To use Eagle Vision in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, hold R3 on PS5, hold the right stick in on Xbox, or hold V on PC. Eagle Vision highlights enemies hidden behind walls and objects and isolates the sounds they make, and in the remake it works alongside Observe, a scouting mode borrowed from Assassin’s Creed Shadows that tags enemies, clues and objectives.
Most of what you will find about Eagle Vision online describes the 2013 original, and the remake changed enough that the old advice does not all carry over. Below we cover the controls, what Eagle Vision shows now, how Observe fits in, and what changed.
Eagle Vision Controls on PS5, Xbox and PC
The control lists published for the remake at launch agree on the default binding, and all of them mark it as a held input rather than a single press.
- PS5: hold R3 (press in the right stick).
- Xbox Series X|S: hold the right stick in.
- PC: hold V.
Ubisoft’s help site has a page on customizing the game’s controls, so if V or R3 does nothing, check the controls page in Settings for a changed binding.
What Eagle Vision Shows in Resynced
Ubisoft’s own description of the returning ability is short: “Classic Assassin’s Creed Eagle Vision returns for Edward, allowing him to highlight enemies hidden behind walls and objects, as well as isolating any relevant sounds they make.” The sound cue matters when you are tracking guards around corners you cannot see past.
Beyond that official line, early Resynced guides describe the color coding this way:
- Red: enemies, and also huntable animals, which makes Eagle Vision the quickest way to find game for crafting.
- Yellow: objects of interest, such as loot.
- Green: objectives.
Two exceptions are worth knowing. Collectible guides note that Community Chests do not light up in Eagle Vision, so those still need the treasure hunt clues. And an accessibility review of the remake points out that tailing and eavesdropping targets no longer get the yellow glow they had in 2013. They now carry an icon above their heads and otherwise look like every other guard, which is easy to lose in a crowd.
Observe: The New Half of Scouting
Ubisoft’s stealth deep dive says Eagle Vision is enhanced by Observe, a feature first introduced in Assassin’s Creed Shadows that lets Edward survey his surroundings to find quest objectives and clues and to tag enemies. The camera also moves in closer during Observe, so it reads more like surveying the area than flipping on a filter. If Observe feels familiar, that is because it is the same idea Shadows players know; our Assassin’s Creed Shadows guides hub covers that game.
The practical split: Observe builds the plan from a safe spot, and Eagle Vision keeps it current once you are moving and guards slip out of sight. Early Resynced guides report that tagged enemies stay readable through walls, which is what lets you time a move instead of reacting to a surprise.
Launch control lists disagree on Observe’s default button (some put it on the held aim trigger, others fold it into the Eagle Vision input), so check the controls page in Settings or watch for the on-screen prompt rather than trusting a single list.
What Changed From the Original Black Flag
Ubisoft’s history of Eagle Vision describes the 2013 version as the one that let Edward tag up to ten enemies or animals, see them through walls, and keep seeing them after switching the view off. It could not be used while running or fighting.
In Resynced, tagging lives in Observe, and stealth around it was rebuilt. Per Ubisoft, Edward can now crouch anywhere, light and shadow affect how visible he is, and he can dive to approach seafront locations and ships unseen. That makes scouting more important than it was in 2013, because where you stand after scouting now matters as much as what you saw. Stealth on this model will feel familiar if you played Shadows, where darkness itself is a hiding spot, as our guide to changing time of day in AC Shadows explains.
A Simple Scouting Routine for Restricted Areas
- Find a high, quiet perch such as a rooftop, tree or mast outside the restricted zone.
- Observe first. Tag the guards, the alarm bells and the objective so their positions stay readable.
- Crouch and move through shadow. Crouching lowers Edward’s visibility at medium and long range, per the game’s creative director.
- Pulse Eagle Vision as you go. Hold it briefly at corners and doorways to catch guards who have moved since you tagged the area, and listen for the sounds it isolates.
- At sea, use the spyglass. Launch control lists put the spyglass on F for PC, with a tag button available while it is open, which does the same job for ships that Observe does on foot.
If you enjoy planning infiltrations around light, the season change guide for AC Shadows shows how that game layers weather and seasons on top of the same idea.
Frequently Asked Questions
What button is Eagle Vision in Black Flag Resynced? Hold R3 on PS5, hold the right stick in on Xbox, or hold V on PC. These are the defaults, and you can change them on the controls page in Settings.
How do you tag enemies in Black Flag Resynced? Through Observe, which Ubisoft says can tag enemies and find clues and quest objectives. Early guides report that tagged enemies stay visible through walls. At sea, the spyglass has its own tag input.
Why don’t tailing targets glow yellow anymore? According to an accessibility review of the remake, it dropped the yellow highlight the 2013 game used for those targets. They now carry only an icon above their heads, so keep the camera on them.
Does Eagle Vision show Community Chests? Collectible guides report that it does not. Community Chests have to be found through their treasure hunt clues instead.
Is Observe the same as in Assassin’s Creed Shadows? It is the same feature, which Ubisoft says was first introduced in Shadows. In Resynced it pulls the camera in closer as Edward surveys his surroundings.