Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has launched to generally positive reviews from critics, earning a Metacritic score of 84. However, the PC version on Steam has been hit with review bombs for two main reasons: a technical bug locking cutscenes to 30 frames per second under certain settings, and an abundance of paid day-one downloadable content (DLC) totalling £76.21.
30fps Cutscene Bug on PC
Players reported that cutscenes are capped at 30fps when using ray tracing, BVH, or terrain quality set to Ultra High. A Ubisoft employee acknowledged the issue on the Steam forum, stating, “Cutscenes are locked to 30 FPS on PC when using Raytracing, BVH or Terrain Quality at Ultra High setting.” A temporary workaround involves resetting the graphics overall preset to any pre-configured setting and avoiding manually setting those three options to Ultra High. Ubisoft has not announced a release date for a permanent fix.
Day-One DLC Priced at £76.21
While the base game costs £49.99, slightly below the standard AAA price, the available day-one DLC amounts to £76.21. These are mostly cosmetic packs for the protagonist Edward Kenway and his ship, the Jackdaw, including new costumes, sails, and pets. A £4.29 Map Pack marks all collectibles on the map without requiring exploration. The community reacted negatively, with one review stating, “What's the point of getting the deluxe version when, immediately in game, there's $84.91 worth 'DLC' that you don't own?” Another added, “Come on Ubisoft you just couldn't hold yourself huh?! Releasing a 70 euro game and on the DAY of the release you slap us with 85 euros worth of DLC packs that are just not cosmetic but give you a gameplay advantage. This is why piracy exists and I will be refunding!” A third read, “Bought the Deluxe Edition for £59.99 to have £76 of extra DLC advertised to me at launch. No thanks.”
Rating Recovery to 'Mostly Positive'
Initially, the game received a 'Mixed' rating on Steam, but as more reviews came in, it improved to 'Mostly Positive'. Some players acknowledged the quality of the game despite the business practices. One review noted, “The game deserves the thumbs up. Ubisoft deserves a very big thumbs down, but at this point, I don't think anyone is surprised anymore.” Others chose to focus on enjoyment, with a review stating, “Personally, I don't care about the negative reviews about the overpriced DLC. What matters is that I'm enjoying the game.”
