Assassin’s Creed Mirage looks to fix my biggest problem with Valhalla
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Ubisoft has revealed that the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Mirage will return to its roots to deliver a more focused experience that pays homage to the original games.
In an interview with GameMe (opens in new tab) on Assassin’s Creed Mirage, creative director Stephane Boudon explained that the developer has been listening to series fans who want to see the series return to a more streamlined experience. “The creation of Mirage was the convergence of different inputs,” Boundon said. “We started to hear the desire for a character-driven story, focusing on the core pillars of the first ACs on a more intimate scale. It resonates with us as well as with the developers, and this was the starting point of the project.”
After a handful of large-scale, larger-than-life Assassin’s Creed games – looking at you, Valhalla – it’s nice to hear that Mirage will be a little more intimate.
Golden Age
Set in the 9th century, Mirage gives us the chance to see the first footsteps of Basim, the adversary of Valhalla, and his journey from a young man to a Master Assassin. After losing his mother at a young age, Basim lived on the streets of Baghdad. It was here that he first began dreaming of joining the Hidden Ones, a secret group of assassins.
With Basim on his way to becoming the most versatile Assassin in franchise history, parkour and stealth take center stage, just like in the original games.
Mirage also offers plenty of opportunities for exploration. Located in the bustling city streets of Baghdad during the Golden Age, there will be four unique districts to investigate. And while it will certainly be fun to roam the rooftops of industrial Karkh or sneak through the lush gardens into the Round City, I can’t wait to discover all the secrets in this bustling metropolis. I hope the map is on the small side of the scale.
Smaller is better
As a fan of Norse mythology, I was initially very excited to play Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Unfortunately, what started out as a treat turned into a chore, as I felt like I had to complete every side quest to progress through the game. In a world where open-world RPGs are part of the experience, I’m starting to find the relentlessly vast expanse of open-world games tiresome.
Every time I logged in, I was greeted by the menacing sight of a cluttered map filled with various quests in every shade of the rainbow. As someone who likes to eat veggies first, I felt the odd need to complete all the different and potentially pointless quests before getting into the main story.
Having to chase floating pamphlets or find cats for an old lady wasn’t exactly what I pictured when I thought of a Viking-themed Assassin’s Creed game. While a few of these extra tasks can be a nice way to lighten the mood, the lack of seriousness lost to me what made the original games so appealing.
I can try to find cats or chase pamphlets at any time, but I don’t get the chance to regularly role-play as a secret assassin in 9th-century Baghdad. With this in mind, I’m glad to see Ubisoft going back to the drawing board to create a more intimate game that stays true to the core of the franchise.