When in doubt, use a blowdart anyway, as they even work on major targets (which can basically be considered the boss fights of Assassin's Creed).
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Personally, I've found that sleep blowdarts are an excellent way to counter big enemies, as it takes them out of the action immediately, allowing for a very quick one-hit kill. What you'll want to do there is use a gadget to throw them off balance. I call it the "death combo," and it's by far the most effective way of killing off groups, so initiate it in any way you can as quickly as possible.īut you shouldn't use active counters on every enemy all of the time – specifically the heavier ones, who can counter your counter. Just like past games, this triggers a one-hit kill frenzy, so you can systematically take out enemies instantly, provided that you press the left analog stick towards your prey. In Black Flag, pressing the counter button twice will just throw your enemy down or into other foes (which can be useful for thinning out groups), but the real meat and potatoes is the instant kill counter. If you can score one counter, press the attack button immediately after – I repeat, do not mash the counter button. If combat is inevitable, keep your cool and watch those counter icons above enemy heads. The game also forgets to mention that you can switch your active gadget to coins, which allows you to throw some pocket change at citizens in exchange for some makeshift cover. Don't forget to use distractions – whistling while in bushes is the easiest way to take out patrols, and don't be afraid to mash on the whistle button if they don't approach you right away. This is especially useful for rooftop soldiers, where you may have eyes on them at one moment, only to lose them the next. Now, you can hold your camera on targets to "mark" them, and see them through walls at all times. Here's another fun little tip: When you're commanding your ship, you can use the direction pad to queue up new shanties (sea songs), avoiding the more annoying ones – kind of like Grand Theft Auto's radio system.When you're outside of combat, note that Eagle Vision is vastly improved in Black Flag. If you want more missions, go for the forts right away, and max out your mortar capacity and power to take them out. Once you've upgraded a bit, note that the southern tip of the world has the harder ships/content, and thus, the better loot.
#ASSASSINS CREED BLACK FLAG FULL#
If you're traveling at full speed and the camera zooms back in, it means you're close to crashing into something, so immediately slow down and correct your course. If you find yourself sailing in stormy skies or troubled waters and are lacking focus, try holding the left trigger from the front of the ship to "aim" your front-loaded weapon – it lets you get a more clear picture of your surroundings compared to just sailing normally. Should some of these swarm you and put you in a jam, make sure you board ships to give yourself a breather from the pack – then once you're done, simply choose the "repair ship" option. Unlike GTA, being "wanted" is actually a good thing, as it allows you to find well-equipped ships to loot much more quickly.
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Don't be tempted to waste money on Edward or your pointless hideout upgrades – you'll want to spend the vast majority of your loot on your ship, as the toughest missions in the game are all naval based.
#ASSASSINS CREED BLACK FLAG UPGRADE#
You might be tempted to avoid encounters and sail around them, but it's important to engage smaller ships at the very least, so you can earn more materials to upgrade yours (don't forget to sell your sugar and rum, as they have no point other than to barter for cash). Along the way you'll find crew members to save and materials to grab in the open ocean, as well as ships to pillage, which allows you to upgrade your own vessel. When you first acquire your ship (The Jackdaw), sail everywhere – no exceptions. Having said that, try not to rely on fast travel too much – you will regret it later in the game. To fast travel to a specific area on the world map, zoom all the way in rather than looking at it from a macro level and you can pick a specific quadrant of a town. When you enter each new area, try to make sure you climb one viewpoint and synchronize it – in Black Flag, each synchronization spot is a fast travel spot, so if you need to get somewhere fast, it helps to have covered all your bases. Eventually, you'll want to actually play the game.