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A common thread for many of the next-gen games slated to release later this year is a densely populated open world. With new technology at their fingertips, developers are now able to craft worlds that feel and look more real than ever before.

Assassin's Creed 4, for example, is stepping things up considerably, by breathing life into The Caribbean in all possible ways. From the movement of the ocean and waves, to the real-time weather effects, Ubisoft claims Assassin's Creed 4's will be the most realistic open world yet.

In a new trailer for AC 4: Black Flag, Ubisoft explains how they brought The Caribbean to life. There are dozens of subtle elements at play, from the textures of the waves to the way light bounces off objects, that will presumably go into making Assassin's Creed 4 feel unique.

Rain and real-time weather effects will also have an important role in bringing the world of Black Flag to life, from the individual rain particles to the fog rolling in off the Pacific. The Caribbean is a microcosm of varying degrees of humidity, and Ubisoft appears to be working hard to recreate those conditions.

Assassins Creed 4 Trailer Next-Gen Open World

The trailer also covers the interactions between two competing boats — how the player can interact and move between the two, and how the NPCs will react as well. Players will have many different options when it comes to boarding enemy ships, with the end result being either recruiting the defeated crew or sending the ship to Davy Jones' Locker.

Naval combat is a major component of Black Flag, so getting an element like this right must have been extremely important to Ubisoft. Yes, there will be the traditional open world exploration as in previous AC iterations, but Black Flag extends that world to the sea as well.

Although this trailer is billed as a closer look at Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag's next-gen open world, it's important to point out the same moving parts will be at work in the PS3, 360, and Wii U versions of the game. Obviously, they will look better on Sony and Microsoft's forthcoming consoles, but that doesn't mean current-gen players will be left completely in the dust. All the same, though, pre-orders for the next-gen versions of Assassin's Creed 4 are outselling current-gen versions for a reason.

What do you think of the next-gen open world Ubisoft has created for Assassin's Creed 4? Will you be waiting for the Xbox One and PS4 versions of the game?

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag releases October 29, 2013 for the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii U; November 15th for the PS4; and November 22nd for the Xbox One.