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What you need to know
- What is it? An alternate-history action adventure.
- Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
- Developer and Publisher: Ubisoft
- Release date: October 5, 2023
- Available on: PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
Ubisoft, the renowned French video game company, may attract its share of criticism for being greedy or stubborn in their game design ideas, but it's only fair to recognise when they listen to their fans. This is especially evident in the Assassin's Creed series, where almost every game location—Ancient Egypt, Greece, or France during the French Revolution—is a result of the desires expressed by the large Assassin's Creed community.
The last trio of games in the Assassin's Creed series took a turn towards RPG elements, a shift embraced by some players but met with disappointment from die-hard fans. To address the longing for the classic AC experience, Ubisoft introduces Assassin's Creed: Mirage, a game touted as a complete return to the franchise's roots that initially captivated its fan base.
In this somewhat belated review, coming two months after the game's release, I aim to explore whether the latest installment of Assassin's Creed truly marks a return to its roots and assess its overall quality. With the recent patch introducing NG+ and various fixes, now feels like the opportune moment to deliver a final judgement.
Story: Nothing is true...
I confidently assert that the Assassin's Creed series boasts one of the most profound and intricate lores ever witnessed in video games, and I firmly stand by this claim. The narrative unfolds across 15 titles, weaving three interconnected storylines. The first revolves around the contemporary conflict between Assassins and Templars, notably embodied by Abstergo Industries. The second delves into the overarching tale explored by modern Assassins and Templars through the Animus across various historical epochs (main story). Lastly, there's the saga of the Isu race, known as The Ones that Came Before.
The seamless and captivating connection between these narratives creates an enjoyable and highly anticipated experience, eagerly anticipating how each storyline will unfold and in which direction it will evolve. However, with such elevated expectations, any misstep can result in a heightened sense of disappointment.
Embarking on the new Baghdad adventures with Basim, a sense of disappointment initially crept in, as the story of Assassin's Creed: Mirage seemed to suggest a lack of direction and fresh ideas from Ubisoft for this immensely popular series. Fortunately, this sentiment swiftly evolves as the narrative progresses. The tale gains momentum and becomes increasingly intriguing, culminating in a genuine catharsis when confronting and eliminating the leader of the Order of the Ancients, providing a satisfying turning point in the narrative.
Following that pivotal event until the end, I found myself immersed in one of the most compelling and profound narratives within the entire AC series. The depth of the story exceeded my expectations, especially considering our prior encounter with Basim in Valhalla. With knowledge of his true nature, it was foreseeable that the story, at least in terms of narrative, would take a significant and unexpected turn.
The story follows the classic Assassin's Creed trope. Basim, initially a young street thief, captures the attention of The Hidden Ones, yearning to be accepted into their ranks. Eager to impress, he sets his sights on stealing an artefact from the caliph's palace, held by the influential Order of the Ancients, which controls even the caliph. In a surprising twist, Basim comes into contact with an Isu artefact. Unforeseen events lead to the entire town turning against him, yet Roshan, his future mentor, chooses to aid him, ultimately admitting him into The Hidden Ones.
Following his training and induction into The Hidden Ones, Basim is assigned the familiar task characteristic of every assassin to date: the eradication of the Order of the Ancients by eliminating its members. However, as highlighted earlier, the true quality of the story in Assassin's Creed: Mirage doesn't solely reside in these conventional assassination missions. While each has its own compelling backstory, the narrative's strength lies in Basim's personal journey and the revelation of his true identity.
Anticipate significant plot twists and intriguing developments as the story reaches its conclusion. Witnessing how everything unfolds and understanding the transformation of Basim into the character we recognise from Valhalla adds a layer of fascination. Familiarity with the narrative of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla notably enhances the overall quality of the Mirage story, making the experience even more engaging and rewarding.
Yet, the storytelling in Assassin's Creed: Mirage still grapples with issues seen in Valhalla, particularly with the use of in-engine cutscenes attempting to convey emotions. This approach occasionally results in moments that appear comical and, at times, even less than captivating. On a positive note, the voice actors, including Basim's character, deserve commendation. Despite occasional slow pacing in their delivery, their overall performance in voice acting is noteworthy and contributes positively to the game's narrative.
