It's difficult to underscore just how much more convenient this makes Assassin's Creed 4 to play at a basic, functional level compared to other games in the series. And it's a necessity in light of the game's scope.

As a pirate captain, Edward can board his ship, the Jackdaw, and sail more or less unimpeded around the world, discovering new harbors, new islands and new secrets. The only thing that can really keep you from going where you want are practical pirate concerns — storms and other ships. Over time you'll earn resources to upgrade the Jackdaw, but there are almost always bigger, badder opponents out there. This effectively gates parts of Assassin's Creed 4's world until later in the game, but it contributes to a welcome sense of organic progression. It's rare that I encountered a load screen on open water, as the game only stopped when I entered a large city or began a new story sequence.

This change makes the best part of Assassin's Creed 3 — the sailing and ship-to-ship combat — much better. Out on the ocean, Assassin's Creed 4 is unlike any game I've ever played. Even the basic act of sailing the Jackdaw was gratifying as I called out commands to my crew, adjusting sails and angle to head off storms or enemy fleets, or shouting for full sail to ram an unsuspecting merchant ship. Angling to keep ahead of a frigate while setting up to broadside them with a full complement of cannon fire was fun every single time — despite how temperamental Assassin's Creed 4's sea can be.