The announcement of Assassin’s Creed Mirage was met with excitement and scepticism. Ubisoft promised a return to the series’ roots, focusing on stealth, parkour, and a richly detailed historical setting. Now, in 2024, the game has been out for some time, and it’s essential to evaluate whether it lives up to these promises and if it’s worth diving into. This comprehensive review delves into the various facets of Assassin’s Creed Mirage to help you decide if it’s a game worth your time.
Introduction and Context
Assassin’s Creed Mirage aims to evoke the essence of the early Assassin’s Creed games. Upon completing the game, players are greeted with a heartfelt message from the developers, positioning the game as a love letter to the series’ origins. This sets the stage for a nostalgic experience celebrating the franchise’s foundational elements—hidden blades, social stealth, and meticulously crafted historical environments. While the intention is clear and commendable, the execution offers a complex blend of successes and shortcomings.
Game Design and Development Efforts
The development team at Ubisoft Bordeaux has demonstrated a genuine dedication to recapturing the essence of the early Assassin’s Creed games. This dedication is evident in the game’s design, prioritising stealth and strategic gameplay over the action-heavy approach of more recent entries. Ubisoft Bordeaux has listened to the long-time fans, aiming to deliver a product that honors the series’ legacy. However, while their efforts are palpable, they sometimes fail to hit the mark, leading to a game that, while enjoyable, falls short of being the definitive return to form many had hoped for.
Core Gameplay Mechanics
Parkour and Movement
Movement and parkour have always been central to the Assassin’s Creed experience. In Mirage, the parkour system is accessible and functional but lacks the complexity and fluidity that defined earlier titles like Assassin’s Creed Unity.
Baghdad is beautifully designed, with dense, interconnected routes perfect for parkour. However, the movement mechanics don’t fully exploit this well-designed environment.
Players might find the parkour system feeling somewhat clunky and limited, preventing the seamless, dynamic movement that fans have come to expect. Despite these shortcomings, the system is pleasant to use within the game’s constraints, offering an essential yet satisfying experience that serves its purpose, even if it doesn’t exceed expectations.
Combat System
Combat in Mirage is designed as a fallback option, emphasizing stealth over confrontation.
On higher difficulties, combat becomes challenging and strategic, requiring careful stamina management and the strategic use of tools and parries.
The strict stamina system necessitates careful planning to avoid running out during fights. While the combat can be satisfying with patience and strategy, it is not designed for the fast-paced, fluid combat seen in titles like Ghost of Tsushima. Instead, Mirage encourages players to adopt a rogue-like approach, using tools and cunning to outmaneuver enemies. This emphasis on strategy over brute force aligns well with the game’s overall stealth focus, though it may disappoint those seeking more dynamic combat.
Stealth Mechanics
Stealth is the cornerstone of gameplay in Mirage, and it excels in this area. The game offers a variety of tools and abilities that enhance the stealth experience, such as smoke bombs, throwing knives, and other environmental interactions. Players can engage or avoid enemies, with the game providing multiple ways to complete objectives stealthily. The level design supports this stealth-centric gameplay, offering well-designed layouts and opportunities for creative problem-solving. Despite some issues with overly lenient detection and lacklustre AI, the stealth mechanics remain one of the game’s most vital aspects, delivering a satisfying experience that rewards careful planning and execution.
Narrative and Characters
Main Storyline
The narrative structure in Mirage has been a point of contention. The story centres on Basim’s journey from a street thief to a hidden one, aiming to provide a character-driven narrative that resonates with the series’ early storytelling.
However, Basim’s motivations and character arc are underdeveloped, making it challenging for players to invest entirely in his journey.
Characters and relationships are only allowed to grow in the introduction and conclusion, creating a disjointed narrative lacking earlier titles’ depth and emotional resonance. While the game attempts to evoke the narrative richness of its predecessors, it often falls short, resulting in a story that feels unambitious and forgettable.
Character Development
Character development in Mirage is another area where the game struggles. Basim, the protagonist, is a character with potential that isn’t fully realized. His relationship with his best friend Nehal, who questions his idealism, adds depth to his character. The mentor, Roshan, provides guidance and wisdom, serving as a highlight in the character dynamics. However, the villains in Mirage lack narrative presence, making them feel inconsequential. The game’s uninteresting dialogue and lacklustre voice acting make the problem worse. As a result, the characters fail to leave a lasting impact, diminishing the overall narrative experience.
