Assassin’s Creed Mirage, analysis: a long-awaited return to the origins of the saga

For multiple deliveries Assassin’s Creed characterized Huge open world maps and endless fun which, while many of them were interesting, did extend the play time considerably. In many cases artificially. This is perhaps one of the biggest shortcomings of the latter installments, reflecting the principle that more is not always better.

However, the last three games have been great gaming propositions, with each iteration adding new mechanics that add points to the Ubisoft formula. Assassin’s Creed Mirage, while continuing parts of this path, represents a new formulation of the Assassin’s Creed proposition, closer to the original games than to the latest installments of the saga.

And it is mainly distinguished by two elements: goodbye RPG mechanics (at least in its pure form) and goodbye, huge open worlds. The Assassin’s Creed Mirage Feel like a return to the roots of the franchisebut keeping what worked (and very well) in the last parts of the saga.

In this case, the player takes control of an already known character if he played Valhalla. This is the story of Basim, who went from a simple thief from the suburbs of Baghdad to the Secret Master. The game aims to be a more narrative offering, telling Basim’s story, with gameplay in the middle, very similar to classic adventure films. It feels different because Assassin’s Creed Mirage differs in many elements from other games like Valhalla, but is closer to the Origins narrative.

The biggest weight, however, is the world that Ubisoft Bordeaux has built for Mirage. It’s still a huge open world map, but it’s focused on Baghdad and the surrounding area. This is an important step for a more intimate adventure, but it shouldn’t be misleading: Mirage makes it as easy to familiarize yourself with the map as it is to get lost in it. In some ways it’s very reminiscent of the beginning Origin, and anyone who has played the game will only be able to find certain similarities not only in its overall narrative, but also in the character’s beginnings and evolution. Not in vain, for many, Origin This is one of the best parts of the franchise.

The game starter not only lets you experience new mechanics that are closer to the original games than the new ones. In this case, stealth is much more effective than direct combat, and in most cases Openly facing multiple enemies is synonymous with loading the last saved point.. And Basim is less dexterous in battle than other characters in the saga, and although enabled the option parry+execute this makes combat easier, and it’s always better to act like an assassin than a Spartan warrior. This is perhaps its weakest point and the one that offers the least depth.

This has a lot to do with the removal of RPG mechanics. The catalog of weapons is much more limited, and although they can be upgraded, neither they nor the armor have levels, so in general the entire game is geared towards the same level for the player, despite there being areas (and enemies) more difficult than others. This is where the use of stealth and secondary weapons such as throwing knives, smoke bombs, or decoys comes into play the most. They open up much more opportunities to successfully get out of dangerous situations. than direct combat.

Baghdad shines with its own light in Assassin’s Creed Mirage

Moreover, Baghdad offers many opportunities for this. The city’s architecture goes a long way toward keeping it off the streets and out of sight of enemies. And the presence of nooks, hay carts, and places to hide means the game is designed for stealth in most situations. In fact, sneaking up on enemies can always kill them instantly, even if the enemies are stronger than standard ones. The game allows you to hide in the grass and underbrush, whistle to attract enemies, hide bodies, create distractions…

It is logical that the course of the game is more likely to a densely populated city like Baghdad is designed to rely on Parkour. It’s very fluid, more so than previous games, and allows Basim to move around the city very quickly. However, it still suffers from the problems of the previous games. In open areas or where we don’t intend to do it. Parkourthe situation of climbing things you don’t want to climb is constantly repeated, which is especially problematic, for example, when we are escaping from many enemies. Not that it’s a common occurrence, but it’s still particularly frustrating.

Baghdad is without a doubt one of the most populous, wealthy, and well-designed locations in the franchise. Moving around the city is a great pleasure, with bustling streets, lovingly built architecture and, in general, another main character of the game. This is nicely complemented by the graphics section of the game, which offers well-known mode, graphics and performance and for which we always recommend using the latter. At 60 frames per second, The game hardly loses any quality, and everything seems especially smooth.. The lighting is great and the smoke bomb particle effects, which you’ll be using quite often, are also very well done.

Mirage still offers some signature elements, such as eagle vision, which can be used at any time to mark enemies and targets. And yes, also through walls. However, the game includes a new mechanic called Assassin’s Focus, which allows you allows you to tag multiple enemies and eliminate them instantly. Logically, you’ll have to progress through the story to get it, but once you have it, Mirage becomes even more fun than without it, although it greatly simplifies the difficulty of the game and the stealth itself.

Is Assassin’s Creed Mirage worth spending money on?

Overall, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a great entry into the franchise and a game that you won’t have to spend countless hours finishing. The campaign can easily be completed in around 25 hours, although there are many more options available for those who want to get the most out of the game. The only flaw that can be found in these 25 hours is that perhaps many of the missions overuse “investigation”, stopping the action that the game offers, but given that it is very designed for stealth, this can be ignored . it’s easy to overlook since a large majority of players will enjoy it.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage – Deluxe Edition

In Assassin’s Creed Mirage, you step into the shoes of Basim, a cunning street thief who suffers from nightmarish visions and searches for answers and justice. After a deadly revenge, Basim flees Baghdad and joins an ancient organization: The Hidden Ones.

To book

Assassin’s Creed Mirage will be available on Xbox, PlayStation and PC on October 5 and is sure to be a must-play for fans of the franchise and a highly recommended game for those who have distanced themselves from it due to the number of hours they have put into it. This is a more intimate experience, combining the best of 15 years of the saga, which will no doubt not disappoint anyone who wants to give it a chance.