Tailing missions in the original Assassin’s Creed Black Flag were one of the most frustrating aspects of the gameplay. They were a hangover from the PS3 era of Assassin’s Creed games, and many players were vocal about how much they disliked them.
Games that came after Black Flag finally did away with them, but when Resynced was announced, lots of people wondered how these old mechanics would work in an AC4 remake. After all, they’ve not aged well. Here’s how Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced handles the tailing missions from the original game.
Does Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced have tailing missions?
It’s not a simple yes or no answer, but the original tailing missions that were seen in AC4 are gone and have been replaced with a new system.
In the original game, players would need to follow a character for a lengthy period while avoiding detection and eavesdropping on conversations before eventually pickpocketing or assassinating the target. Detection resulted in an instant game over, which was wildly frustrating in a game that offered so much freedom in everything else it did.
How do tailing missions work in Resynced?
Now, however, players have more options for approaching these segments. Rather than mindlessly following the target, the player will be able to keep tabs on them and pick their preferred moment to strike – instead of simply enduring things.
Players can still listen to what they say and follow them, but should the target go down a dark alley, then the player will be able to pickpocket or assassinate them silently. If the target gets spooked, rather than game over, they’ll run, and the player can give chase. If the target makes it to safety, the player can then plan on infiltrating the location to still get to them.
It feels a lot like the Hitman games in this instance, with players being offered multiple ways to skin a cat, rather than suffering through a dull tailing section. There are moments where you need to briefly follow someone and try to remain hidden, such as with the plantation agent, but if they spot you, it just results in a fight rather than needing to start again – which is much more forgiving than the old way.
One of the first, and most annoying, tailing missions in the original Black Flag was during the …And My Sugar? quest, where players needed to stalk Captain Mendoza through Havana. Now, however, this target presides over an execution, and players can simply pick the best time to assassinate him. Or, they can follow and pickpocket him still. If detected, the target will run, and the chase is on.
But the good news is, the only way the mission ends in failure is if Edward is killed, allowing players the freedom to dynamically stalk and take down the target their way – like a true pirate assassin!
