Black Flag Resynced: Legendary Ship Battles Remain Unchanged

While Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced brings a host of significant updates to the 2013 pirate classic, it is not delivering the content many fans had hoped for. The remake introduces a major graphical overhaul, a refined sword fighting system, and three new officers to recruit. However, it is touching up countless minor details without adding the one feature that defined the most challenging aspects of the original Caribbean experience: the legendary ship battles.

The Return of the Apex Predators

The video above, taken from the original game, captures the essence of fighting the apex predators of Black Flag. These level 75 vessels were far greater threats than the standard ships encountered throughout the campaign. Players recall the specific mechanics of these cursed legendary ships, including:

  • El Impoluto: Known for its devastating ramming attacks.
  • La Dama Negra: A heavily armored ship featuring dual mortars.
  • HMS Fearless and HMS Royal Sovereign: Notable for fighting side-by-side.
  • HMS Prince: A ghostly vessel that lurked in thick fog, often mistaken for a phantom.

In later entries of the franchise, Ubisoft expanded on these legendary duels to create more creative, and ultimately mythological, boss fights. Titles like Assassin's Creed Valhalla introduced legendary animal encounters that became some of the coolest moments in the series.

No New Legendary Ships for Resynced

Despite the desire for more content, game director Richard Knight confirmed that the roster of legendary ships remains fixed. When asked if the remake would add more of these difficult encounters, Knight clarified that the game retains only the original five.

"We still have the same originals," Knight stated. "There's another really tough ship in the game that I won't mention, but we still have those guys back."

This decision means players will not get additional legendary ship battles in Resynced, prioritizing the refinement of the existing experience over new content of this type.

The Future of Freedom Cry

Knight also addressed the inclusion of Freedom Cry, the acclaimed DLC focused on Kenway’s former quartermaster, Adéwalé, and the liberation of enslaved Africans. Ubisoft has stated that Resynced focuses purely on Edward’s story. However, this does not necessarily rule out Freedom Cry returning as downloadable content in the future.

"With Assassin's Creed as a whole, it's got all these compelling stories and characters, so I don't think you can ever rule anything out," Knight said. "But we really hope for now we can give you everything you wanted out of Edward's experience, and we'll see what the future holds."

For now, the Resynced edition stands as a polished tribute to Edward Kenway’s journey, leaving the door open for future expansions that might explore Adéwalé’s story.