Booty Call: Interview With Ashraf Ismail

What’s the story of Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag?
“It tells the story of Edward Kenway, a young British man who left the navy to become a pirate during the final decade of the Golden Age of Piracy in the West Indies (now known as the Caribbean). Edward is thrown into the middle of the ancient war between Templars and Assassins.”
How did you design a completely open world in the Caribbean?
“I think the only way to make this work is to merge land and sea: fusing classic Assassin’s Creed gameplay (combat, free-running) with a completely new and fresh pirate fantasy.
Let’s take an example of an open-world event. You might be free-running across the rooftops of Havana, and suddenly you encounter a citizen being harassed by Spanish troops. You can save him using all of your assassin skills - either using stealth or by charging in, two cutlasses in hand. After saving him, he asks you to help save his family from slavers, who are hiding on a plantation near Kingston. You set sail towards the plantation.
On the way there, you might see a couple of merchant ships you want to loot, as they contain goods too valuable to pass up. Or you might see the rare White Whale on the horizon. You might spot a new island that you’ve never seen before, with its own secrets and content.”
What kind of ships are in the game?
“Players will encounter and fight a wide variety of ship models: from the merchant ship to the feared Man-O-War. You’ll have to find the most appropriate tactic to prevail against enemy ships, taking into account their speed and the current weather.”
Black Flag is out for PS4 and Xbox One as well as current gen consoles. How will the new console improve the game?
“From environments to characters, everything will be much more realistic. A couple of examples are the plant physics, the water droplets on the trees in the jungles, or the volumetric fog, which brings more intensity in the naval fights.”
What can players expect from the Companion app?
“The companion app is your second screen (we support Android and iOS). Players will be able to use it to improve their exploration of the West Indies. Among other uses, it allows players to localise their ship in real time, share discoveries with their friends (like the co-ordinates of rare animals) and manage Kenway’s fleet.”