In summary, the narrative of Assassin's Creed: Mirage doesn't break new ground or offer something entirely unprecedented. However, the exceptionally well-crafted conclusion compensates for the somewhat unremarkable storytelling throughout the game. Your patience with the occasionally mundane narrative is rewarded by a satisfying and skillfully executed ending that makes the overall journey worthwhile.
Gameplay: Everything is permitted
The essence of gameplay in Assassin's Creed games has long been centred around stealth, shadowy assassinations, and adherence to the three fundamental principles of the Assassins: refraining from harming the innocent, maintaining discretion, and never compromising the brotherhood. Over the years, this formula has been the hallmark of the series. Deviating from these norms marked a departure from the series' identity, causing it to gradually lose its distinctive essence.
Fortunately, to the joy of dedicated AC fans, Assassin's Creed: Mirage has fully returned to its roots. In just the initial missions, you'll experience more stealth than the entirety of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, rest assured. What's noteworthy is that not only does the game emphasise stealth, but all its elements carry that distinct Assassin's Creed signature, devoid of any mixed-in RPG elements that previously veered the series in an unintended direction.
The combat system in Assassin's Creed: Mirage appears to be a simplified iteration of the combat featured in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. It retains the familiar elements of light and heavy attacks, parrying, and dodging, with only minor enhancements unlocked through skill upgrades. The overarching advice from the game seems to be clear: avoid open conflict whenever possible. Even in the easiest setting, facing four or more enemies simultaneously is likely to lead to an inevitable defeat.
The combat in Assassin's Creed: Mirage is generally swift yet somewhat unwieldy. Notably, enemy attacks cannot be interrupted, contributing to a design that encourages a true assassin's response when overwhelmed, making a strategic retreat the preferred course of action.
The main and only weapons at your disposal are the sword and dagger in Assassin's Creed: Mirage. You'll come across various types of these weapons throughout the game, allowing for combinations. Additionally, both weapons and armour can undergo three upgrades each at specialised shops, using specific materials and schematics obtained from chests or mission rewards.
Apart from weapons, Basim possesses an array of tools in Assassin's Creed: Mirage designed to aid him primarily in stealth and occasionally in combat. These tools include throwing knives, smoke bombs, blowpipes, trip mines, and noisemakers. Notably, each of these tools can be upgraded to three distinct tiers, enhancing their effectiveness and utility in various situations, including battle.
While not adopting a full-fledged RPG concept, Assassin's Creed: Mirage incorporates a skill tree system. This system is streamlined, featuring a limited number of skills categorised into three tiers: Phantom, Trickster, and Predator. The first tier unlocks combat and stealth skills; the second focuses on tools; and the third predominantly encompasses skills related to Basim's eagle, Enkidu.
When referencing Enkidu, this mechanic has been retained from previous games, allowing players to continue using the eagle as a sort of drone to scout the terrain and identify points of interest.
Missions and assassinations in Assassin's Creed: Mirage showcase a different design this time around, with all activities being traceable through a dedicated tab named "Investigations." While reminiscent of the system in the original Assassin's Creed, this iteration avoids monotony by ensuring that each investigation is distinct and devoid of repetitive missions.
To unveil the identity concealed behind the mask and code name of a member of the Order of the Ancients, you embark on a series of research missions. Step by step, one mission at a time, you gather clues, progressively uncovering the information needed before delving into the main task at hand.
The assassination missions in Assassin's Creed: Mirage draw inspiration from Assassin's Creed: Unity, offering various approaches to eliminate the target. While theoretically diverse, in practice, the outcomes remain consistently identical. The execution of each mission tends to follow a predetermined sequence of events, limiting the potential for diverse outcomes—a missed opportunity from my perspective.
Examining the Hitman games provides a notable example of how such missions can be executed with more diversity. Nevertheless, considering the scale of the project and the constraints of the developers' budget for this particular Assassin's Creed installment, it's possible that the achieved level is the highest that could be realistically attained.
Discussing gameplay without acknowledging the parkour system, a crucial element in every AC game, would be remiss. The parkour system in Assassin's Creed: Mirage appears to be borrowed from Valhalla, featuring character movements reminiscent of Unity. Given that the game primarily unfolds in the densely built cityscape of Baghdad, rooftop parkour is frequently employed. While horseback travel is an option, it's not advisable due to narrow alleys and crowded streets. Considering the game's preference for evading close combat, parkour emerges as a frequently utilised and essential tool.
