Assassin's Creed 4 stealth systems highlighted in dev walkthrough

In seven minutes of gameplay footage, Ubisoft highlighted the improved stealth systems of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag.

In the developer walkthrough, director Ashraf Ismail showed off a stealth-focused assassination mission. The developer said that improved access to rooftops is combined with the "strong stealth rules and mechanics our fans have been looking for" to make Edward a "true assassin".

Edward is after a Templar's arms dealer, but on the way he gets distracted by a cave, and uses a diver's bell to look for treasures; accessing underwater caves means going in without weapons and tools, so stealth is imperative - at least until you steal a sword from a guard.

Our fearless captain finally makes it to a city, but quickly wanders off on a side-contract, which gives us a good look at rooftop free-running. Using eagle vision, Edwards spots multiple guards and uses stealth to take them out and make it easier to finish the mission undetected.

Finally, it's time for the mission itself: the target is on a boat on the other side of a jungle. Edward uses the new blowdart weapon to send enemies into berserk mode, and utilises a new kind of hiding spot. The assassination itself goes off without a hitch.

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is due on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 at the end of October in North America and in early November in Europe. It's also coming to PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One but these versions have not been dated.