I didn’t expect today’s session to turn into something so intense, but that’s the thing about Assassin’s Creed Rogue: you never really know what kind of storm you’re walking into. I sat down thinking I’d just tweak a few details on my ship and maybe explore a bit… and suddenly I was knee-deep in ice, gunpowder smoke, and the kind of adrenaline that forces you to breathe slowly so you don’t shake.
Before setting sail, I knew my ship needed attention. Nothing too fancy—just enough to avoid sinking the moment a patrol noticed me. Upgrading the cannon felt especially satisfying. I don’t know if it’s the sound, the weight, or the promise of destruction, but watching that thing fire feels like unwrapping a gift you didn’t expect. It made me feel prepared in a way I hadn’t felt in days, and I needed that little boost of confidence before heading into the North Atlantic.
Once I set sail, the air felt different—sharp and clean, like something that wanted to warn me and inspire me at the same time. The ocean stretched out in a cold, endless mirror, broken only by drifting pieces of ice that cracked loudly whenever the ship pushed them aside. It was hauntingly beautiful, almost too beautiful for a mission that involved chasing down a man like Samuel Smith.
But there he was, fleeing across the frozen waters as if the cold could hide him. The moment I spotted his ship, that little fire inside me lit up—part challenge, part instinct. The pursuit began quietly, steadily, until the first cannon shot echoed across the sea like a drum announcing a ritual. My upgraded cannon did its job. I felt almost proud of the ship, like it had grown with me, ready for this little victory I desperately needed.
The fight wasn’t easy, though. His escort of redcoats made sure of that. Ships flanked me, trying to corner me between patches of ice, but I refused to slow down. Each maneuver felt like a dance, each evasive move like the step of someone who’d finally learned to trust her own rhythm. I wasn’t perfect—but I was better than yesterday, and that alone kept me going.
Once Samuel’s ship was crippled, he abandoned it and tried escaping inland. That’s when everything shifted from cold winds to tight corridors and the crunch of snow under my boots. Infiltrating the outpost felt strangely intimate, like slipping into a story that didn’t want me there. I had to keep quiet, wait for the right moment, and trust that I could carve my way forward even when it felt like I was taking a wrong turn every ten steps.
Redcoats swarmed the area, and sneaking past them required more patience than I usually have. But something about the quiet, the tension, the decision to keep going—I don’t know—made me feel oddly centered. One by one, I slipped past them, fought when I had to, pushed through the chaos until Samuel finally appeared in front of me, absolutely desperate and running out of places to hide.
His final attempt to escape didn’t last long. There was a strange sadness in the way he looked back, almost as if he knew this was inevitable. When I executed him, it wasn’t triumph I felt, but a quiet release—as if checking off a task I’d been subconsciously carrying all week. A small victory, yes, but one that somehow settled me.
I almost completed the mission at 100%. I was so close it almost stings, but not enough to ruin the experience. Some victories aren’t perfect, but they still matter. They still count. And honestly? I think I needed this one.
Next time, maybe I’ll get that perfect score. Or maybe I’ll just enjoy the chaos again. Either way, the North Atlantic still has plenty to show me.
