down several new activities below, to give you an idea of just what you can do within the first few hours alone. Imagine just how much more can be unlocked.
Step Up To the Bar
Scattered throughout the islands are several taverns, where you can rest your feet for a bit and talk with the locals about certain missions that are nearby. To earn your place in these spots, you’ll first need to fend off a few locals, which should be rather easy.
You’ll be surrounded by approximately three to four guys, who you can fend off using Kenway’s fighting capabilities. You don’t need to worry about fighting to the death, as you’ll just need to knock them around long enough to show you’ve got what it takes.
From there, you’ll have access to the bar’s services, including nearby checkpoints where you can survey the surrounding land and see dangers afoot. You’ll also be able to get drunk, if you prefer, and the developers promise a fun “surprise” upon doing so. Ever get in a sword fight while in a staggering state?
Taking the Fort
One great mission we came upon during our hands-on time with the demo was the ability to overtake a fort. At first, you’ll have to approach it from the water with your ship, dealing with island defenses. Fortunately, you can take these out with a few well-timed shots of your cannons, turning them into rubble.
From there, you’ll be able to dock your ship and take on the soldiers remaining in the fort. You can go about this head-on, with swords drawn, for a full-fledged battle, or think in a more creative manner, sneaking up behind them and stabbing them with your handblade, or even using another tool of the trade, like a berserker dart.
By utilizing this, you can make an enemy go crazy and attack his own soldiers, leaving them no choice but to bring him down. This can serve as a distraction, or will dwindle their numbers long enough for you to swoop in and finish them off.
Whatever way you go about it, taking down forts is a great way to mix sea-based combat with what Kenway’s doing on the ground. Be sure to seek them out on the general map, which you can access anytime with the click of a button. Some have better defenses than others, so be prepared for a fight.
Let’s Go Fishing, Or Rather Sharking
When we say “fishing,” we don’t mean giving Kenway a rod and a reel for a peaceful day by the lake. We mean taking off his shirt and sticking him in a rowboat, and using a limited number of spears to bring down one of the tougher adversaries in the ocean, namely sharks.
Hitting one with a spear initiates the battle, as the shark goes swimming like crazy, with Kenway in tow in his rowboat. From here, you’ll have to hit the shark as quickly as possible with your throwing weapons. If you miss too often, it’ll eventually break free – though that doesn’t mean the battle is over.
The shark will actually come back and begin charging the boat. If you miss it, it’ll hit you and possibly leave you a bit injured. If you do manage to hit it with a spear, however, the battle begins again, and you’ll have a chance to finish it off once and for all.
It’s a great leisure activity, so if you spot any sharks in the water, don’t hesitate to go hunting.
There Be Treasure In the Water, Cap’n
Finally, the last activity we got to try out was deep-sea diving, looking for treasure on the bottom of the ocean. Kenway gets lowered to the depths with the help of a diving bell, which he can also use to get fresh oxygen, as he runs out after about a minute or so. It’s best to stay in close proximity of this bell, unless, of course, you like having water fill your lungs. Yeah, didn’t think so.
Looking for treasure is great fun, and sometimes you’ll need to find multiple chests in one single run in order to chock up a good amount of gold. There’s a catch, though. Also lurking deep within these waters are some nefarious sea life – mainly sharks – that could easily do damage to Edward. He can’t attack underwater, so he’ll have to either swim out of their way or make a run for the diving bell to avoid being a mid-afternoon snack.
The best thing you can do is go for the treasure that’s in your immediate area, and maybe find a good hiding spot just in case a shark happens to be floating by. You don’t want to stay too much in the open, though – they’ll see you and eventually make a run at you. Get what you came for, make your way back to the ship, and go about your merry way to the next treasure hunt.
These activities are just the tip of the iceberg in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, and various missions and side activities await you within this immense world. You’ll be able to see for yourself when the game releases on October 29th for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U and PC; November 15th for PlayStation 4; and November 22nd for Xbox One.