Exploration and Side Content
Exploration Mechanics
Exploration in Mirage takes cues from previous titles, featuring elements like barred doors and areas requiring creative navigation to access. The game’s map is concise and manageable, encouraging players to complete all icons quickly. Collectables like historical sites and artifacts add depth to the game world, providing educational content about Baghdad and its history. Despite these engaging elements, the world outside the city feels dull and empty, offering little incentive for exploration. The site content, while plentiful, often feels generic and uninspired, failing to enhance the overall experience significantly.
Side Quests and Contracts
Side quests and contracts in Mirage offer additional assassination targets and side missions, providing valuable rewards like skill points. These finite tasks become available in waves, adding depth and replayability to the game. Some contracts are more engaging than the main missions in previous games, enhancing the overall experience. However, the side content must improve the setting, feeling generic and uninspired. While these quests add some variety, they don’t significantly impact the narrative or character development, making them feel disconnected from the main storyline.
Assassin’s Focus Mechanic
A standout feature in Mirage is the Assassin’s Focus mechanic, allowing players to execute multiple kills quickly. This ability charges through standard stealth kills and can be used creatively for movement and positioning. It differentiates Mirage from other titles in the series, adding a unique layer to the gameplay. The Assassin’s Focus mechanic is versatile and creates a skill gap between players who utilize it effectively and those who do not. This feature encourages players to experiment with different strategies, enhancing the overall depth and replayability of the game. However, its impact is somewhat limited by the game’s other mechanical shortcomings, preventing it from fully realizing its potential.
Historical Context and Immersion
Setting and Visuals
Despite its gameplay shortcomings, Mirage excels in its setting and visual presentation. Baghdad is beautifully recreated with impressive attention to historical detail, offering a rich and immersive cultural experience. The game’s environments are designed to evoke the historical period accurately, enhancing the overall immersion. The animus ball collectibles provide additional context and information, further enriching the historical setting. Mirage’s visual fidelity and environmental storytelling are among the best in the series, creating an authentic and engaging world.
Production Value
The production value of Assassin’s Creed Mirage is top-notch, with a futuristic yet familiar depiction of Baghdad that feels both alien and distinct. The game features a rich cultural setting that enhances the historical immersion, making it one of the highlights of the experience. Every aspect of the game’s world is crafted with care and attention to detail, from the detailed architecture to the vibrant marketplaces. This high production value helps to offset some of the game’s other weaknesses, providing a visually stunning experience that draws players into its world.
Post-Launch Updates and Community Engagement
Ubisoft Bordeaux has proactively addressed player feedback, introducing updates that have significantly improved the game. New game modes like New Game Plus and the “Full Synchronization Challenge” hardcore mode have enhanced replay value. Improvements to the parkour system and various quality-of-life features have also been well-received. This community-driven approach has helped refine Mirage, making it a more enjoyable experience for players revisiting the game in 2024. The developers’ commitment to listening to the community and making necessary adjustments reflects a dedication to delivering a quality experience.
Final Verdict: Worth Playing?
In 2024, Assassin’s Creed Mirage remains a game worth playing, especially for fans of the series. It successfully brings back elements from the series’ past but struggles to innovate and fully realise its potential. Combat, parkour, and narrative issues prevent it from being a standout entry. Despite these shortcomings, Mirage’s post-launch updates and community-driven improvements are worth revisiting. The game shines in its stealth mechanics and world design but falls short in other critical areas. It offers a nostalgic experience for hardcore fans but may not appeal as broadly.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a step in the right direction, laying a foundation for future improvements. While it didn’t save the series, it provides an enjoyable experience for fans and a hopeful glimpse into what future titles could achieve.
The game’s dedication to providing a genuine Assassin’s Creed experience, its thoughtful design, and its focus on core gameplay mechanics make it a worthy addition to the series. Despite its imperfections, Mirage offers a mix of nostalgia and new challenges in a well-crafted historical setting, making it a game worth experiencing in 2024.
As we anticipate future installments, Mirage showcases the lasting charm of Assassin’s Creed, laying a solid basis for forthcoming advancements and refinements. Whether you’re a long-time fan or a newcomer to the series, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a game that deserves your attention in 2024.
