This game runs surprisingly well on my pretty outdated rig. I played with most graphics settings on Low, with textures and a few other details on Medium, and had very few issues. Even with these modest settings, the world was BEAUTIFUL.
As an avid fan of the original Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, I'd say Resynced is a faithful representation of the original game despite making a handful of significant changes. After completing the game 100% and seeing pretty much everything it has to offer, here are my thoughts, in no particular order:
1. The added story missions are a little odd sometimes.
It's very apparent that they were written much more recently than the original material, and the difference in writing style can occasionally be jarring. Overall, though, I enjoyed the additional content, particularly getting a little more closure involving Bonnet and Blackbeard. My biggest issue is with the final few sequences of the "A World Without Gold" questline. To me, parts of it didn't fit particularly well with the character development Edward Kenway had undergone throughout the main story.
2. The combat system has been altered slightly.
Kenway can no longer pick up weapons dropped by enemies, nor can you choose to fight exclusively with your fists or Hidden Blades. Regular combat now keeps you locked into using your equipped swords. It's fine and still feels like Black Flag, but I definitely miss the freedom of the original combat system.
3. Naval combat generally feels easier.
Regular naval encounters seemed noticeably easier to me than they did in the original. That being said, the Legendary Ships are absolutely still capable of kicking your teeth in, even with a fully upgraded Jackdaw. Some of them individually held me over for hours worth of combat. To me, they remain some of the game's best challenges.
4. Tailing missions are MUCH more forgiving.
Being discovered no longer automatically fails many of these sequences, which removes one of the more infamous frustrations of the original game. However, for psychos like myself who actually liked that system, you can still complete them the old-fashioned way without ever being detected.
5. There is a HUGE amount of stuff to collect.
There is an enormous catalog of weapons, outfits, ship cosmetics, collectibles, trinkets, and other items available in the base game without purchasing any DLC. I had a ton of fun hunting down and collecting everything I could find. If you're someone who enjoys completely clearing a game, or are just a loot goblin, there's a surprising amount here to keep you occupied.
6. The original game's "real-world" sections are gone (yay).
These mandatory real world missions in the original were definitely my least favorite aspect of the game. Instead of making the same mistake, Resynced has additional Animus-related questlines and objectives that exist outside the main narrative and become available as you progress. They are to my knowledge completely optional. I'm going to be honest: these still weren't my favorite part of the game, because much like my gripe with some of the added story missions, the newer Ubisoft writing style is a lot different that than their older stuff and can come across as jarring. That said, some of them provide additional insight into Edward's thoughts and personal struggles, which I appreciated. I completed them because I wanted them finished on my own playthrough, but they are largely separate from the normal achievement-based 100% completion run.
7. Kenway's Fleet has been completely overhauled.
It wasn't really my thing in the original game, and honestly, it still isn't here. It is an excellent source of passive income, though, and several collectible/completion items are obtained through Fleet missions, meaning you'll probably interact with it eventually if you're trying to collect everything. There's also some RNG involved in getting certain rewards, which can make the final stretch a little tedious. Overall, I think the new system is actually pretty cool and I'm glad it's there, it simply doesn't match the way I personally prefer to play.
Overall, Black Flag Resynced does what I wanted and expected it to do. It gave me a reason to sail the Caribbean as Edward Kenway again for the first time.
It isn't a perfect replacement for the original. Some mechanics have been simplified, some of the new writing doesn't quite mesh with the old, and there are changes I wouldn't necessarily have made. But the heart of Black Flag is still here: exploring the Caribbean, upgrading the Jackdaw, getting into ridiculous naval battles, hunting treasure, building Great Inagua, collecting an absurd amount of stuff, and watching Edward Kenway gradually become something very different from the man who washed ashore at the beginning of the game.
I went into Resynced as someone who already considered the original Black Flag my favorite Assassin's Creed game. I left after 100% completion feeling like I had genuinely experienced this version of Edward's story from beginning to end.
Highly recommended, especially if you already really enjoyed the original.
I did my due diligence in playing the game the way the devs intended, but now if you'll excuse me, I've conquered the Caribbean and have some mods to install.