The parkour experience is notably smooth and gratifying, though occasional missed jumps or unregistered directional inputs can occur. Jumping across the rooftops of Baghdad, with guards in pursuit, is genuinely enjoyable and adds to the sheer pleasure of the gameplay.
A crucial element in any Assassin's Creed game is exploration and collecting various items, and in this regard, Mirage adheres to the classic Ubisoft formula. Discover a viewpoint, climb it to unveil all collectibles on the map, mark their locations, and then seek them out. While some may be hidden, requiring the discovery of underground or underwater entrances, the core concept remains largely unchanged.
While not as expansive as the maps in Valhalla or Odyssey, the map in Mirage is still quite sizable. Each district within the city boasts unique design elements. Additionally, there are desert areas outside the city; however, in contrast to the bustling cityscape, these areas are relatively empty and lack substantial content.
To sum up the gameplay, I can affirm that it's a true haven for devoted Assassin's Creed fans. Mirage genuinely embodies the essence of an Assassin's Creed title, emphasising stealth and adhering to the overall pace characteristic of the series. While many elements have been directly inherited from previous games, they have been expertly integrated to present a truly authentic stealth gaming experience.
Graphics and Sounds: Arabian Nights and Arabian Days
I don't believe I'm overstating when I say that Assassin's Creed: Mirage stands uncontested as the most visually impressive installment in the Assassin's Creed series to date, considering the remarkable visual treats we've witnessed throughout the franchise.
Every facet of the game, from the narrow alleys of Baghdad to the vibrant open and enclosed bazaars, mediaeval mosques, and expansive squares adorned with fountains and beautiful flowers, brings the Abbasid-era Baghdad vividly to life on the screen.
The allure of the desert and its meadows is particularly captivating, and when you stumble upon an oasis in the midst of the desert, the sensation is beyond words. The water effects stand out as some of the most beautiful I've witnessed in games. While not a novelty for Assassin's Creed, it's worth recalling the impressive water effects from Black Flag, a game released a decade ago, showcasing superior water visuals compared to many contemporary titles.
However, a lingering flaw inherited from Valhalla is evident in the in-game cutscenes, where character animations can appear oddly unnatural. A stark contrast is seen when compared to the exemplary execution in games like God of War. In God of War, Kratos subtly conveys emotions through facial expressions, each wrinkle telling a story. In contrast, moments with Basim can seem disconnected, with his expressions not seamlessly aligning with the intended emotions. This discrepancy can result in unintentional humour and a sense of disconnect, which detracts from the emotional impact of the scenes.
I understand the reason behind employing this cutscene system in Valhalla, given its vast scale. However, in the case of Mirage, which boasts an exceptional graphic presentation and is arguably the best of all Assassin's Creed titles, this approach feels somewhat flawed. There could have been room for a different method that could lend a touch of realism to the character animations, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
Nevertheless, the sound presentation is a source of genuine enjoyment and can be deemed a small masterpiece. While it's true that every Assassin's Creed game has featured outstanding soundtracks, Mirage stands out due to the unique nature of Arabic music. This music, with its inextricable connection to fairy tales, desert nights, and the tales from 1001 nights, adds a special touch to the overall experience.
From the very moment you start the game, the musical brilliance becomes evident, particularly with the captivating opening soundtrack that unfolds like a genuine fantasy. The soundtrack left such an impression on me that I frequently sought out the complete compilation on YouTube, indulging in its enchanting melodies. My sincere commendations to the team for crafting such a remarkable musical experience.
Conclusion
Assassin's Creed: Mirage serves as a heartfelt tribute to devoted fans of the franchise, evoking the nostalgia of the earlier, arguably superior days of Assassin's Creed. Despite a few discernible flaws, particularly noticeable to loyal fans, the game offers hours of enjoyable Assassin's Creed entertainment. Considering its reduced price of $50 and the additional holiday discounts across all platforms, it becomes an even more affordable and enticing option for fans to dive into.
The Good
A true Assassin's Creed experience- Engaging story with very interesting ending
- Stunning graphics
- Authentic soundtrack
- Affordable price
The Bad
Cutscene animations- Pretty simple and unsatisfying combat system
