Sand in between one’s toes, a bevvy of beachgoing folk at one’s side and a flagon of rum at the local taphouse; is it already spring break 2014? Nay, matey, it’s Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag.

The latest Assassin’s Creed is not for fans of the gory, instantly gratifying first-person shooters that have come to dominate popular gaming; rather than the point-and-shoot action of a game like Call of Duty, players of Assassin’s Creed must use subterfuge, stealth and strategy to complete missions. This being understood, the excellent game offers players vast environments, excellent graphics and an interesting storyline, even if it is a few years behind the pirate craze spurred on by the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films.

Gaming powerhouse Ubisoft recently released the latest installment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, a sweeping Caribbean adventure set in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag debuted at the end of October for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and other platforms. The Clarion reviewed it for Xbox 360.

Players take control of a young English privateer-turned-assassin called Edward Kenway. While the preceding installment in the series dropped players into Revolutionary War-era America, this installment jumps back further in time. Kenway traipses through Havana, beach towns, Spanish forts and desolate islands while a clandestine war rages between two ancient societies: the Assassins and the Templars.

While there may be a learning curve for players who are new to the franchise, the early levels of play allow for mistakes and also offer a tutorial. Similar gameplay action from previous games continues, featuring death-defying acrobatics, an unreal physics engine and unlimited capacity for hiding and mischief. The sheer size of the environments is also stunning. Kenway can travel on an almost unlimited basis around various islands and cities, while exploring forts, wine sinks and ships. The speed at which these wooden ships travel seems mind-boggling, but for modern gaming, perhaps the action had to be dramatically sped up. Additionally, while traveling around the pirate-infested Caribbean, players will encounter legendary figures from lore and legend, including Blackbeard.

The game also debuts just before a highly anticipated moment in gaming is about to occur. Sony’s Playstation 4 debuted on Nov. 15 and Microsoft’s Xbox One will debut on Nov. 22, just in time for a winter break gaming binge. This must put Ubisoft in an odd position for marketing and development, though, since the games will not be backwards compatible, meaning that if you purchased Assassin’s Creed 4 for the Xbox 360, that same copy will not work in your new Xbox One.The same applies to the Playstation 4. However, the Playstation 3 copy of the game includes an option to “upgrade” to the Playstation 4 version for $10, in addition to Playstation-exclusive downloadable content.

All things considered, the latest installment in the long-running Assassin’s Creed series, which first debuted in 2007, does not disappoint. With rich and vast playable areas, players will find plenty of territory to explore and plenty of pockets to pick. Pick up a copy today for hours of enjoyment over winter break or to break the monotony of studying for finals.