If you've ever fancied living the life of a certain Jack Sparrow, or often find yourself breaking into a west country twang when you talk about sailing the high seas, you'll likely be wanting to keep a close eye (presuming you still have at least one that isn't patched) on the upcoming Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. Taking the historically themed series in a slightly different direction by plonking you in command of the swashbuckling, young, and cocky Cap'n Edward Kenway, you'll be plunged into the midst of an expansive world as you sail the Caribbean with your crew of scurvy dogs, looking for trouble, loot and infamy as you brush shoulders with some of the most legendary pirates there are, including the notorious Blackbeard.
Bringing a slightly new (and rather watery) direction to a series that's often focused a bit too much on the stealth, what Black Flag mostly offers is a new sense of variety. With the ability to sail freely around a huge recreation of the Caribbean, and over 75 places to discover, from Inca temples to bustling cities, you won't be able to go long without stumbling across something interesting - whether it's a new port, a treasure map, or even an enemy ship. Should a treasure map lead to the right place, you'll even be able to go diving for hidden treasure amongst sunken galleons - but you'll have to make sure you avoid storms on the surface yourself, unless you want to suffer the same fate.
Treasure awaits, both above and below the surface.
Of course, all good pirates need a good ship, and young Kenway is no different. The Jackdaw will be your best friend, your home and weapon for all of your journeys at sea. Originally only having the most basic of equipment, with every mission you complete, and every enemy you sink, the potency of your latest play toy will increase - but equally, crew members can be lost in battles or storms, and your ship can be damaged too.
Of course, beyond an expansive single player mode, Assassin's Creed IV will also bring with it a mammoth online mode, as every major console game feels obliged to. Multiplayer will allow you and your friends to play around to your hearts content on the beaches, towns and ruins of the Caribbean - however, somewhat sadly, you won't be able to captain a ship on the water or engage in naval battles against your friends, which feels like a bit of an oversight.
To give you a little bit better idea of how the game will actually work, Ubisoft has released a new video with Game Director Ashraf Ismail who guides us through the various things the young Captain can get up to, whether entering a naval battle or searching for treasure as you explore the watery abyss.
The 1st November is when the Black Flag will sail over the horizon, with a release planning for the Xbox 360, Xbox One, Playstation 4, Playstation 3, Wii U, and PC. Pirates of the Caribbean this is not - but it could be the closest we've come in a game for some time. If you want to get your pirating juices flowing even more, why not have a gander at this interactive trailer, that shows off a lot of what makes Assassin's Creed IV one to keep a really close eye on.
