Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is the game you remember, but it's even better

I've not returned to the Caribbean Isles of Assassin's Creed Black Flag since it launched in 2013. In my head, it's a gorgeous recreation of the tropical part of the globe; the world elevating what is also one of the series' most enjoyable stories. Ahead of Resynced's release, I've had three hours of hands-on time with the remake, and it looks better than I could ever have imagined.

My time with the game was split into three sections: the opening sequence and Kenway's journey to Havana, an hour of open-world exploration, and a look at some of the new content. Across those three sections, it was how incredible the RPG looks, how much new content has been added, and the combat changes that really stood out.

When I first took control of Edward Kenway, lying on his back on that famous beach, the game's visual upgrade blew me away. I think it's the brightest and most colorful game I've ever played. The deep blue seas, white crashing waves, golden beaches, and lush green forests pop with a paradise-like sheen. At times, it's almost cartoonishly colorful, and Ubisoft has pushed the Anvil engine to the max to make Black Flag as beautiful as we all remember it being.

The world isn't as absurdly dense as the impenetrable forests of Shadows, but it's very detailed, with every island you can dock at being a feast for the eyes.

The visual upgrade pops even more in the game's plethora of new content. There are four new chapters to play, replacing the boring modern world stuff from the original game, including ten quests based on the new officers you can recruit for your crew. I only met Lucy Baldwin during my preview, but she looks better than any other side character in the game. She's beautifully charismatic, and is shaping up to be an excellent addition to Kenway's story.

It's the new content that's impressed me the most, generally. An increased focus on Blackbeard, one of the game's best characters, is more than welcome, and there's a lot more to do as you sail the Caribbean seas. It seems as though the new quests are more unique, too, which will add a vital shot of variety to the story. Black Flag's biggest issue was the over-reliance on similar quest types, such as the horrid insta-fail tailing quests, so adding new stuff to break that up is a really smart move. Pacing has been an Assassin's Creed-wide issue for years, so hopefully this will help Resynced avoid that pitfall.

While ship combat feels mostly the same, whether you like that or not, there are a lot of new weapons to try out. Heated shots, shrapnel barrels you can drop, a concentrated mortar fire mode, and swivel guns with manual aim are just a handful of the new options you have when kitting out your ship's arsenal.

On shore, though, the hand-to-hand combat has seen more of an overhaul. Now, sword fighting is more like modern Assassin's Creed games, focusing on parries, counters, and combos. Dodging feels a little slow compared to parrying and attacking at the moment, but that may be tweaked between now and launch. 

Combat is also more fluid and simple, and feels great, allowing you to use different gadgets and tools without panicking. With grappling weapons, smoke bombs, and more to use during fights, you can really get an advantage on your enemies if you don't just hack away with your trusty sword. Enemies now adapt to your playstyle, too, so you'll be punished if you don't switch up your approach from fight to fight.

There are other small improvements throughout the game. Manual crouch and jump buttons have finally been added, which means no more awkwardly walking into benches and fences, as well as giving you better control in stealth-focused quests. You can now dive into the sea wherever you are, giving you a chance to check out the incredibly detailed seabeds and all of the Caribbean's marine denizens.

That only extends the incredible amount of stuff there is to do in Black Flag Resynced. I enjoyed Shadows a lot, and think it's the best Assassin's Creed game for a long time, but I didn't feel the pull to just wander around the world and see what caught my eye. Much like it did back in 2013, Black Flag does prompt that desire. Whether it's taking on assassin contracts, plundering islands, taking out random ships while roaming the seas, or tackling the story quests, you have so many options when exploring. It's very easy to get lost in small distractions, but those distractions are fun and largely worth your time.

With a story that's full of fun personalities, an impressive suite of new content, and some of the most vibrant visuals I've ever seen, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is a brilliant update to one of the series' most iconic games. I can't wait to jump back in and start singing the shanties along with my crew like it's 2013 all over again.