During the September 2019 Nintendo Direct, the company announced both Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Assassin’s Creed Rogue are coming out in a single collection aptly titled Assassins Creed: Rebel Collection. Both games originally launched for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC before being released again on Xbox One and PS4.
Rebel Collection will also include the two single-player DLC expansions for Black Flag: Aveline and Freedom’s Cry. Previously exclusive to the PS3, PS4, and PC version of Black Flag, the Aveline DLC sees Assassin’s Creed Liberation protagonist Aveline de Grandpré travel to Rhode Island to undergo an undercover mission that Assassin’s Creed III protagonist Connor was unable to. Freedom’s Cry continues the story of Adéwalé, a character introduced in Black Flag who would become one of the most brutal but honorable members of the Assassin Brotherhood.
Both Black Flag and Rogue are a turning point in the Assassin’s Creed series, existing in conjunction with Assassin’s Creed III and Assassin’s Creed Liberation as a series of stories that primarily take place within the same time period. Though Liberation follows Aveline and Rogue is about Shay Patrick Cormac, the four games primarily focus on the saga of the Kenway family–namely Edward, his son Haytham, and his grandson Ratonhnhaké:ton/Connor. Additionally, these four games mark the point in the series where Ubisoft began writing the Assassins and Templars with more nuance. Their conflict was less good vs. evil and more just two ancient organizations that have been at war with one another for many millennia.
In Black Flag, you play as a nameless Abstergo employee who joins the Assassins after living through the early life of Edward Kenway, a selfish and ambitious pirate who ultimately finds a higher calling by using his exceptional talents to safeguard human freedom as a member of the Assassin Brotherhood. In Rogue, you play as a different but still nameless Abstergo employee, this time living through the experiences of Shay, an Irish-born Assassin who betrays the Brotherhood and joins the Templars after being convinced the latter are doing more for the American Colonies than the former.
In GameSpot’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag review, Shaun McInnis wrote, “Black Flag presents a world full of adventure and opportunity, where treasures scavenged in a remote jungle can be used to turn the tide in a massive naval battle against mighty Spanish warships. It’s a game where you can sail the seas for hours at a time, either hunting great white sharks or simply listening to your crew sing one infectious sea shanty after the next. There’s an incredible scope to what you can do in Black Flag, with a level of harmony between its component parts that encourages you to try it all, and a story that keeps you invested throughout the whole thing.”
Our review for Rogue is somewhat positive as well, but the game isn’t nearly as good as Black Flag. In GameSpot’s Assassin’s Creed Rogue review, Mark Walton wrote, “Outside of a few additions like an air rifle and grenade launcher (which is used exactly one for mission), there’s next to nothing in Rogue that moves the franchise forward. And even if you simply wanted more of Black Flag, that the missions are so sparse makes it difficult to want to drag yourself across the vast expanse of Rogue’s oceans. Instead of a rich, fleshed-out game, Rogue is a short, mildly entertaining adventure that’s thin on core content, but thick with information. It’s intriguing information though, particularly if you’re a series fan, just don’t expect the best of adventures while you’re taking it all in.”
The Rebel Collection releases for Nintendo Switch on December 6.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-direct-assassins-creed-4-black-flag-and-r/1100-6469623/
